The test can be done on its own or as part of a CBC test. A doctor will often perform a platelet count test if they suspect a person has a disorder that affects platelet count. The test involves drawing blood from a vein in the arm or hand. Obtaining a sample of blood from a vein takes a few minutes and generally causes only minimal discomfort. Occasionally, some people may feel queasy or light-headed while the blood is drawn or shortly after. Taking slow deep breaths is usually enough to calm these feelings.
Some people may develop a small mark or bruise. Most people feel fine after the test, but some experience mild aching pain at the site of the needle stick for 1 to 2 days. A technician puts the blood sample into a machine that counts the number of platelets and produces a report of the findings. The test is very safe, and complications are rare. People with bleeding disorders should tell their doctor about any history of bleeding issues.
Most people find that the test is only a brief inconvenience and a source of mild discomfort. Hospitals administering the test for emergencies or people about to undergo surgery often get the results back almost immediately. A high platelet count can happen when something causes the bone marrow to make too many platelets.
When the reason is unknown, it is called primary, or essential, thrombocytosis. When excess platelets are due to an infection or other condition, it is called secondary thrombocytosis. Clotting is a natural protection against bleeding. The body produces more platelets during and following an injury. However, because platelets cause blood clotting, they can also cause dangerous blood clots in the arms or legs.
The blood clot may break off or travel to another area of the body. The risk of a blood clot is higher in people who are confined to bed by illness or who cannot move their limbs. Someone who has an elevated platelet count because of a recent injury but who must remain in bed may need monitoring to reduce the risk of blood clots as a result.
Some temporary conditions can cause a higher than normal platelet count. A doctor may order a retest a few days or weeks later when this happens. It can also cause a skin rash of superficial bleeding called petechiae, which looks like tiny red dots and can often appear on the lower legs. High platelet count can indicate either essential thrombocythemia or reactive thrombocytosis. Essential thrombocythemia is a rare bone marrow condition which causes the body to overproduce platelets.
This is a chronic condition and is caused by genetic mutation, but the reasons for this abnormality are uncertain.
Reactive thrombocytosis is a temporary elevation of the blood cells in response to another condition. While the response itself is often a normal part of acute inflammatory processes, reactive thrombocytosis can be caused by cancer, anemia or certain auto-immune disorders. It generally resolves when the underlying condition is treated.
Platelets are important for the body as they clump or stick together in response to injury and prevent excessive bleeding. However, an abnormally high platelet count means that clotting could happen spontaneously.
Blood clots may occur anywhere in the body, but are most common in the hands, feet and brain. Other symptoms of high platelet count include headaches, dizziness, weakness and fainting. There are a number of treatment approaches for an abnormally low platelet count. If the thrombocytopenia is not causing physical symptoms, treatment is usually not required.
However, if a low platelet count is dangerously low or symptomatic, then the cause may need to be treated directly. Since there is a wide range of possible causes, resolving thrombocytopenia often involves treating the underlying medical condition or switching medication.
Platelets, the smallest of our blood cells, can only be seen under a microscope. A blood vessel will send out a signal when it becomes damaged. To make contact with the broken blood vessel, platelets grow long tentacles and then resemble a spider or an octopus.
A normal platelet count ranges from , to , platelets per microliter of blood. Having more than , platelets is a condition called thrombocytosis; having less than , is known as thrombocytopenia. You get your platelet number from a routine blood test called a complete blood count CBC. When there are symptoms, they include spontaneous blood clots in the arms and legs, which if untreated can lead to heart attack and stroke.
In severe cases, the patient might have to undergo a procedure called a platelet pheresis. This lowers the platelet count by removing the blood, separating out the platelets, and returning the red blood cells back to the body.
With secondary thrombocytosis, the symptoms are usually related to the associated condition.
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