What is a blood clot?

What is a blood clot?

Blood clots are gel-like collections of blood that form in your veins or arteries when blood changes from liquid to partially solid. Clotting is a normal function that stops your body from bleeding too much when you get hurt. However, blood clots that form in some places and don’t dissolve on their own can be dangerous to your health.

Normally, a blood clots start as a response to injury of a blood vessel. At first, the blood stays in one place. Two substances — platelets (a type of blood cell) and fibrin (a firm string-like substance) — combine to form what is called a platelet plug to stop up the cut or hole.

When a blood clot forms where it should not have developed, it is called a thrombus. A blood clot is also called a thrombus. The clot may stay in one spot (called thrombosis) or move through the body (called embolism or thromboembolism). The clots that move are especially dangerous. Blood clots can form in arteries (arterial clots) or veins (venous clots).

The symptoms of a blood clot, and the recommended treatment, depend on where a clot forms in your body and how much damage it could cause. Knowing the most common blood clot signs and risk factors can help you spot or even prevent this potentially life-threatening condition.