( CNN ) -- Doctors say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on her way to a full recovery after a blood clot was found in her head on Sunday night . She was discharged from New York Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday after spending three days being treated , the State Department announced . Clinton 's blood clot was located in the vein between the brain and skull behind her right ear , according to her doctors ' statement . It is being treated with blood thinners and did not result in a stroke or any neurological damage . This type of blood clot is called a cerebral vein thrombosis and is relatively rare , said Dr. Mary Cushman , director of the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program at the University of Vermont and chair of the American Society of Hematology 's subcommittee on quality of care . A two-year study conducted in the Netherlands found cerebral vein thrombosis affects approximately 1 in every 100,000 people . In comparison , the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 1 in 1,000 people are affected by deep venous thrombosis ( DVT ) -- a similar clot found most often in the leg . Clinton , now 65 , suffered from a DVT in 1998 . Anyone who has had a blood clot in the past is at a higher risk of getting one again . About one-third of people with DVT will have a recurrence within 10 years , according to the CDC . `` There are a handful of genetic conditions that predispose someone to these kinds of clots , '' Cushman said . `` That 's why you might see two different ( types of blood clots ) in the same person . '' It 's unknown if Clinton has a genetic condition that may increase her risk . Other risk factors for DVT include smoking , use of oral contraceptives , age ( the risk increases over age 65 ) and obesity . Blood clots : 4 things you need to know . A large long-term study published in the journal PLoS One in 2007 found the more frequently a person travels , the higher their risk of blood clots . The blood in veins is fighting gravity to get back to the heart , Cushman said , and needs the leg muscles to help push it along . When a person is sedentary for long periods of time -- especially on a plane or in a car where the legs are in the same position for hours -- the blood can start to clot . Clinton has logged many miles as secretary of state , in addition to the time spent traveling as a former presidential candidate and first lady . Although she plans to step down from the State Department soon , there is a lot of speculation about a run for president in 2016 . Blood clots would n't deter her from campaigning if that 's what she chooses , said Dr. Jack Ansell , an expert in thrombosis at Lenox Hill Hospital who is not involved in Clinton 's care . `` Travel is potentially an issue for the secretary , but I would imagine that when she travels she 's not sitting in a coach seat , cramped up and sitting still , '' Ansell said . Experts recommend anyone with a history of blood clots stand up and walk every couple hours during long trips . They should also avoid alcoholic drinks prior to traveling -- dehydration can contribute to the formation of blood clots . Doctors often recommend wearing compression stockings , which help move blood along in the legs by narrowing the veins . Clinton may remain on blood thinners for several months or for the foreseeable future , said Dr. Evan Lipsitz , chief of vascular surgery at Montefiore Medical Center , who is not treating the secretary of state . `` The current recommendations are for at least three months of treatment with a blood thinner following a clot . Each case much be individualized depending on the size and location of the clot and the risk of bleeding as a result of the treatment , '' Lipsitz said . Often patients on these medications are monitored closely , having their blood checked once a month or every couple of months to ensure the dosage is right . Lipsitz makes his patients aware of typical blood clot symptoms ( sudden pain or swelling in the limbs , or chest pain and shortness of breath caused by a blood clot traveling toward the lungs ) so they can spot them and get treated quickly . Patients on blood thinners need to avoid physical trauma , Cushman said , but are otherwise fine . So while an NFL player or a construction worker would probably be out , Clinton 's career going forward is still full of possibilities . `` I think her future is as good as her past , '' Ansell said . `` She should recover fully and get back to work . '' CNN 's Mary Snow , Danielle Dellorto and Elise Labott contributed to this report .
Hillary Clinton 's blood clot is called a cerebral artery thrombosis and is relatively rare . Anyone who has had a blood clot in the past is at a higher risk of having it again . It 's unknown if she has a genetic mutation that may increase her risk .