Thrombocytopenia/Low Platelets
Thrombocytopenia, what is that you ask? Its the condition known as low platelet count. What are platelets, they are blood cells that help your blood clot when you are bleeding. This means that platelets cause clumps to form in the blood vessels to stop bleeding.
Some of the signs or symptoms are easy bruising,bleeding into the skin that appears as it may be a rash, prolonged bleeding from cuts, and blood in urine or stools.
The causes of thrombocytopenia is usually marked by an underlying problem. Such problems are leukemia and some anemias may cause your overall platelet count to be low. Also ITP, could be a factor. This is where your immune system mistakenly attacks the platelets. Blood poisoning is another cause of this condition. As well as Lupus or rheumatoid arthritis, these are autoimmune disorders that could destroy platelets as well.
You should see a doctor when you have abnormal bleeding or bruising. Also if you develop a rash of pin point sized spots on your body.
The tests for this disease are a blood test or a more extensive test called a bone marrow. They go in and pull a piece of bone and send it off to see where the platelets are going and to see if you are making enough of them.
Treatment of this disease vary, and here are a few of the solutions. They include the useof medications, but in the rare case that those dont work. then they remove the spleen.This is done of the meds dont respond or it gets worse. There is also the procedure of plasma transfusions. This is only done in the most severest of cases that have lost a great deal of blood.
In cases that your platelets are too low, they will ask that you stop taking any aspirins that you are taking. They will ask that you stay away from contact sports, this is done to reduce the risk of injury and or bleeding.
