Why platelets go down

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List of Partners vendors. Platelets are small cells that move through your bloodstream. Like other blood cells, platelets are formed in bone marrow.

Platelets are clotting cells. They clump together after an injury to slow and stop bleeding. People with thrombocytopenia have low platelets. This reduces the ability to form clots and stop bleeding. If you have this condition, it is important to understand how it affects your health and what you can do to stay well. This article discusses normal and abnormal platelet counts, some of the causes of low platelets, and symptoms you may experience.

It also describes strategies for managing the condition and how it is usually treated. A complete blood count CBC test is a standard panel of bloodwork. The platelet count is one of things this test measures.

Here is what various platelet counts mean:. Thrombocytopenia can be genetic, which means it is passed down through families. Genetic forms are rare. They are sometimes misdiagnosed as other forms of the disease. Your body may produce enough platelets on its own, but some conditions and medicines may destroy them or stop them from working correctly dysfunction. When you have an autoimmune condition , your immune system attacks healthy cells.

Diseases like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis may cause the immune system to destroy platelets. Bacteremia , also called blood poisoning, is a bacterial infection that affects the blood.

This infection may lead to a reduction in platelets. Anticoagulants are medications that stop your blood from clotting. Thrombocytopenia can also happen when your body doesn't make enough platelets.

There are several reasons this might happen. Gestational thrombocytopenia is fairly common in the third trimester of pregnancy. It happens because of an increase in blood volume. The platelet counts stay the same in this condition, but since the blood volume is higher, the platelets are more diluted.

There is usually a low risk of serious bleeding. Chemotherapy and radiation are common therapies for cancer. They are very effective at killing cancer cells. Unfortunately, they can't tell the difference between cancer cells and healthy cells. These therapies target any cells that reproduce quickly. This includes cells in bone marrow. Cancer treatments may unintentionally kill the cells in bone marrow that produce platelets.

When this happens, your body won't be able to produce the platelets it needs. Blood cancer may also cause low platelets. When bone marrow is invaded by cancer cells, healthy cells can be crowded out by cancer cells.

This will affect the production of platelets. Poor nutrition can cause low platelet counts. To make platelets, your body needs nutrients like vitamin B12 and folate. Certain viral infections such as hepatitis C or HIV can prevent bone marrow from making platelets.

Heavy drinking can cause malnutrition , which is when your body doesn't get enough nutrients. People who drink a lot of alcohol may have bone marrow abnormalities.

When this happens, your body has trouble making new platelets. Alcohol itself may have a toxic effect on bone marrow. Many conditions can cause a decrease in the production of platelets.

These conditions often prevent bone marrow from making platelets. Certain viruses, poor nutrition, and heavy alcohol use can impact your body's ability to make platelets.

Blood cancer and cancer treatment can also have this effect. Several conditions may result in an enlarged spleen. A healthy spleen stores up to one-third of the body's platelets. An enlarged spleen may trap platelets. If you have a low platelet count and experience headaches or any neurological problems, tell your doctor right away. Your bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside the bone. The causes of low platelet production include:. Each platelet lives about 10 days in a healthy body. A low platelet count can also be a result of the body destroying too may platelets.

This can be due to side effects of certain medications, include diuretics and anti-seizure medications. It can also be a symptom of:. During the exam, your doctor will check your body for any unusual bruising or evidence of petechiae, which is a sign of capillary bleeding that often accompanies a low platelet count. Your doctor may also feel your abdomen to check for an enlarged spleen, which can cause a low platelet count.

You may also be asked if you have any family history of bleeding disorders since these types of disorders can run in families. To diagnose this condition, your doctor needs to do a complete blood count test. This test looks at the amount of blood cells in your blood. A typical platelet count will range between , and , platelets per mL blood. Your doctor may also wish to have your blood tested for platelet antibodies. These are proteins that destroy platelets.

Platelet antibodies can be produced as a side effect to certain drugs, such as heparin, or for unknown reasons. Your doctor may also order blood-clotting tests, which includes partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time.

These tests simply require a sample of your blood. Certain chemicals will be added to the sample to determine how long it takes your blood to clot. If your doctor suspects that your spleen is enlarged, they may order an ultrasound. This test will use sound waves to make a picture of your spleen. It can help your doctor determine if your spleen is the proper size. During an aspiration, your doctor will use a needle to remove a small amount of bone marrow from one of your bones.

A bone marrow biopsy may also be ordered. Your doctor will use a needle to take a sample of your core bone marrow, usually from the hipbone. Platelets thrombocytes are colorless blood cells that help blood clot. Platelets stop bleeding by clumping and forming plugs in blood vessel injuries.

Thrombocytopenia might occur as a result of a bone marrow disorder such as leukemia or an immune system problem. Or it can be a side effect of taking certain medications. It affects both children and adults. Thrombocytopenia can be mild and cause few signs or symptoms.

In rare cases, the number of platelets can be so low that dangerous internal bleeding occurs. Treatment options are available. Petechiae may look like a rash and usually appear in clusters. Here they appear on a leg A and on an abdomen B. Bleeding that won't stop is a medical emergency.

Seek immediate help for bleeding that can't be controlled by the usual first-aid techniques, such as applying pressure to the area. The spleen is a small organ usually about the size of your fist. But a number of conditions, including liver disease and some cancers, can cause your spleen to become enlarged.

Thrombocytopenia means you have fewer than , platelets per microliter of circulating blood. Because each platelet lives only about 10 days, your body normally renews your platelet supply continually by producing new platelets in your bone marrow.