Internal Bleeding: Causes And Treatment
Internal bleeding can cause significant symptoms or it can be asymptomatic. Either way, internal bleeding needs to be recognized and treated before a life-threatening situation arises. If you suspect that you are bleeding internally, visit the nearest healthcare center or hospital emergency room for an examination that will include a complete blood count test. Here are some causes of internal bleeding and effective treatment options.
Causes
If you take prescription anticoagulants or a daily aspirin, your risk for internal bleeding may be higher. While internal bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract is most common in those taking the aforementioned medications, internal bleeding of the renal system, genitourinary tract, and even the brain can develop.
Another cause of internal bleeding is thrombocytopenia. This blood disorder refers to a decreased level of thrombocytes, or platelets. When thrombocyte levels are low, your blood may not clot effectively. This can lead to internal bleeding. Thrombocytopenia may be caused by viral or bacterial infections and certain medications, and it can cause various symptoms, such as nosebleeds, bleeding gums, bruising. Symptoms of internal bleeding may include severe shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, pallor, blood in the urine or stool, and dizziness.
Treatment
If your internal bleeding is caused by anticoagulants or aspirin, your physician may either decrease the dosage or discontinue the medication altogether. While this will help slow internal bleeding, it may take days or weeks before it completely stops.
Your doctor may also recommend that you take supplemental vitamin K or suggest that you increase your intake of vitamin K-rich foods, such as broccoli, kale, and spinach. If your bleeding problems are related to a low thrombocyte count, your doctor may prescribe a corticosteroid medication like prednisone, which will help increase your platelet count.
Once your platelet count has returned to normal, internal bleeding may stop. If prednisone or other steroid medications fail to increase your platelet count, you may need to undergo a few days of intravenous therapy with a special medication that will help raise your thrombocyte count. Before an effective treatment option for thrombocytopenia can be implemented, your physician will need to determine the cause.
If you experience shortness of breath, dizziness, excessive bruising, or pallor, or if you develop blood in your urine or stool, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Internal bleeding needs to be recognized and treated as soon as possible. Failure to get prompt treatment may result in severe anemia, cardiovascular problems, or breathing problems. Fortunately, people with thrombocytopenia usually enjoy a complete recovery with no lasting effects once proper treatment has been implemented.
