Platelets of thrombocytes are one of the three main components of the blood responsible for stopping the blood from going to the outside world. They form clots from injuries, cuts or ruptures to stop the blood from getting out of the blood vessels.
Thrombocytopenia is a condition wherein the blood platelets are at an abnormally low level. Normal people should have at least 150,000 microliters of platelets in their blood. When the count goes lower than that, people would experience excessive or easy bruising in different parts of their body. They would also suffer from superficial bleeding under the skin. Other symptoms of this disease are prolonged bleeding, bleeding gums or nose, blood in stools and urine, heavy menstruation, enlarged spleen and more.
It is best to see a doctor immediately in case the first signs of thrombocytopenia appears for proper diagnosis. The doctor would advise what medication and treatments are best for certain conditions. Aside from that, you can also try out these ways to stop thrombocytopenia from getting worse and completely treating it.
- Improve Your Diet
There are many different kinds of foods that would help in increasing the platelet count in your blood. You should include foods that are rich in vitamin A, vitamin B9 or folate, vitamin K, dairy products, lean proteins and more in your diet. Make sure to ask a nutritionist or a doctor about the best foods for low platelets.
- Avoid Getting Injured
And Infected Injuries and infections can worsen thrombocytopenia and bring about excessive bleeding. In this case, if you have the disease, you should avoid joining of taking part in various contact sports like basketball, baseball, football and more. You should also be careful when doing some outdoor activities such as hiking and trekking. Protect yourself from getting infected with viruses or bacteria, too.
- Avoid Drinking Too Much Alcohol
Alcohol contains toxins that damage blood cells. Many studies have shown that people who have been abusing alcohol for a long period of time have low platelet counts. The chemicals in the alcohol, and other processed drinks like sugary beverages, increase the production of malfunctioning red blood cells and platelets.
- Avoid Blood Thinning Drugs
Ibuprofen and aspirin are two of the most commonly purchased over-the-counter drugs. Although companies that manufacture them claim that they are safe, they have compounds in them that thin the blood. When they are taken often, they can decrease platelet levels in the blood greatly.
- Get Enough Sleep
Sleep is probably one of the most effective natural remedies for many different diseases. When a body is at rest, on a sleeping state, the different parts start to repair and produce healthy cells. When the body lacks sleep, or if sleep is often interrupted, the process gets disrupted as well, resulting to abnormal and immature cells. Adults should get at least 8 hours of sleep a day. You can talk to your doctor about different ways to get your much-needed sleep if going to bed is a problem.