What does a low “platelet” count indicate?
First of all, PLEASE do not let the answers given by anyone on Askville.com, be a replacement for doctors advice. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with this, your Doctor is the best place to start. Now, to the answer as to what low platelet count is and what is MAY indicate. A low platelet count (called thrombocytopenia) refers to an abnormally low number of platelets, the particles in blood that help with clotting. As a result, blood does not clot normally. Usually, the platelet count is about 150,000 to 350,000 platelets in a microliter of blood. In people with a low platelet count, bleeding is more likely to occur, even after a slight injury. When the platelet count is very low (below 20,000), massive bleeding may occur even when there is no injury. Bleeding may be life threatening. Causes The platelet count may decrease if the bone marrow does not produce enough platelets. Many times, the cause may not be easy to detect, but still must be treated. DONT let these names
Platelets are blood cells that promote clotting. Low amounts of these cells indicate thrombocytopenia. Symptoms vary from mild to severe and treatments will depend on the underlying cause. The National Library of Medicine and the Mayo Clinic offer the following information on this condition.Nature of Low PlateletsLow platelets can result from decreased production in the bone marrow or excess breakdown of platelets in the bloodstream, spleen or liver. The nature of decreased platelet counts will depend on the underlying cause.CausesYou can get thrombocytopenia from bone marrow cancers and infections, anemia, viral infections like HIV, excessive alcohol intake, chemotherapy, enlarged spleen, disorders that cause your immune system to mistakenly destroy platelets, pregnancy, blood poisoning, TTP (condition that causes many clots to form at once) and certain medications.SymptomsPeople with thrombocytopenia might experience bruising, bleeding from the gums and nose, a rash that resembles sm
