Q: I am a 33 years old male. I suffered from head injury last year and subsequently had a haemotoma in my frontal region. I have been operated twice since then. But, till now, I have swelling and pain in my both legs, near ankle, feet and calves. I am under heavy medication that includes Daflon (500 mg), Shelcal Moxyden, Diclogesic and some injections. Despite of all the treatment, I have not recovered. Please tell me what to do.

A:From your description, I suspect that you may have a condition called deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the legs. DVT occurs in persons who have been lying down for a long time, such as those who are in hospital after a surgery. The blood in the leg veins clots, and the legs swell up. The patient may have considerable pain. DVT may lead to varicose veins , which are dilatations of the remaining veins of the legs. Treatment of acute DVT is by painkillers and drugs that prevent clotting. You probably would have been given these medicines in July, but do not need these medicines now. Treatment of varicose veins is by wearing properly designed stockings that support your veins. Any leading chemist should be able to tell you where these stockings are available. Also, the orthopedics departments and the vascular surgery departments in most hospitals will have the contact numbers of the persons who make the stockings. Varicose veins sometimes need surgery, but before surgery you MUST undergo full evaluation by a specialist in vascular surgery, because surgery is inadvisable for some patients. Daflon provides very limited help, and is not a good long-term option. Consult a specialist in vascular surgery for the best answers.