Treatments for Low Blood Platelets
- Bed Rest. After a diagnosis of thrombocytopenia, a physician may recommend bed rest to prevent injury. ...
- Blood Transfusions. People with low blood platelets may need blood transfusions to increase their platelet counts. ...
- Splenectomy. These disorders can cause the spleen to become enlarged. ...
- Medications. ...
- Plasmapheresis. ...
What do you need to know about living with low platelets?
Managing Low Platelets
- Avoid medications that contain aspirin, anti-inflammatories (like ibuprofen), or blood thinners, unless your healthcare professional recommends otherwise. ...
- Use an electric razor to shave, which may result in fewer nicks and cuts.
- Use extra care when working with sharp objects such as knives or scissors, so as not to accidentally cut yourself.
How to naturally increase platelets?
Ways To Increase Platelet Count Naturally
- Diet. Having the right diet helps treat many health problems. ...
- Avoid Certain Foods. Try to avoid or eliminate processed foods, junk food and refined sugar from your diet. ...
- Avoid Dairy products. Milk has been shown to reduce platelet levels in those who are allergic to dairy products, even if the allergy is mild.
- Water. ...
- Omega 3 Rich Foods. ...
- Exercise. ...
What happens if I have low platelets during chemotherapy?
If you are having chemotherapy and your platelet count is very low, your chemotherapy dose might be reduced or you might have a longer break between treatment cycles. Sometimes, your chemotherapy regimen might be changed. Platelet transfusions are similar to blood transfusions, given for anaemia. You might need a platelet transfusion if:
What medications increase platelets?
Drugs that boost platelet production. Medications such as romiplostim (Nplate) and eltrombopag (Promacta) help your bone marrow produce more platelets. These types of drugs can increase your risk of blood clots. Other drugs. Rituximab (Rituxan, Truxima) helps increase your platelet count by reducing the immune system response that's damaging your platelets.
What is the most common cause of low platelet count?
One of the most common causes of low platelets is a condition called immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). You may hear it called by its old name, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
What medications can increase platelet count?
Romiplostim injection is used to increase the number of platelets (cells that help the blood to clot) in order to decrease the risk of bleeding in adults who have immune thrombocytopenia (ITP; idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura; an ongoing condition that may cause easy bruising or bleeding due to an abnormally low ...
How can I raise my platelet count quickly?
How to Increase Platelet Count:Milk. We all know that milk is a rich source of calcium and protein and is important in maintaining the strength of bones and muscles in our body. ... Green Leafy Vegetables: ... Papaya Leaf Extract: ... Pomegranate: ... Pumpkin: ... Wheatgrass: ... Vitamin B-12. ... Iron.More items...
What happens if your platelet count is too low?
Dangerous internal bleeding can occur when your platelet count falls below 10,000 platelets per microliter. Though rare, severe thrombocytopenia can cause bleeding into the brain, which can be fatal.
What foods to avoid if you have low platelets?
What Not to EatAlcohol: Wine, liquor, and regular or nonalcoholic beer can lower platelet counts. ... Refined grains, sugar, and foods or drinks with added sugar: These may cause fatigue and reduce platelet count.More items...•
Do low platelets make you feel tired?
Things to know about thrombocytopenia (low platelet count) Symptoms and signs of thrombocytopenia may include fatigue, bleeding, and others.
How long does it take to restore platelets?
When you give platelets, your body immediately begins converting more stem cells into platelets and will replace the donated platelets within 72 hours.
Which juice is good to increase platelets?
Beet root also prevents the free radical damage of platelets and helps in increasing its number. Therefore, consuming a glass of beet root juice can greatly help in increasing the number of platelets.
Does turmeric increase platelet count?
Curcumin, a major component of turmeric, inhibited platelet aggregation induced by arachidonate, adrenaline and collagen. This compound inhibited thromboxane B2 (TXB2) production from exogenous [14C] arachidonate in washed platelets with a concomitant increase in the formation of 12-lipoxygenase products.
What cancers cause low platelets?
Certain cancers such as leukemia or lymphoma can lower your platelet count. The abnormal cells in these cancers can crowd out healthy cells in the bone marrow, where platelets are made. Less common causes of a low platelet count include: Cancer that spreads to the bone.
What medications cause low platelets?
Platelets are cells in the blood that help the blood clot. A low platelet count makes bleeding more likely....Other medicines that cause drug-induced thrombocytopenia include:Furosemide.Gold, used to treat arthritis.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)Penicillin.Quinidine.Quinine.Ranitidine.Sulfonamides.More items...•
What infections cause low platelets?
Infections with protozoa, bacteria and viruses can cause thrombocytopenia with or without disseminated intravascular coagulation. Commonly dengue, malaria, scrub typhus and other rickettsial infections, meningococci, leptospira and certain viral infections present as fever with thrombocytopenia.
How to stop bleeding from low platelet count?
If you begin bleeding, follow these steps and contact your care provider: Have a seat or lie down. Try to remain calm. Apply pressure to the wound if you can see it. Apply an ice pack to the site to slow the bleeding.
What causes low platelet count?
Nutritional deficiencies: As with anemia, iron deficiency or vitamin deficiencies (B12, folate) can lead to low platelet counts, since the body doesn't have the basic nutrients to create them. Viral infections: Certain viral infections such as hepatitis C or HIV may result in decreased production of platelets.
Why does my thrombocytopenia increase during pregnancy?
Pregnancy: Gestational thrombocytopenia is a fairly common condition during the third trimester due to increased blood dilution, as blood volume continues to increase and platelet counts fail to increase at the same rate.
What causes thrombocytopenia?
Autoimmune conditions: Diseases such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis may cause immune thrombocytopenia as the immune system starts to attack itself, destroying platelets in the process. Bacterial blood infections: Bacteremia, or a bacterial infection affecting the blood, may destroy platelets.
What happens if your platelet count is low?
Call your doctor if any of the following issues increase in frequency, severity, or become worrisome to you: 5 . Pain in your joints, particularly large joints like the knees and hips.
How to stop bleeding gums?
Avoid contact sports to minimize the potential risk of injury and bleeding. Use an extra-soft toothbrush and perform diligent mouth care to reduce gum inflammation, as inflamed gums bleed more easily when flossing. Avoid flossing when your platelet count gets very low.
Can low platelet count be treated?
Treatment. A low blood platelet count will often return to a normal level if the cause can be clearly identified and treated. This allows your bone marrow to recover normal function, such as post-pregnancy or post-cancer treatment, though the timeline will differ for everyone. 5 .
What is the best treatment for low platelet count?
Medications and treatments used to stabilize severely low platelet counts can include platelet transfusions, splenectomy (surgery to remove the spleen), corticosteroids or immunoglobulins, which block effects of the immune system. ( 1)
What vitamins help with low platelet count?
Aside from vitamin B 12 and folate described above to help prevent deficiencies, and anti-inflammatories for controlling pain, there’s evidence that people with low platelet counts can also benefit from taking or consuming more of the following: ( 4)
How to raise platelet count?
Once a diagnosis has been made, you can use the recommendations below to help raise your blood platelet counts, manage symptoms and prevent complications from developing: 1. Improve Your Diet. Vitamin B12 or folate (vitamin B9) deficiency can both cause mild to moderate low platelet counts.
Why is it important to protect yourself from low platelet count?
For people who already have been diagnosed with low platelet counts, avoiding injuries and infections is important, since both can worsen autoimmune reactions, spleen enlargement and trigger excessive bleeding.
What does it mean when your platelet count is low?
If so, there’s a chance you have a low platelet count. Having a low platelet count — a condition called “thrombocytopenia” — is a problem with normal blood clotting and bruising that results from having low levels of thrombocytes , colorless blood cells produced by bone marrow. Thrombocytes are responsible for helping form blood clots in ...
What is the role of thromocytes in blood clots?
Thrombocytes are responsible for helping form blood clots in the arteries/veins and stopping bleeding. A low platelet count puts someone at a higher risk for internal bleeding or other blood clotting and blood vessel-related problems — and unfortunately can sometimes really take a toll on quality of life.
How long does it take for platelets to die?
In healthy people, platelets wind up dying off after about 10 days, at which point they’re replaced by new ones.
What causes low platelets?
Platelets are the component in blood that enables it to clot. Medicines, poisonous substances, heavy alcohol drinking, and even drinks with quinine in them, such as tonic water, can cause low platelet counts. Quinine is also found in tablets for leg cramps. If a doctor finds one of these substances to be the cause of a low platelet count, ...
Why are platelets low?
The level of platelets is usually low as a result of two main factors. Either an underlying medical condition is causing the reduced level, or an individual is taking a medication or substance that serves to reduce platelet count.
What is ITP in medical terms?
ITP refers to idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. It is also known as immune thrombocytopenia. The name of the condition relates to bleeding-induced rashes that occur as a result of a low platelet count. Idiopathic means that the cause is not known. In ITP, the immune system attacks platelets.
What is the role of platelets in blood?
Platelets form a crucial part of the composition of blood. They are responsible for repairing tissue damage and play a vital role in the blood-clotting system, which helps to stop bleeding and heal wounds. Blood clotting is also known as hemostasis. Platelets are not invisible to the naked eye.
How many platelets are in a microliter?
A normal platelet count is around 140,000 to 450,000 platelets per microliter (μl) of blood. When the number of platelets is low, this concentration reduces. Women normally experience a platelet count that varies slightly during the menstrual cycle and can fall near the end of pregnancy.
What is low platelet count?
A low platelet count is a blood disorder that has a long list of possible causes . It is also known as thrombocytopenia. Reduced platelet content in the blood is not always a serious problem. However, the condition affects the ability of the blood to clot, and wounds can bleed severely with this condition. This can have serious complications in some ...
What are the causes of thrombocytopenia?
Poisons that can cause thrombocytopenia include pesticides, arsenic, and benzene. The following are antiplatelet or anti-clotting drugs that reduce the platelet count: glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors, including abciximab, eptifibatide, and tirofiban. heparin.
When do you need a platelet transfusion?
You may also need to have a transfusion if your platelet count is higher than 10,000 mcL and you’re having a lot of bleeding, an invasive procedure (going into the body through a cut, slit, or puncture), or signs of other disorders. If you bleed a lot during your monthly period, talk with your doctor.
What is the normal platelet count?
They are made in your bone marrow, which is the soft, spongy center in most of your large bones. A normal platelet count is 150,000 to 400,000 platelets per microliter (mcL) of blood.
How to stop bleeding from nose?
Apply direct pressure on the area that’s bleeding. If you have a nosebleed, apply ice and pressure over the bridge of your nose. After applying pressure, call your Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) doctor. If you can’t reach your doctor and you can’t control the bleeding, go to your local emergency room.
Can cancer lower platelet count?
Cancer and cancer treatments can lower your platelet counts. When your platelet counts are low, you’re at risk for bleeding. If your doctor has told you that you have a low platelet count, it’s very important to try to avoid getting hurt. We have listed some general ways you can prevent bleeding.
What is the best medicine for low platelets?
While over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen and aspirin can thin the blood as well as take effect on the platelet levels, reducing even stopping using them is considered as another of the treatments for low platelets as well. Although these drugs reduce your pains, they can also increase the risks of bleeding disorders when being used too frequently. The dose shall depend on each situation but if you tend to take them every day then you may have to experience extra unexpected side effects.
What are some ways to reduce platelets?
Avoid exposure to toxic chemicals is known as one of the treatments for low platelets as well. Some typical chemicals to mention here are pesticides presented in non-organic produce, arsenic, benzene, and mercury from certain seafood that can all reduce the production of platelets indeed.
How to increase platelet count?
Along with the consumption of essential nutrients, you should follow regular an exercising plan to maintain a good health as well as one of the treatments for low platelets. In fact, regular exercise plays a role in boosting blood circulation and improving the immune system thereby increasing platelet counts. According to a standard program of British Columbia, people with each level of low platelets should follow different certain specific exercises as the guidelines follow: 1 People with platelets between 15.000 and 20.000 should perform walking, sitting, standing, and gentle stretching. 2 People with platelets between 20.000 and 40.000 should use some light resistance including weights, elastic tubing, and latex bands or do brisk walking. 3 People with platelets between 40.000 and 60.000 should perform activities such as stationary cycling and golf. 4 People with platelets above 60.000 should do aerobic exercises like jogging and biking.
Why is vitamin A important for platelets?
In fact, vitamin A is necessary for the production of platelets, which makes it important to supply your body with this vitamin as one of the treatments for low platelets. In addition, vitamin A plays an important role in the formation of protein in the body that aids in the process of cell growth and division.
Why is it important to treat low platelets?
One of the treatments for low platelets is protecting yourself from injuries and infections. In fact, it is very important for those who have been diagnosed with thrombocytopenia to avoid injuries and infections because they can worsen autoimmune reactions, enlarge spleen, and even trigger excessive bleeding.
How to get platelets to increase?
In fact, regular exercise plays a role in boosting blood circulation and improving the immune system thereby increasing platelet counts.
What is the role of platelets in blood clots?
Platelets, colorless blood cells, play a role in making blood clot or stopping bleeding from blood vessel injuries in other words, which is done by clumping and forming essential plugs.
What foods are good for low platelet count?
with low platelet counts. The best sources of vitamin B-12 tend to be animal-based foods, such as: beef liver. clams. eggs. While vitamin B-12 is also found in dairy products, such as milk and cheese, some studies indicate that cow’s milk can interfere with platelet production.
How to increase platelet count?
Eating certain foods and taking supplements may help to increase your platelet count. However, be sure to tell your health care provider about any ongoing thrombocytopenia symptoms. If you have a very low platelet count, you’ll likely need medical treatment to avoid serious complications.
What is the best vitamin for blood cells?
Folate. Folate is a B vitamin that helps your cells. Trusted Source. , including blood cells. It appears naturally in many foods, and it’s added to others in the form of folic acid. Sources of natural folate include: peanuts. black-eyed peas. kidney beans.
What does it mean when your platelet count is low?
A low platelet count is also referred to as thrombocytopenia. Certain infections, leukemia, cancer treatments, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis of the liver, enlargement of the spleen, sepsis, autoimmune diseases, ...
What is the best supplement for thrombocytopenia?
Chlorophyll. Chlorophyll is a green pigment that allows plants to absorb light from the sun. Some people with thrombocytopenia report that taking a chlorophyll supplement helps to relieve symptoms, such as fatigue. However, no clinical studies have evaluated its effectiveness.
Why is iron important for blood cells?
Iron is essential to your body’s ability to produce healthy blood cells. A 2012 study#N#Trusted Source#N#also found that it increased platelet counts in participants with iron-deficiency anemia. You can find high levels of iron in certain foods, including:
Can you raise platelet count with thrombocytopenia?
If you have mild thrombocytopenia, you may be able to raise your platelet count through diet and supplements. However, if you have a severely low platelet count, you’ll likely need medical treatment to avoid any complications. Supplements and herbs aren’t monitored by the FDA and therefore aren’t regulated for quality or purity.
