Purpura: Symptoms And How It Should Be Treated
Purpura is a bruising and bleeding disorder in both children and adults. Today we will discover what this disease may be due to and how we can treat it.
Purpura is a disorder that is also known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or immune thrombocytopenia. It is a bleeding disorder characterized by platelet destruction by the immune system. Although it affects both adults and children, it is more common in the latter.
This disorder is viral and when it affects children, they usually recover from this disease without major problem. In fact, in the vast majority of cases they do not need to undergo any treatment. This circumstance changes when purpura affects adults. Typically, in these cases, this disorder affects them in the long term and becomes a chronic disease.
For all this, today we are going to see what symptoms are those that warn that we are suffering from this disease and what ways exist, at present, to treat purpura effectively.
Symptoms of purpura
It is very important to note that, like other diseases or disorders, purpura can be asymptomatic. Depending on the person, the symptoms that we will expose below may or may not appear:
- Cardinals : the fact that they go out frequently and excessively, even without having hit us, is a sign that we may be suffering from this disease. Also, its color is always purple.
- Petechiae : this name refers to a sacred that appears on the surface of the skin in the form of a rash with purple spots. Although it can appear anywhere on the body, it is characteristic that they appear in the lower part of the legs.
- Bleeding in the gums or nose : if we do not have any problem with fine vessels that makes us bleed from the nose or gingivitis that causes our gums to bleed, we may suffer from immune thrombocytopenia.
- Blood in the urine and feces : at the moment in which this symptom appears we must rule out any possible urine infection or problem in the colon. To do this, performing some analysis is essential.
- Dense menstrual flow : although in some moments of the cycle the flow may increase in density, if this is excessive and it is the first time that it happens to us, it does not hurt that we go to the gynecologist to be checked.
Regardless of all these symptoms, which can be more or less alarming, depending on the frequency and severity with which they appear, it is advisable to see a doctor. Although we believe that gum bleeding is due to the plaque we have on our teeth, this may not be true. Before assuming what happens to us, it is better to put ourselves in the hands of the doctor and that he give us the correct diagnosis.
Treatment of immune thrombocytopenia
As we have already pointed out at the beginning of this article, children rarely need treatment. They will only be followed up to see how the symptoms improve.
In contrast, adults with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura will need to take certain medications to increase their platelet counts. In the most severe cases, splenectomy may be used.
The medications that can be given, as well as other types of treatments to improve purpura in the event that it affects an adult and it becomes chronic are the following:
- Immune system suppressor drugs : will help increase the number of platelets. Once this reaches the number that the doctor deems appropriate, the dose of these medications will be progressively reduced.
- Immunoglobulin Injections – Used when patients are experiencing fairly critical bleeding. These injections increase the number of red blood cells.
- Platelet concentrates transfusions : this is an emergency measure when there is bleeding even more abundant than the one we discussed in the previous point.
What is there to remember about this disorder?
This disorder is not very common, although it is common for it to be confused with other types of pathologies or diseases, as we have previously indicated. Although in children it usually disappears without treatment, it is also advisable to see a doctor at the slightest suspicion that they may be suffering from purpura. Early diagnosis and follow-up can prevent symptoms from getting worse.
This is of utmost importance for adults who tend to overlook the symptoms associated with this disorder. As a consequence, they may suffer profuse bleeding that makes them go to the emergency room immediately, where the disease is diagnosed.
Have you ever been diagnosed with purpura? What treatment was recommended for you? We hope that before the alert of some of the mentioned symptoms do not hesitate and go to the doctor immediately. Assuming is not a good option.
