The symptoms | The reduced platelet count – When does it become dangerous?

The symptoms

The symptoms of platelet deficiency can be very diverse. For example, a reduced number of thrombocytes can be indicated by a prolonged bleeding time. Many and very pronounced haematomas (‘bruises’) after harmless injuries can also be an indication of this.

If bleeding occurs in internal organs that cannot be stopped due to a lack of platelets, bloody stool or urine may be the symptoms. Petechiae (tiny bleedings of the skin) are also an indication of a thrombocyte deficiency. These are usually found on the arms and legs and show up as tiny, red, scattered dots.

A characteristic feature of these petechiae is that they cannot be pushed away by pressure with the finger. Since thrombocytes take over the function of coagulating the blood in the body, a deficiency of these blood components often poses a risk of bleeding. The more pronounced the deficiency is, the greater the bleeding is usually.

Even the smallest injuries to the skin or mucous membranes can lead to bleeding if there is a pronounced deficiency of thrombocytes. Injuries to the internal organs can also lead to severe internal bleeding. Bleeding should in any case be stopped as quickly as possible, as a major loss of blood can lead to a life-threatening condition.

Petechiae are the smallest bleedings of the skin or mucous membranes, which can be caused by a lack of thrombocytes. They are characterized as red, punctiform bleedings and are about the size of a pinhead. They do not occur sporadically, but in larger groups.

The lower legs and ankles are usually affected first by petechiae. Places where they otherwise frequently occur are also the mucous membranes or the head. The forearms and trunk can also be affected. A typical feature of petechiae is that they cannot be pushed away by pressure with the finger.

The consequences

The consequences of a reduced number of thrombocytes can be quite different. In general, a distinction must be made as to how much the number of thrombocytes deviates from the normal value. The period in which the number of thrombocytes in the blood has decreased is also significant for the consequences.

If the values are only slightly reduced compared to the normal value, it usually occurs without clinical symptoms for the patient. However, if the number of thrombocytes is significantly reduced, even harmless injuries, for example to the skin, can lead to major bleeding. This can often be recognized by hematomas (=blue spots’ ).

These are then usually very large and clearly pronounced. Petechiae (= smallest bleedings) can also occur on the legs and arms, for example. These petechiae appear as small red dots heaped up next to each other, which cannot be pushed away by pressure with the finger.

Bleeding gums or nosebleeds can also occur more frequently. Even the slightest injury, caused for example by brushing with a toothbrush or blowing your nose, can be enough to cause bleeding. Black stools or bloody urine can be an indication of internal bleeding.