Blood clotting disorders are conditions in which blood clots form too easily or don’t dissolve properly. They can be caused by problems with the blood, blood vessels, medications, or underlying medical conditions. Blood clotting disorders can be acquired or genetic. Acquired blood clotting disorders can be caused by smoking, obesity, or certain diseases such as atherosclerosis. Treatment for blood clotting disorders depends on the cause and the severity. Medicines that thin the blood are used as routine treatment for blood clotting disorders.
Bleeding disorders are a group of conditions in which blood does not properly clot. They can develop later in life due to an illness or disease that someone has developed. The use of some medications can thin your blood as well, which can lead to a bleeding disorder. Because the blood does not clot properly, any cut or injury can result in excessive bleeding.
The two most common bleeding disorders are hemophilia and von Willebrand disease. Hemophilia is an inherited disorder that affects mostly males and is characterized by not having sufficient clotting factors in their blood. This can cause unknown reasons for bleeding, pain, stiff and swollen joints, nose bleeds, and unexplained blood in urine and/or stools. The more common disorder, von Willebrand disease, is also an inherited condition but is usually milder than hemophilia and can affect both males and females; it is found in up to 1% of the US population. Von Willebrand disease is the most common bleeding disorder in women.
Treatment for bleeding disorders depends on the severity. Mild cases are often gone untreated but patients are warned to stay away from drugs that can aggravate bleeding such as aspirin and ibuprofen. Below are some more options depending on the bleeding disorder you suffer from: