Traveler’s Thrombosis, or deep vein thrombosis is an affliction that is often associated with flying. However in China, it appears that it is more commonly associated with video gaming than it is with air travel, especially now that after a young woman developed the condition after a 4o hour gaming session.
The People’s Daily reports that a 20 year-old female gamer was taken to the hospital in Fujian province after complaining about leg pains. The gamer, Xiao Han (a psuedonym), was diagnosed with the possibly life threatening ailment Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) at the hospital. After a gruelling treatment of surgery and medicine, Xiao Han is now fine.
When doctors asked what Xiao Han was doing prior to her leg pain, she explained that she had been playing an online game. Unfortunately the doctors didn’t specify which online game, but they told the People’s Daily that Xiao Han had spent the over 40 continuous hours sitting down playing.
DVT is a condition when blood clots in a deep vein of the leg. It causes mild to extreme pain and has the possibility of leading to death. Basically, the clots occur in the leg, depending on time and luck the clot breaks off and travels through the blood stream and flows into the lungs (or other organs). When it reaches the lungs it can cause severe issues which can lead to death. Symptoms of DVT are often swelling and redness of the legs.
DVT is commonly associated with air travel other activities of long sitting such as playing video games. According to the US Federal Aviation Administration, DVT is known to “occur in 1 out 1000 people in the general population” from various causes. Last year a young man in Taiwan died in an internet cafe as developing DVT during a long gaming session.
The People’s Daily article was kind enough to point out methods to preventing DVT. It recommends that gamers should take breaks, get regular exercise and drink lots of water. Of course it failed to mention that gamers should be careful when they partake in ridiculous gaming marathons.
Top photo: scyther5 / Shutterstock
[妙龄女不睡觉连续玩网游40小时 下肢血栓险送命] [People’s Daily]
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