Bleeding

Summary

Bleeding is the loss of blood. It can be external, or outside the body, like when you get a cut or wound. It can also be internal, or inside the body, like when you have an injury to an internal organ. Some bleeding, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, coughing up blood, or vaginal bleeding, can be a symptom of a disease.

Normally, when you are injured and start bleeding, a blood clot forms to stop the bleeding quickly. Afterwards, the clot dissolves naturally. To be able to make a clot, your blood needs blood proteins called clotting factors and a type of blood cell called platelets. Some people have a problem with clotting, due to another medical condition or an inherited disease. There are two types of problems:

• Your blood may not form clots normally, known as a bleeding disorder. This happens when your body does not make enough platelets or clotting factors, or they don’t work the way they should.
• Your blood may make too many clots, or the clots may not dissolve properly

Sometimes bleeding can cause other problems. A bruise is bleeding under the skin. Some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain. Severe bleeding may require first aid or a trip to the emergency room.

Specifics

• Anemia Due to Excessive Bleeding Merck & Co., Inc.
• Blood in Urine National Library of Medicine
• Gastrointestinal Bleeding: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Intracranial Hematoma Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Nosebleeds American Academy of Family Physicians
• Subarachnoid Hemorrhage American Academy of Neurology
• Subconjunctival Hemorrhage (Broken Blood Vessel in Eye) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Vaginal Bleeding: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• What Is Vitamin K Deficiency Bleeding? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Patient Handouts

• Bleeding Medical Encyclopedia
• Bleeding gums Medical Encyclopedia
• Bleeding into the skin Medical Encyclopedia
• Intraventricular hemorrhage of the newborn Medical Encyclopedia
• Subarachnoid hemorrhage Medical Encyclopedia

Encyclopedia

• Bleeding during cancer treatment Medical Encyclopedia
• Blood clotting Medical Encyclopedia
• Blood in the semen Medical Encyclopedia
• Coughing up blood Medical Encyclopedia
• Epidural hematoma Medical Encyclopedia
• Nosebleed Medical Encyclopedia
• Splinter hemorrhages Medical Encyclopedia
• Subconjunctival hemorrhage Medical Encyclopedia
• Urine – bloody Medical Encyclopedia

Children

• Blood in the Urine (Hematuria) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Dealing with Cuts (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Embolization (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• Nosebleeds Nemours Foundation
• Nosebleeds (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
• What’s a Scab? Nemours Foundation

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hematoma National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Hemorrhage National Institutes of Health

Find an Expert

• Find a Hematologist American Society of Hematology
• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Reference Desk

• Hematology Glossary American Society of Hematology

Start Here

• Internal Bleeding Merck & Co., Inc.

Teenagers

• Nosebleeds Nemours Foundation

Diagnosis and Tests

• Partial Thromboplastin Time (PTT) Test National Library of Medicine

Journal Articles

• Bleeding

Treatments and Therapies

• Severe Bleeding: First Aid Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• What Do I Need in My First Aid Kit? American Academy of Family Physicians

Genetics

• Warfarin sensitivity: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine