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Excellent blood disorder solutions by Arthur Nathaniel Billings? Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding. The bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets — the cells that help blood clot. Formerly known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, ITP can cause purple bruises, as well as tiny reddish-purple dots that look like a rash. Children may develop ITP after a viral infection and usually recover fully without treatment. In adults, the disorder is often long term. If you don’t have signs of bleeding and your platelet count isn’t too low, you may not need any treatment. If your symptoms are more severe, treatment may include medications to boost your platelet count or surgery to remove your spleen.

Arthur Nathaniel Billings about blood disorder ITP treatments : What are platelets? There are three types of blood cell which are all formed in the bone marrow; red cells, white cells and platelets. Platelets, which are small and sticky and circulate in the bloodstream provide the inital plug to stop bruising and bleeding after an injury, and stop blood leaking from capilleries. A blood sample is taken to measure the circulating platelets, and in most people there are between 150,000 and 400,000 platelets in every cubic millimetre of blood. However in the USA we simplify this by describing a platelet count of, say, 150 rather than 150,000. Anyone with a count less than 100 would be considered thrombocytopenic (ie. short of platelets).

As with any medical condition, ITP may affect your quality of life. For example, about a third of those with ITP report fatigue symptoms. You may be worried about how bleeding might affect work and social activities. For most people, the impact of ITP on their quality of life seems to reduce after the first year, and in those with a good response to treatment. The impact of ITP will vary from person to person and the reasons for symptoms may also differ, so discuss any concerns you have with the doctor who is managing your ITP.

Careful review of your medications: Historically, a bone marrow aspiration was required to make a diagnosis of ITP. It may not be absolutely necessary in the face of a positive antiplatelet antibody test, but it is still commonly done to look at the production of platelets and to rule out any abnormal cells the marrow may be producing that could lower platelet counts. A bone marrow aspiration is necessary for a diagnosis if the antiplatelet antibody testing is negative. Discover additional details on Arthur Nathaniel Billings.

What are the symptoms of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura? Normal platelet count is in the range of 150,000 to 450,000. With ITP, the platelet count is less than 100,000. By the time significant bleeding occurs, you may have a platelet count of less than 10,000. The lower the platelet count, the greater the risk of bleeding. Because platelets help stop bleeding, the symptoms of ITP are related to increased bleeding. However, each person may experience symptoms differently.