Bleeding is the loss of blood.
Where it happens
- External: outside the body, as from a cut or wound.
- Internal: inside the body, as from an injury to an internal organ.
- As a symptom: some bleeding — gastrointestinal bleeding, coughing up blood, vaginal bleeding — can be a sign of disease.
How bleeding normally stops
After an injury, a blood clot forms quickly to stop the bleeding, then dissolves naturally. Making a clot takes two things in the blood:
- Clotting factors — blood proteins;
- Platelets — a type of blood cell.
When clotting goes wrong
Some people have clotting problems because of another medical condition or an inherited disease. There are two kinds:
| Problem | What happens |
|---|---|
| Bleeding disorder | Blood doesn't clot normally, because the body makes too few platelets or clotting factors, or they don't work as they should |
| Too much clotting | Blood forms too many clots, or clots don't dissolve properly |
Other problems bleeding can cause
- Bruises: bleeding under the skin.
- Stroke: some strokes are caused by bleeding in the brain.
- Severe bleeding may need first aid or a trip to the emergency room.
Sources
Based on "Bleeding," MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine; a work of the United States government in the public domain.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from medlineplus.gov
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