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What Happens Due To Low Platelet Count & What Are Its Remedies

By Pooja Kaushal

Ever noticed how your body helps recover from minor cuts and wounds? The moment you suffer from a wound, the body controls the bleeding by forming a protective layer of blood clot to seal the flow of blood. It could cause health issues if your platelet count is low.

Forming a clot is our body’s own method of healing a wound. In the absence of this clot, bleeding will not cease, leading to several other complications. This is exactly what happens due to low platelet count.

The blood is made up of red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Platelets help form a clot on an injured area to seize the flow of blood, thereby beginning the curing process.

When the body runs low on platelets, this clotting process gets hampered, which can be fatal in severe conditions. In some cases, a person can also suffer from internal bleeding. If you know of the ways to cure low platelet count, you could keep the side effects of low platelet count at bay.

There are remedies to overcome low platelet count, but before that it is necessary to know the signs of this disorder. When a person suffers from platelet deficiency, he or she may experience the following symptoms:

• Clots not forming on wounds, leading to continuous blood flow

• Red or purple coloured bruises called “Purpura”

• Bleeding from the nose

• Bleeding from the gums

• Bleeding from the rectum

• Blood in stool

• Blood in urine

• Heavier than normal menstrual flow

In severe cases, when there is an internal bleeding, the person may experience blood in the stool or urine and a dark-coloured vomit or blood accompanied with it. He or she may suffer from different health issues that occur due to low platelet count.

It is very important to inform a doctor the moment any of the symptoms listed above are detected. Low platelet count if not treated early can turn fatal.

The doctor will perform a diagnosis to come to a conclusion of the cause and accordingly treat the deficiency.

There are certain foods as well that can be added to one’s diet, which serve as remedies to overcome low platelet count. Have a look at these foods that can keep health issues due to low platelet count at bay, below.

Papaya:

Papaya:

Our very humble fruit papaya is very useful in treating a low platelet count. Along with the fruit, the juice from the leaves also helps treat low platelet health conditions.

Pomegranate:

Pomegranate:

These lovely red pearls are a storehouse of iron and an excellent remedy for the treatment of low platelet count. Eat them in their raw form to get the benefit of the fibre or juice it to get a concentrated dose. Either ways, the pomegranate is useful in treating health issues that occur due to low platelet count.

Spinach:

Spinach:

This is yet another easily available ingredient to treat low platelet levels. The high levels of vitamin K in spinach are ideal for treating the condition.

 Indian Gooseberry:

Indian Gooseberry:

This small green-coloured fruit has found its mention in many ancient remedies. Its Indian name is amla and it is a very rich source of vitamin C. Studies have shown that vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, helps improve platelet count.

Vitamin A-rich foods:

Vitamin A-rich foods:

Carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes are the easily available sources of vitamin A. This vitamin is required for the healthy production of platelets. This food can really help keep health issues due to low platelet count away.

Milk:

Milk:

Milk is again an easy and effective remedy for low platelet levels. Milk protein fibrinogen and vitamin K are both required to help form clots. Low levels of calcium can delay blood clot formation, especially in cases of excessive bleeding.

Story first published: Monday, August 22, 2016, 16:05 [IST]