Blood Disorder Diagnosis

Our exceptional care begins with promptly providing an accurate and detailed diagnosis when symptoms arise. Our team members coordinate the care of bleeding disorder patients with primary care providers and other medical subspecialists, both at Winship and in the community.

A blood disorder diagnosis can be tricky. But with the right expertise and team in place, diagnosing and treating blood disorders is possible and can change patients’ lives.

Diagnostic techniques involve one or more of the following:

• Complete medical history.
• Physical examination. Your doctor will assess any visible bruising, swelling or abnormal symptoms you may have.
• Blood tests. This includes a complete blood count (CBC) of white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets. These blood tests also will be used to understand how much hemoglobin is in your blood as well as the shape and size of your red blood cells.
• Other lab tests. Specialized coagulation testing and potentially genetic testing

These methods will give your care team a full picture of your diagnosis and can help provide insight into the best course of treatment and care management.

More than 1,000 different blood disorders have been identified. They are classified into various types: acquired or inherited, and cancerous or noncancerous.

Some of the types of blood disorders that our experts at Winship regularly diagnose and treat include:

• Anemias. Cold agglutinin disease, hereditary spherocytosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, thalassemia and sickle cell disease
• Bleeding disorders. Hemophilia, von Willebrand’s disease, immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP), platelet function defects and hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT)
• Clotting disorders. Thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS)
• Blood cancers. Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma

Some blood and bleeding disorders may cause sudden or acute symptoms. Other symptoms progress slowly over time.

Anemia symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headaches
• Shortness of breath
• Irregular heartbeat

Bleeding disorder symptoms:

• Bruising easily and bruises that don’t go away
• Bleeding gums
• Heavy menstrual bleeding
• Unexplained and frequent nosebleeds
• Joint pain and swelling

Clotting disorder symptoms:

• Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing
• Chest pain
• Vomiting and nausea
• Swelling or tenderness in the arms or legs
• Extreme dizziness, headaches and vision changes

Blood cancer symptoms:

• Fatigue and weakness
• Frequent infections
• Bone pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• Swelling in the lymph nodes
• Rash or itchy skin

If you have any of the above symptoms, make an appointment to see your doctor.