Treatment

For superficial thrombophlebitis, your doctor might recommend applying heat to the painful area, elevating the affected leg, using an over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) and possibly wearing compression stockings. The condition usually improves on its own.

Your doctor might also recommend these treatments for both types of thrombophlebitis:

• Blood-thinning medications. If you have deep vein thrombosis, injection of a blood-thinning (anticoagulant) medication, such as low molecular weight heparin, fondaparinux (Arixtra) or apixaban (Eliquis), will prevent clots from growing bigger. After the first treatment, you'll likely be told to take warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven) or rivaroxaban (Xarelto) for several months to keep preventing clot growth. Blood thinners can cause excessive bleeding. Always follow your doctor's instructions carefully.
• Clot-dissolving medications. Treatment with a clot-dissolving drug is called thrombolysis. The medication alteplase (Activase) is used to dissolve blood clots in people with extensive DVT, including those who have a blood clot in the lungs (pulmonary embolism).
• Compression stockings. Prescription-strength compression stockings help prevent swelling and reduce the chances of complications of DVT.
• Vena cava filter. If you can't take blood thinners, a filter may be inserted into the main vein in your abdomen (vena cava) to prevent clots that break loose in leg veins from lodging in your lungs. Usually, the filter is removed when it's no longer needed.
• Varicose vein stripping. Your doctor can surgically remove varicose veins that cause pain or recurrent thrombophlebitis. The procedure involves removing a long vein through small incisions. Removing the vein won't affect blood flow in your leg because veins deeper in the leg take care of the increased volumes of blood.