Thrombocytopenia and ITP ... If you have thrombocytopenia, you don't have enough platelets in your blood. Platelets help your blood clot, which ...MenuMedicalReferenceFeaturesQuizzesNewsReferenceSlideshowsQuizzesVideosQuestions&AnswersWebMDRxSavingsCardCoronavirus(COVID-19)CBDOilKetoDietHepatitisCDiabetesWarningSignsRheumatoidArthritisMorning-AfterPillBreastCancerScreeningPsoriaticArthritisSymptomsHeartFailureMultipleMyelomaTypesofCrohn'sDiseaseAtoZGuidesReferenceMenuReviewedbyBrunildaNazario, MDonNovember20,2020YourGuideToThrombocytopeniaandITPCausesSymptomsGettingaDiagnosisQuestionsforYourDoctorTreatmentTakingCareofYourselfWhattoExpectGettingSupportIfyouhavethrombocytopenia,youdon’thaveenoughplateletsinyourblood.Plateletshelpyourbloodclot,whichstopsbleeding.Formostpeople,it’snotabigproblem.Butifyouhaveasevereform,youcanbleedspontaneouslyinyoureyes,gums,orbladderorbleedtoomuchwhenyou’reinjured.Ahealthypersonusuallyhasaplateletcountof150,000to400,000.Youhavethrombocytopeniaifyournumberfallsunder150,000.Ifyou'rewonderingwhatthelongnamemeans,here'showitbreaksdown:"Thrombocytes"areyourplatelets,and"penia"meansyoudon'thaveenoughofsomething.Putthosetermstogether,andyouget"thrombocytopenia."CausesThrombocytopeniahasmanycauses.Oneofthemostcommoncausesoflowplateletsisaconditioncalledimmunethrombocytopenia(ITP).Youmayhearitcalledbyitsoldname,idiopathicthrombocytopenicpurpura.Althoughdoctorsdon'tknowwhatcausesprimaryITP,theyknowthatithappenswhenyourimmunesystem--yourbody'smaindefenseagainstdisease--doesn'tworkright.Yourantibodies,whicharesupposedtoattackinfections,insteadmistakenlydestroyyourplatelets.ContinuedThrombocytopeniacanruninfamilies,butyoucanalsogetitfrommanymedicalconditions.TreatingthemedicalconditionmayimproveITP.SecondaryITPhappenswhenITPislinkedtoanothercondition,suchas:Viralinfections(includingchickenpox,parvovirus,hepatitisC,Epstein-Barr,andHIV)Systemiclupuserythematosus(SLE)Chroniclymphocyticleukemia(CLL)Drug-inducedimmunethrombocytopeniaSepsis,aseverebacter