Essential Thrombocythemia Quiz
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Headache on the side of my head
Pain in the back of the eyeball
Have a headache
Bilateral headache
Forehead throbbing
Headaches in back of head
Spinning feeling
Not seeing your symptoms? No worries!
What is Essential Thrombocythemia?
Essential thrombocythemia is a rare disorder where the body produces too many platelets, which are blood cells that stick together to form clots. It may be caused by several acquired gene mutations, which are not inherited.
Typical Symptoms of Essential Thrombocythemia
- Pain at the back of the head
- Pain in the temples
- Headache with pain behind the eyes
- Headache
- Blood in stool
- Forehead pain
- Headache on both sides
- Dizziness
Diagnostic Questions for Essential Thrombocythemia
Your doctor may ask these questions to check for this disease:
- Do you have pain at the back of your head?
- Do you have pain in your temples?
- Do you have headaches with pain behind your eyes?
- Do you have a headache?
- Have you noticed any blood in your stool?
Treatment of Essential Thrombocythemia
Essential thrombocythemia is a chronic condition with no cure. Mild forms of the disease may not need treatment. For those with severe symptoms, medications to lower platelet count and/or blood thinners may be needed.
Reviewed By:
Unnati Patel, MD, MSc (Family Medicine)
Dr.Patel serves as Center Medical Director and a Primary Care Physician at Oak Street Health in Arizona. She graduated from the Zhejiang University School of Medicine prior to working in clinical research focused on preventive medicine at the University of Illinois and the University of Nevada. Dr. Patel earned her MSc in Global Health from Georgetown University, during which she worked with the WHO in Sierra Leone and Save the Children in Washington, D.C. She went on to complete her Family Medicine residency in Chicago at Norwegian American Hospital before completing a fellowship in Leadership in Value-based Care in conjunction with the Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management, where she earned her MBA. Dr. Patel’s interests include health tech and teaching medical students and she currently serves as Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.
Yoshinori Abe, MD (Internal Medicine)
Dr. Abe graduated from The University of Tokyo School of Medicine in 2015. He completed his residency at the Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Longevity Medical Center. He co-founded Ubie, Inc. in May 2017, where he currently serves as CEO & product owner at Ubie. Since December 2019, he has been a member of the Special Committee for Activation of Research in Emergency AI of the Japanese Association for Acute Medicine. | | Dr. Abe has been elected in the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia Healthcare & Science category.
Content updated on Mar 31, 2024
Following the Medical Content Editorial Policy
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People with similar symptoms also use Ubie's symptom checker to find possible causes
- Blood in stool
- Pulsating headache
- Stools looks like strawberry jam
- Stool looks like raspberry jelly
- Headache over the entire head
- Poop looks like strawberry jam
- Headache on one side
- Poo looks like currant jelly
- I have a headache when I cough
- Blood and mucus in stool
- Headache at night
- Stool looks like jelly
- Bloody diarrhea
- Headache aura
- Light sensitivity headache
See full list
Symptoms Related to Essential Thrombocythemia
Diseases Related to Essential Thrombocythemia
FAQs
Q.
Platelet Count Abnormal? Why Your Blood Reacts & Medical Next Steps
A.
Abnormal platelet counts can be low or high, signaling higher risks of bleeding or clotting, and are often caused by infections, medications, iron or vitamin deficiency, inflammation, pregnancy changes, bone marrow disease, or even lab error, with normal around 150,000 to 450,000 per microliter. Next steps usually include repeating the test, reviewing your history and medicines, and targeted labs, with urgent care for severe bleeding, stroke like symptoms, chest pain, or vision changes; there are several factors to consider, so see the complete guidance below to understand what could change your plan and which actions to take now.
References:
* Safa H, Al-Samkari H. Thrombocytopenia: Current Practice and Future Prospects. Int J Hematol Oncol Stem Cell Res. 2022 Jan 1;16(1):1-14. PMID: 35928646.
* Dentali F, Ageno W, Rancan E, Squizzato A. Thrombocytosis: Pathophysiology, Clinical Significance, and Management. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2019 Feb;45(1):15-22. doi: 10.1055/s-0038-1676974. PMID: 30677914.
* Ghanima W, Godeau B, Cines DB, Bussel JB. Diagnostic approach to thrombocytopenia in adults. Blood. 2019 Aug 1;134(8):653-659. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019000523. PMID: 31349071.
* Greer JP. Platelet disorders: an update. Ann Hematol. 2019 Jul;98(7):1535-1548. doi: 10.1007/s00277-019-03650-7. PMID: 31037233.
* Hoffman R, Benz EJ Jr, Silberstein LE, Heslop HE, Weitz JI, Anastasi J. Approach to the adult patient with an abnormal platelet count. Clin Lab Med. 2013 Sep;33(3):395-416. doi: 10.1016/j.cll.2013.04.004. PMID: 24012752.
Q.
High Platelet Count? Why Your Levels Are Rising & Medically Approved Next Steps
A.
A high platelet count, typically above 450,000, is often a temporary reaction to infection, inflammation, iron deficiency, surgery, or blood loss, but persistent or very high levels can indicate essential thrombocythemia, which raises clot and bleeding risks. Medically approved next steps include repeating the test, following up with your doctor to identify the cause and consider genetic testing if ET is suspected, treating any underlying issue, reducing cardiovascular risks, and seeking urgent care for stroke signs, chest pain, severe headache, shortness of breath, or a painful swollen leg; there are several factors to consider, and key details that may change your next steps are explained below.
References:
* Landgren O, Zver O, Van Dyke S, et al. Thrombocytosis. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2022 Nov;48(7):851-860. doi: 10.1055/s-0042-1753457. Epub 2022 Aug 25. PMID: 36006797.
* Harrison CN, Bareford D. Essential thrombocythemia. Blood. 2022 Mar 17;139(11):1644-1658. doi: 10.1182/blood.2021013774. PMID: 35136979.
* Kaser A, Kaser S. Reactive thrombocytosis. Blood. 2020 Jun 4;135(23):2098-2104. doi: 10.1182/blood.2019000961. PMID: 32267605.
* Lodi S, Carbone C, D'Alessio A, et al. Myeloproliferative Neoplasms: Latest Management and Clinical Challenges. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Sep 16;24(18):14138. doi: 10.3390/ijms241814138. PMID: 37728639.
* Tefferi A, Pardanani A. Thrombocytosis: A Practical Approach. Am J Med. 2021 Jan;134(1):e1-e8. doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.06.014. Epub 2020 Jul 15. PMID: 32675666.
Q.
Abnormal MPV Blood Test? Why Your Platelets Change & Medical Next Steps
A.
An abnormal MPV result means your average platelet size is outside the usual 7.5 to 11.5 fL; on its own it is not a diagnosis, but together with your platelet count and symptoms it can suggest causes like increased platelet turnover from blood loss or inflammation when high, or reduced bone marrow production when low. Typical next steps are a repeat CBC, review of the platelet count, targeted labs such as iron, B12, folate and thyroid tests, sometimes a blood smear, and hematology referral if results persist or you have red flag symptoms like unusual clots or bleeding. There are several factors to consider, and important details that could change your next steps are explained below.
References:
* Sahin T, Ozbebek AN, Kilickap M. Mean platelet volume and its role in various diseases: An updated review. Ann Hematol. 2021 Nov;100(11):2653-2666. doi: 10.1007/s00277-021-04677-y. Epub 2021 Oct 7. PMID: 34623512.
* Kaya A, Akpek M, Karadavut S, Tanboga IH, Gul M, Ergül E. Mean platelet volume (MPV): the current state of art. Hematology. 2021 Dec;26(1):1084-1090. doi: 10.1080/16078454.2021.1994071. PMID: 34842146.
* Srivastava V, Khan AA, Jain A. Mean platelet volume: A reliable marker for diagnosis and prognosis of various diseases. J Clin Lab Anal. 2019 Sep;33(7):e22933. doi: 10.1002/jcla.22933. Epub 2019 Apr 23. PMID: 31012170; PMCID: PMC6680287.
* Hassan U, Ikram S. Mean Platelet Volume and Platelet Distribution Width and Their Usefulness for Medical Diagnoses and Prognoses. Clin Lab. 2020 Feb 1;66(2). doi: 10.7754/Clin.Lab.2019.190623. PMID: 32014605.
* Bath PM, Arundell K. Mean platelet volume: a simple, useful and cost-effective marker in various medical conditions. Clin Chim Acta. 2016 Jan 1;452:160-7. doi: 10.1016/j.cca.2015.11.009. Epub 2015 Nov 12. PMID: 26585141.
Q.
Abnormal Platelets? Why Your Blood Is Changing and Medical Next Steps
A.
Abnormal platelet counts can signal anything from a temporary reaction to infection, inflammation, or iron deficiency to a bone marrow disorder, and they shift your risk toward bleeding when low and harmful clots when high. Typical next steps include a repeat test, review of symptoms and medicines, targeted labs and sometimes genetic tests or bone marrow biopsy, with treatment based on the cause; there are several factors to consider, so see below for urgent red flags, when to seek care, and detailed options that could change your plan.
References:
* He R, Xiang Y, Zhang Q. Platelet disorders: A comprehensive review of classification, pathophysiology, and management. Blood Rev. 2021 Mar;46:100742. doi: 10.1016/j.blre.2020.100742. Epub 2020 Sep 28. PMID: 33004245.
* Gresele P, Momi S, Frossi B, Pignatelli P. Platelet disorders: an update. Semin Thromb Hemost. 2017 Mar;43(2):107-118. doi: 10.1055/s-0036-1597876. Epub 2017 Jan 25. PMID: 28122396.
* Arnold DM. Thrombocytopenia: current concepts in pathophysiology and treatment. J Clin Med. 2020 Jul 15;9(7):2216. doi: 10.3390/jcm9072216. PMID: 32679758; PMCID: PMC7408713.
* Jana R, Gupta V. Thrombocytosis: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management. Front Med (Lausanne). 2021 Aug 17;8:709323. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2021.709323. eCollection 2021. PMID: 34485303; PMCID: PMC8410294.
* Michelson AD, Nurden P, Konstantopoulos K, Nurden AT. Inherited platelet function disorders: an update of the International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis-Scientific and Standardization Committee classification. J Thromb Haemost. 2022 Jul;20(7):1694-1707. doi: 10.1111/jth.15730. Epub 2022 May 31. PMID: 35607540.
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Link to full study:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.08.29.24312810v1References
Tefferi A, Pardanani A. Essential Thrombocythemia. N Engl J Med. 2019 Nov 28;381(22):2135-2144. doi: 10.1056/NEJMcp1816082. PMID: 31774958.
https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMcp1816082Guglielmelli P, Vannucchi AM. Current management strategies for polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia. Blood Rev. 2020 Jul;42:100714. doi: 10.1016/j.blre.2020.100714. Epub 2020 Jun 3. PMID: 32546373.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0268960X20300643?via%3DihubMora B, Passamonti F. Developments in diagnosis and treatment of essential thrombocythemia. Expert Rev Hematol. 2019 Mar;12(3):159-171. doi: 10.1080/17474086.2019.1585239. Epub 2019 Mar 13. PMID: 30793984.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17474086.2019.1585239Maleknia M, Shahrabi S, Ghanavat M, Vosoughi T, Saki N. Essential thrombocythemia: a hemostatic view of thrombogenic risk factors and prognosis. Mol Biol Rep. 2020 Jun;47(6):4767-4778. doi: 10.1007/s11033-020-05536-x. Epub 2020 May 30. PMID: 32472297.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11033-020-05536-xHarrison CN, Green AR. Essential thrombocythemia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. 2003 Oct;17(5):1175-90, vii. doi: 10.1016/s0889-8588(03)00082-0. PMID: 14560781.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0889858803000820?via%3Dihub