A low platelet count, or thrombocytopenia, can range from mild to severe, depending on the cause. Some people may experience severe bleeding, while others ...LowPlateletCount(Thrombocytopenia)MedicallyreviewedbyDanielMurrell,M.D.—WrittenbyJanelleMartel—UpdatedonOctober5,2018SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookWhatisalowplateletcount?Bloodismadeupofseveraltypesofcells.Thesecellsfloatinaliquidcalledplasma.Thetypesofbloodcellsare:redbloodcellswhitebloodcellsplatelets,orthrombocytesWhenyourskinisinjuredorbroken,plateletsclumptogetherandformclotstostopthebleeding.Whenyoudon’thaveenoughplateletsinyourblood,yourbodycan’tformclots.Alowplateletcountmayalsobecalledthrombocytopenia.Thisconditioncanrangefrommildtosevere,dependingonitsunderlyingcause.Forsome,thesymptomscanincludeseverebleedingandarepossiblyfatalifthey’renottreated.Otherpeoplemaynotexperienceanysymptoms.Typically,alowplateletcountistheresultofamedicalcondition,suchasleukemia,orcertainmedications.Treatmentusuallyaddressestheconditioncausingthethrombocytopenia.Whatarethesymptomsofalowplateletcount?Whetherornotyouexperiencesymptomsdependsonyourplateletcount.Mildcases,suchaswhenalowplateletcountiscausedbypregnancy,usuallydon’tcauseanysymptoms.Moreseverecasesmaycauseuncontrollablebleeding,whichrequiresimmediatemedicalattention.Ifyouhavealowplateletcount,youmayexperience:red,purple,orbrownbruises,whicharecalledpurpuraarashwithsmallredorpurpledotscalledpetechiaenosebleedsbleedinggumsbleedingfromwoundsthatlastsforaprolongedperiodordoesn’tstoponitsownheavymenstrualbleedingbleedingfromtherectumbloodinyourstoolbloodinyoururineInmoreseriouscases,youmaybleedinternally.Symptomsofinternalbleedinginclude:bloodintheurinebloodinthestoolbloodyorverydarkvomitTalktoyourdoctorimmediatelyifyouexperienceanysignsofinternalbleeding.Rarely,thisconditionmayleadtobleedinginyourbrain.Ifyouhavealowplateletcountandexperienceheadachesoranyneurologicalproblems,tellyourdoctorrightaway.Whatarethecausesofalowplateletcount?Thepossiblecausesofalowp