*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

Blood Clots

Blood clots can be very serious and need to be treated quickly. Staying healthy and active can help prevent them.

Get advice from 111 now if you think you have a blood clot

Symptoms of a blood clot include:

throbbing or cramping pain, swelling, redness and warmth in a leg or arm
sudden breathlessness, sharp chest pain (may be worse when you breathe in) and a cough or coughing up blood

Blood clots can be life threatening if not treated quickly.

111 will tell you what to do. They can arrange a phone call from a nurse or doctor if you need one.

Other ways to get help

A GP may be able to help you.

Ask your GP practice for an urgent appointment.

A blood clot in a leg is called a DVT (deep vein thrombosis).

This could be a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), which needs to be treated immediately.

Blood clots are rare in young, healthy people.

You're more likely to get them if you:

are staying in or recently left hospital - especially if you cannot move around much (like after an operation)
are overweight
smoke
are using combined hormonal contraception such as the combined pill, contraceptive patch or vaginal ring
have had a blood clot before
are pregnant or have just had a baby
have an inflammatory condition such as Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis

There are also other things that increase your risk of clots.

If you're at a high risk of blood clots - for example, you're in hospital - follow the advice of your care team about preventing clots.

This may involve wearing stockings that improve your blood flow or taking medicine to reduce the risk of clots (anticoagulants).

There are also things you can do to help avoid clots.

stay active - taking regular walks can help
drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration - you're more likely to get a clot if you're dehydrated
try to lose weight if you're overweight
wear flight stockings or flight socks to improve your blood flow on long flights - a pharmacist can advise you about this

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
Photos: LightFieldStudios and one of VladOrlov, Stockcube, darak77, ajr_images or rawpixel.com.