When you work do you sit in one position for a long period of time? Do your hobbies cause you to sit for long periods of time? Do you sit at the computer a lot for work or play? Do you play a lot of video games for fun? Do you watch a lot of television or find yourself sitting on your sofa reading a lot? Do you just basically sit for long periods of time without getting up to move?
If you answered yes to the above questions, you may be a candidate for a condition known as a pulmonary embolism. This is a condition that causes blood clots to form in the lungs.
Yes, sitting for long periods is the main cause for this condition. However, it has been proven that other factors can cause this condition, as well. These factors include: obesity, heart disease, diabetes, smoking and taking blood thinners. It has also been shown that women are more apt to suffer from pulmonary embolisms than men.
Symptoms of this condition includes: shortness of breath, pain while breathing and increased heart rate. Slow blood flow contributes to this blood. This can include blood flow in the veins of one’s legs.
Of course, the basic way to prevent a pulmonary embolism from occurring is to get up and move around more. Since sitting still for long periods of time can cause the embolism to form, moving around can help prevent it. This means if you must sit for long periods you should try your best to take breaks every thirty minutes or so and just get up and move.
You should also:
Lose weight, if necessary Quit smoking, if you are currently a smoker Add regular exercise into your daily routine Take extra precautions if you are diabetic or if you suffer from heart disease.
No, it may not be possible to avoid sitting for long periods of time, depending on your job or your routines. But you should try to move around as much as you can, during these periods to keep from developing pulmonary embolisms, which can be fatal.
Sources:
webmd.com