What is a Bleeding Disorder or Coagulation
Coagulation or a bleeding disorder can happen to anyone and occur when your blood doesn’t clot like it normally should. The process of clotting is when the liquid turns into a solid and when you are injured, this happens normally to prevent excessive blood loss in a person. Sometimes, however, this does not happen and the blood doesn’t clot properly which can result in prolonged bleeding or heavy bleeding.
This is when a bleeding disorder can occur to both the inside and the outside of the body. People can suffer excessive amounts of blood leaving their body and even your vital organs can suffer from this condition including your skin and your brain.
In some instances, it can be difficult for medical practitioners to see it for what it is, especially if it occurs internally. For example, Gadsby Wicks – Medical negligence solicitors since 1993 – have had many cases where patients are either misdiagnosed or not treated soon enough, leading to these conditions worsening and people having to claim for medical negligence.
Causes of Bleeding Disorders
The natural process that the body goes through for blood to clot is simple. Your body needs blood proteins for it to function normally, these are known as platelets. In normal circumstances, when someone is injured, these come together to form clumps that act as a plug and close the site of damage. The platelets are kept in place and prevent any further blood loss by forming a fibrin clot.
Those that suffer from bleeding disorders have complications when it comes to this, and the clotting factors do not come together to form this fibrin clot or suffer from excessive bleeding, which can lead to sudden bleeding in the joints, muscles and spontaneous bleeding when they get hurt.
As an inherited condition, it can also be a result of other issues such as liver disease or caused by a Vitamin K deficiency, side effects of certain medication, low red blood cell counts and anticoagulant medication which interferes with the clotting.
How Bleeding Disorders Are Diagnosed
A professional medical practitioner will ask you about your symptoms and also look into your medical history. On top of this, they should perform a physical examination to make sure the symptoms match the condition.
It is your responsibility to make sure you give them the right information such as any medications you are currently on or have been on recently, any existing or recent medical condition you may be suffering from, any trauma or falls you may have had, how long the bleeding has lasted for and what actions you were performing before the bleeding started.
Treatment can take place thereafter using a few different methods including a blood transfusion, oral supplements such as Iron tablets or drinks, or fresh frozen plasma transfusions.
If not treated early it could lead to further complications such as anaemia, bleeding in the brain, intestines, joints and joint pain.