Can a sprained ankle be fatal?
There was a news report some years ago about a female journalist who accidentally sprained her ankle while out on an assignment, didn’t pay much attention to it, and just rested at home. Over the next few days, the swelling of her ankle didn’t subside, and there was even a tendency for it to worsen.
Initially, the journalist thought it was due to her weak resistance and slow recovery. Unexpectedly, on the 12th day after spraining her ankle, she suddenly passed away! According to reports, she died from a pulmonary embolism caused by a lower limb venous thrombus resulting from the ankle sprain.
Such cases are countless, but Xiao Li from Guangdong was relatively lucky.
About half a month ago, Xiao Li accidentally sprained his knee while playing basketball. Feeling it wasn’t serious, he didn’t go to the hospital for a check-up but chose to rest in bed at home instead.
One day, while lying at home, he suddenly experienced symptoms of chest tightness, shortness of breath, and profuse sweating, and then fainted. Upon being taken to the hospital, it was discovered that he had a large amount of blood clots in his left leg, pulmonary artery hypertension. The doctors quickly cleared the clot after opening up a green channel for him, turning crisis into safety.
When it comes to spraining an ankle, most people’s initial reaction is that it’s a minor issue. However, the reality is different! If not handled properly, a sprained ankle can also be fatal!
1. Beware of this deadly silent killer: Pulmonary embolism
Pulmonary embolism refers to various emboli detaching within the body’s circulation blocking the pulmonary artery and its branches, leading to a syndrome of pulmonary circulation disorders. The most common pulmonary emboli are blood clots. Blood clots not only block the lungs but also can lead to coronary heart disease when blocking the heart or cerebral infarction when blocking the brain.
Many people think that only older people get blood clots, which is a very wrong idea! In December 2023, the American Society of Hematology published the “2023 Venous Thromboembolism Management Guidelines,” which indicated that six categories of individuals have a much higher risk of developing blood clots and need to be especially careful.
â‘ Cancer patients with a history of low to moderate risk of thrombosis formation and venous thromboembolism;
â‘¡ Patients with venous thrombosis associated with pregnancy, postpartum, and oral contraceptives;
â‘¢ Patients with cerebral and visceral venous thrombosis;
â‘£ Patients with temporary risk factors for venous thrombosis unrelated to hormones or surgery;
⑤ Individuals with a family history of deficiencies in anticoagulants, protein C, and protein S;
â‘¥ Pregnant women with a family history of a high risk of thrombosis formation.
2. What symptoms occur when there is a blood clot? Don’t miss these 4 warnings!
The most frightening aspect of blood clots is that 99% of them have no symptoms in the early stages. Dr. Jin Yongjian, director of the Neurosurgery Department at the Aviation General Hospital, pointed out that in the early stages of blood clot formation, there are no symptoms. Once 90% of the clot forms in the body, vascular embolism occurs. Significant symptoms only appear when the vessel is clearly blocked, indicating a more severe period. Observing the body’s signs daily and not missing these signals is crucial.
1. Leg pain
You may feel leg pain after walking for a short while, which can be relieved after resting for a bit. As the condition progresses, the frequency of pain increases. Besides leg pain, there may also be symptoms of leg numbness, lower limb coldness, temperature differences between legs, and paleness in the legs.
2. Headache
In the initial stages of cerebrovascular disease, dizziness, limb numbness, and paralysis may occur. As the disease progresses, intracranial pressure continues to rise, leading to severe headache symptoms. Especially with atrial fibrillation-induced embolism causing cerebral thrombosis, there may be noticeable signs of dizziness and headache.
3. Chest pain
The most typical symptoms of pulmonary embolism are chest pain, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing due to irritation of the pleura. Some patients may also experience fever, coughing, palpitations, and in severe cases, death.
4. Unilateral limb swelling and pain
Unilateral limb swelling with muscle tenderness is likely a sign of venous obstruction. When this symptom appears, do not massage or compress the limb blindly. Seek medical attention promptly to confirm if it is caused by pulmonary embolism.
3. Don’t want to be a “thrombosis-prone individual”? Avoid eating these 3 types of food
The formation of blood clots is closely related to daily diet. To prevent blood clot formation, these types of food should be consumed in moderation.
1. High sodium foods
High salt consumption is associated with various cardiovascular diseases, including 9.5% of cardiovascular metabolic deaths, 10.4% of coronary heart disease deaths, 21.4% of hypertension-related heart disease deaths, and 10.4% of stroke deaths. Besides controlling salt intake, reducing the consumption of pickled foods, sausages, and other high-salt foods is also necessary.
2. Fried foods
Fried foods contain large amounts of fat, and excessive consumption leads to the accumulation of fats in the body, increasing the risk of obesity and cardiovascular burden. This can easily lead to vascular blockages, causing blood clots.
3. Artificial trans fats
Trans fats pose a significant threat to health as they increase low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and decrease high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, significantly raising the risk of cardiovascular diseases, including blood clots. When purchasing food, check the ingredients list for artificial fats, butters, margarines, shortenings, and puff pastries, as they indicate the presence of artificial trans fats and are best avoided.
Blood clots pose a significant threat to health, so it is crucial to take them seriously and prevent them as much as possible.
References:
[1] “6 categories of individuals belong to ‘thrombosis-prone individuals,’ and their risk of thrombosis is higher than that of the general population.” Life Times, January 24, 2024
[2] “99% of blood clots may have no symptoms at all! If these 3 areas hurt, be careful!” Science China, November 2, 2022
[3] “Vascular blockages come from eating! These 3 types of foods clog blood vessels, the more you eat, the faster blood clots and heart attacks come, and you live shorter than your peers.” Daily Health Promotion, May 12, 2023
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