Content
Petechiae are small red or brown spots that usually appear in clusters, most often on the arms, legs or belly, and can also appear in the mouth and eyes.
Petechiae can be caused by infectious diseases, blood vessel disorders, allergic reactions, autoimmune diseases or as a side effect of certain medications, for example, which is why it is important to understand the root cause in order to do the proper treatment.
What symptoms
Petechiae have a very characteristic appearance, reddish to brown, very small in size, appearing in clusters, most often in the arms, legs and belly.
Generally, petechiae appear with other symptoms characteristic of the disease or condition that led to their origin.
Possible causes
Some of the main causes that can lead to the appearance of petechiae are:
- Infections caused by viruses, such as cytomegalovirus and hantavirus or other infections caused by viruses, such as infectious mononucleosis, dengue, ebola and yellow fever;
- Infections caused by bacteria, such as spotted fever, scarlet fever, endocarditis or infections of the throat, for example;
- Vasculitis, which is characterized by an inflammation of blood vessels, due to a reduction or blockage of blood flow in the affected vessel, which can lead to necrosis of the inflamed area, due to the lack of oxygen at the site;
- Reduction in the number of platelets in the blood;
- Allergic reactions;
- Autoimmune diseases;
- Scurvy, which is a disease caused by a deficiency in vitamin C;
- Sepsis, which is a generalized infection by the body;
- Use of certain medications, such as some antibiotics, antidepressants and sedatives, anticoagulants, anticonvulsants and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
- Leukemia, which is a type of cancer that affects the bone marrow.
In addition, skin lesions resulting from an accident, a fight, friction with clothes or objects, sunburn or insect bites can also lead to petechiae
How the treatment is done
Treatment will depend on the cause of the petechiae. If they are the result of the side effect of a medication, it is likely that the petechiae will only disappear when the person discontinues the medication, so it is important to talk to the doctor in order to see if it is possible to replace the medication with another that does not cause this effect collateral.
If it is a bacterial infection, the treatment can be done with the use of antibiotics and analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs, to relieve other symptoms that may arise such as pain, fever or inflammation.
In addition, depending on the cause, the doctor may also prescribe corticosteroids and immunosuppressants.