Bleeding Disorders - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications - Signs, Symptoms, and Complications

Signs and symptoms of bleeding disorders may include:

• Blood in urine or stool
• Excessive bleeding that does not stop with pressure and may start spontaneously, such as with nosebleeds, or bleeding after a cut, dental procedure, or surgery
• Frequent, large bruises
• Heavy bleeding after giving birth
• Heavy menstrual bleeding, which includes menstrual bleeding that often lasts longer than seven days or requires changing sanitary pads or tampons more than every hour
• Petechiae, or bleeding under the skin causing tiny purple, red, or brown spots
• Redness, swelling, stiffness, or pain from bleeding into muscles or joints, which is particularly common with inherited hemophilia
• Umbilical stump bleeding that lasts longer than what is typical for newborns—about one to two weeks after the umbilical cord is cut—or that does not stop

Severe bleeding disorders can cause serious and life-threatening problems, including:

• Bleeding in the brain or central nervous system, which can cause a hemorrhagic stroke
• Bleeding in the throat that can cause swelling and block the windpipe
• Bleeding into the abdomen, which can cause inflammation and damage to nerves
• Damaged joints from bleeding into joints over time, especially for people who have inherited hemophilia. This can also cause Chronic pain.
• Hard masses in the bones from pooled blood
• Miscarriages

• Diagnosis will explain tests used to detect signs of bleeding disorders and help rule out other conditions.
• Treatment will discuss treatment and related complications or side effects.
• Living With will discuss how to reduce the chance of complications and how complications may be treated.