Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentsA Word From Verywell

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Symptoms

Causes

Diagnosis

Treatments

A Word From Verywell

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Close up of scientists hand holding blood sample on a glass microscope slide for medical testing

Because platelets are crucial in stopping bleeding, signs and symptoms are related to the increased risk of bleeding. If your thrombocytopenia is mild you may not have any symptoms. The lower your platelet count is, the more likely you are to have bleeding. Symptoms include:

​There are multiple causes of thrombocytopenia, including laboratory error. Some causes are temporary and may resolve with treatment and others require lifelong treatment.

Thrombocytopenia is initially diagnosed on acomplete blood count(CBC). This could be drawn as part of an annual physical exam or because you come to your physician with bleeding symptoms.

To determine the cause of your thrombocytopenia your physician will need to send additional labs. This will likely include a peripheral blood smear where the blood cells are inspected under a microscope. The appearance of the platelets may indicate the specific cause of the low platelet count.

Additionally, tests that assess the function of platelets, like platelet aggregometry, may assist in diagnosing the cause of thrombocytopenia. You may need to be referred to a hematologist (blood doctor) to determine the cause of your thrombocytopenia.

If you have unusual or prolonged bleeding, discuss your concerns with your physician so an appropriate work-up may be performed and treatment initiated if needed.

12 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Raadsen M, Du Toit J, Langerak T, van Bussel B, van Gorp E, Goeijenbier M.Thrombocytopenia in virus infections.J Clin Med. 2021;10(4):877. doi:10.3390/jcm10040877Vayne C, Guéry EA, Rollin J, Baglo T, Petermann R, Gruel Y.Pathophysiology and diagnosis of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia.J Clin Med. 2020;9(7):2212. doi:10.3390/jcm9072212National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).Mori S, Hidaka M, Kawakita T, et al.Factors associated with myelosuppression related to low-dose methotrexate therapy for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154744. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154744National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Aplastic anemia.Almazni I, Stapley R, Morgan NV.Inherited thrombocytopenia: update on genes and genetic variants which may be associated with bleeding.Front Cardiovasc Med. 2019;6:80. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00080Bonnet S, Guédon A, Ribeil JA, Suarez F, Tamburini J, Gaujoux S.Indications and outcome of splenectomy in hematologic disease.J Visc Surg. 2017;154(6):421-429. doi:10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2017.06.011National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.Cines DB, Levine LD.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Blood. 2017;130(21):2271-2277. doi:10.1182/blood-2017-05-781971Koltai K, Kesmarky G, Feher G, Tibold A, Toth K.Platelet aggregometry testing: molecular mechanisms, techniques and clinical implications.Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(8):1803. doi:10.3390/ijms18081803Grace RF, Neunert C.Second-line therapies in immune thrombocytopenia.Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016;2016(1):698-706. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2016.1.698

12 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Raadsen M, Du Toit J, Langerak T, van Bussel B, van Gorp E, Goeijenbier M.Thrombocytopenia in virus infections.J Clin Med. 2021;10(4):877. doi:10.3390/jcm10040877Vayne C, Guéry EA, Rollin J, Baglo T, Petermann R, Gruel Y.Pathophysiology and diagnosis of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia.J Clin Med. 2020;9(7):2212. doi:10.3390/jcm9072212National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).Mori S, Hidaka M, Kawakita T, et al.Factors associated with myelosuppression related to low-dose methotrexate therapy for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154744. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154744National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Aplastic anemia.Almazni I, Stapley R, Morgan NV.Inherited thrombocytopenia: update on genes and genetic variants which may be associated with bleeding.Front Cardiovasc Med. 2019;6:80. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00080Bonnet S, Guédon A, Ribeil JA, Suarez F, Tamburini J, Gaujoux S.Indications and outcome of splenectomy in hematologic disease.J Visc Surg. 2017;154(6):421-429. doi:10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2017.06.011National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.Cines DB, Levine LD.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Blood. 2017;130(21):2271-2277. doi:10.1182/blood-2017-05-781971Koltai K, Kesmarky G, Feher G, Tibold A, Toth K.Platelet aggregometry testing: molecular mechanisms, techniques and clinical implications.Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(8):1803. doi:10.3390/ijms18081803Grace RF, Neunert C.Second-line therapies in immune thrombocytopenia.Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016;2016(1):698-706. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2016.1.698

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.Raadsen M, Du Toit J, Langerak T, van Bussel B, van Gorp E, Goeijenbier M.Thrombocytopenia in virus infections.J Clin Med. 2021;10(4):877. doi:10.3390/jcm10040877Vayne C, Guéry EA, Rollin J, Baglo T, Petermann R, Gruel Y.Pathophysiology and diagnosis of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia.J Clin Med. 2020;9(7):2212. doi:10.3390/jcm9072212National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).Mori S, Hidaka M, Kawakita T, et al.Factors associated with myelosuppression related to low-dose methotrexate therapy for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154744. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154744National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Aplastic anemia.Almazni I, Stapley R, Morgan NV.Inherited thrombocytopenia: update on genes and genetic variants which may be associated with bleeding.Front Cardiovasc Med. 2019;6:80. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00080Bonnet S, Guédon A, Ribeil JA, Suarez F, Tamburini J, Gaujoux S.Indications and outcome of splenectomy in hematologic disease.J Visc Surg. 2017;154(6):421-429. doi:10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2017.06.011National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.Cines DB, Levine LD.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Blood. 2017;130(21):2271-2277. doi:10.1182/blood-2017-05-781971Koltai K, Kesmarky G, Feher G, Tibold A, Toth K.Platelet aggregometry testing: molecular mechanisms, techniques and clinical implications.Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(8):1803. doi:10.3390/ijms18081803Grace RF, Neunert C.Second-line therapies in immune thrombocytopenia.Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016;2016(1):698-706. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2016.1.698

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombocytopenia.

Raadsen M, Du Toit J, Langerak T, van Bussel B, van Gorp E, Goeijenbier M.Thrombocytopenia in virus infections.J Clin Med. 2021;10(4):877. doi:10.3390/jcm10040877

Vayne C, Guéry EA, Rollin J, Baglo T, Petermann R, Gruel Y.Pathophysiology and diagnosis of drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia.J Clin Med. 2020;9(7):2212. doi:10.3390/jcm9072212

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

Mori S, Hidaka M, Kawakita T, et al.Factors associated with myelosuppression related to low-dose methotrexate therapy for inflammatory rheumatic diseases.PLoS One. 2016;11(4):e0154744. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0154744

National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.Aplastic anemia.

Almazni I, Stapley R, Morgan NV.Inherited thrombocytopenia: update on genes and genetic variants which may be associated with bleeding.Front Cardiovasc Med. 2019;6:80. doi:10.3389/fcvm.2019.00080

Bonnet S, Guédon A, Ribeil JA, Suarez F, Tamburini J, Gaujoux S.Indications and outcome of splenectomy in hematologic disease.J Visc Surg. 2017;154(6):421-429. doi:10.1016/j.jviscsurg.2017.06.011

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Cines DB, Levine LD.Thrombocytopenia in pregnancy.Blood. 2017;130(21):2271-2277. doi:10.1182/blood-2017-05-781971

Koltai K, Kesmarky G, Feher G, Tibold A, Toth K.Platelet aggregometry testing: molecular mechanisms, techniques and clinical implications.Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(8):1803. doi:10.3390/ijms18081803

Grace RF, Neunert C.Second-line therapies in immune thrombocytopenia.Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2016;2016(1):698-706. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2016.1.698

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