Petechial hemorrhages are small round spots that form on the skin, serous membrane or mucous membrane. The cause of the formation of petechiae is considered to be subcutaneous bleeding. As a rule, spots appear on the skin, as well as on the eyelids and oral mucosa. Some of the causes of petechial hemorrhages do not require special treatment. However, other factors can be quite serious.
Petechiae in their appearance may resemble a common rash. The reasons that provoke such a pathology can be very different. Therefore, if you encounter this problem, you should consult with a specialist about the formation of these elements.
Appearance
Petechial hemorrhages resemble a rash in appearance, but they are more pronounced and look quite scary. The spots themselves can resemble very small patterns of purple, red, brown, which is associated with subcutaneous bleeding. As a rule, petechiae are flat to the touch, which is a distinguishing feature from the usual rash. When pressed, they do not lose their color. Thus, it can be determined whether it is a rash or another anomaly of the skin.
Causes of occurrence
Petechial hemorrhages appear as a result of damage to small blood vessels - capillaries. When the capillaries burst, blood begins to flow under the skin.
Specialists identify a huge number of reasons that can provoke the appearance of petechial hemorrhages on the skin of an adult or a child. These include the following:
- traumatic injury to the skin or local injury;
- sunburn;
- allergic to certain insect stings;
- pathologies of the autoimmune type;
- viral and bacterial infections;
- radiation, chemotherapy - cancer treatment methods;
- blood platelets are significantly below normal;
- bone marrow cancer, leukemia. These diseases significantly reduce the number of platelets in a person's blood;
- severe vomiting and dehydration - more common in newborns;
- intense physical activity. For example, lifting weightsgeneric activity;
- sepsis;
- vasculitis;
- scurvy;
- Fevers of viral origin - Ebola, dengue fever, yellow fever cause the blood to clot poorly, and bleeding occurs under the skin.
Petechial rashes can also occur as a result of certain medications. Medications that can cause rashes as side effects include the following:
- antibiotics;
- depressants and sedatives;
- hormonal contraceptives;
- blood thinners;
- drugs to help regulate heart rate;
- drugs against non-steroidal inflammatory processes - NSAIDs;
- sedative-type medications.
If after taking certain medications you notice the formation of a petechial rash on the face and other parts of the body, then you should immediately consult your doctor and choose other medications.
Varieties
Depending on what exactly provoked the development of petechiae, they may differ from each other. Specialists identify several main types of pathology.
- Vasculitis and autoimmune pathologies. In this case, petechiae are formed on the lower and upper limbs. After recovery, such petechiae disappear, and the skin begins to peel off strongly at the site of their formation.
- If the disease was provoked by staphylococcus aureus, then petechialhemorrhages on the mucous membrane of the hard palate (a photo of the examination is in this article) and the skin.
- Because of gonorrhea, petechiae affect the lower part of the legs. At the same time, other symptoms of gonorrhea are clearly expressed.
- Enterovirus infection. In this case, petechiae speak of a person's recovery. They form on the back, chest and face. Disappear after a couple of days, and after them there is no trace.
- Meningitis. Petechiae look like a hemorrhagic rash that covers the entire body very quickly. Most formations occur on the buttocks, legs and abdomen of the patient.
Signs of pathology
The only sign of the disease is the appearance of a petechial rash on the skin (you can see the photo in this article). Along with the rash, some other symptoms of a pathological condition may occur:
- hematomas;
- the gums begin to bleed;
- opens nosebleed;
- critical days are very difficult;
- hemorrhage occurs in the cavity of the joints.
Petechiae in children
In most cases, petechiae appear in children as a result of various injuries. Children prefer active games, so bruises and abrasions are their constant companions and are considered quite normal.
Subcutaneous hemorrhages can also develop in the child's oral cavity. They are located on the mucous membrane and the palate. The reason is food that is too hard for the child, which has severely damaged the mucous membrane of the oral cavity. ExceptIn addition, malnutrition, a lack of vitamin K in the child's body, or childhood scurvy can provoke the formation of a large number of petechial-spotted rashes.
Another common cause is septicemia. In most cases, this cause manifests itself in very young children who have a weak, not fully formed immune system. It cannot completely kill all pathogenic microflora. Septicemia can occur along with other diseases. This concept refers to the infection of the blood by a variety of bacteria. A skin rash will develop very quickly, then spread to the entire body, which may cause the child to faint or become delirious.
Important! If you suspect septicemia in a child, then you should immediately consult a doctor, because the petechial type of bleeding can be fatal. But still, in most cases, petechiae begin to appear in children due to various injuries received during the game.
When should I see a specialist?
In any case, immediately after the appearance of rashes, you need to consult a specialist, because this rash can signal the development of quite serious diseases. The doctor will examine the mucous membranes and skin, after which he will be able to tell you what causes caused the problem and whether they can be classified as serious.
Along with the formation of petechiae, some other symptoms may appear that will indicate a serious condition of a personor a child. These include the following:
- loss of consciousness or confusion;
- very high body temperature rises;
- opens bleeding;
- constantly worried about severe headache.
If any of these symptoms are present along with the rashes, then you should consult a doctor immediately, because this can be a signal of the development of a very serious pathology.
Treatment of disease
The method of treatment will be completely influenced by the cause that provoked the development of rashes. If the rash appeared due to taking medications, then after stopping the drugs, after a while the problem will disappear.
If the development of the disease was caused by a virus or bacteria, then the petechiae will disappear after the infection is cured. To find the right therapy, first of all, it is necessary to establish the cause of the rash.
Medication treatment
After establishing the cause of the problem, the specialist may prescribe the following drugs:
- Antibiotics are prescribed to treat a bacterial infection;
- corticosteroids should be taken to reduce inflammation;
- if an autoimmune pathology is present, then drugs such as Methotrexate, Azathioprine or Cyclophosphamide can be prescribed;
- biological therapy or chemotherapy is used to treat cancer.
If petechiae began to develop not because of the appearancesome disease, then rest, drinking a large amount of warm liquid and special means to eliminate painful sensations will be an excellent therapy. Your doctor may prescribe pain medications such as Tylenol, Ibuprofen, or Acetaminophen.
In case of subcutaneous hemorrhage due to injury, do not worry, because this does not pose any threat to human life. In this case, the rash must be treated with ointments against bruises. If the problem arose on the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, then it is worth eliminating solid food from the diet, and after a while the rash will disappear on its own.
Will there be complications?
The formation of subcutaneous hemorrhages of the petechial type does not provoke the appearance of any complications. As a rule, such manifestations disappear without any trace and do not even leave scars.
But if a petechial rash occurs as a result of an underlying pathology, then certain complications may arise, for example:
- damage to internal organs;
- diseases of the cardiovascular system;
- infections begin to develop in other parts of the body.
Preventive measures
The main method of prevention can be called the avoidance of causes that can trigger the development of major diseases. To minimize the risk, follow these simple tips:
- do sports;
- avoid infection;
- follow the ruleshygiene;
- practice only safe sex;
- avoid medications that can cause petechiae.
Of course, you cannot avoid all the factors that can trigger the problem, but these simple tips will help reduce the risk of developing many diseases.
