Bleeding Time Test: Purpose, Procedure, Risks and Result

When the human body bleeds, the blood tends to clot, which helps to stop the bleeding. A bleeding time test helps to determine how quickly the blood clots stop the bleeding. During the test, small punctures are made on the skin. The purpose of performing a bleeding time test is to check how quickly the platelets in the blood form clots when punctured. Platelets are very tiny fragments of cells that circulate all around the body. When an injury to a blood vessel occurs, platelets are the first few cells to react to the injury. They perform the job of a band-aid, trying to seal the wound and prevent the escape of any more blood from it. A bleeding time test can help understand multiple aspects of the blood. Let us understand why it must be performed.

What is the Purpose of a Bleeding Time Test?

A bleeding time test is not something that everyone will need during their lifetime. You are more likely to need a bleeding time test if you are suffering from a health condition due to which your body is bleeding so much that it won’t stop. This is more likely to occur if you have recently undergone incisions, cuts or punctures. Your doctor may choose a test from a wide range of available options to evaluate how well your platelets are functioning. Thus, a bleeding time test is usually used to screen a patient who exhibits prolonged periods of bleeding.

A doctor will assess the test results to determine if there is any underlying health concern. If the findings from a BT Blood Test are abnormal, it could indicate an issue with your health. Your doctor will need to perform additional testing to determine the exact cause of the prolonged bleeding. An abnormal test result could also mean that you have developed a platelet function defect. This condition can develop post-birth and mainly affects how the platelets in the blood function. The body may produce too few or too many platelets. Or, it is also possible that your platelets may not function well at all.

You could get an abnormal test result due to a wide range of conditions, such as the following:

• A defect in the blood vessels is a condition that could affect how well your blood vessels transport your blood through the body.
• A platelet function defect from birth is a type of condition that could be present from birth. It affects how well the platelets in the body function. A common example of this condition is Hemophilia.
• Due to primary thrombocythemia, the bone marrow in the body may create too many platelets.
• Another condition is Thrombocytopenia, due to which the body may produce too few platelets.
• You could have a genetic condition named Von Willebrand’s disease, which affects how easily your blood forms clots.

How to Prepare Yourself for a Bleeding Time Test?

Firstly, make sure that you inform your physician about any medicines you may be consuming. This includes any OTC medicines, vitamins, or mineral doses. Some medicines can impact how easily your blood makes clots. Based on your doctor’s instructions, you may have to stop consuming certain medicines before the test. Your healthcare provider will draw a sample on the date of the test to check for bleeding time.

Normally, they will clean the site of the puncture with an antiseptic liquid to reduce the chances of an infection. Then, they will use a pressure cuff around the arm. Usually, they will make two cuts on the lower arm, which may be enough to make the arm bleed. Since these cuts are meant to be very shallow, they should not hurt a lot. Then, they will remove the pressure cuff from the upper arms. To perform the actual test, they will blot the incised cuts with a piece of paper. They will do so every 30 seconds until the bleeding stops. By using a stopwatch, they aim to record the duration for the bleeding to stop. Subsequently, they will bandage the cuts for relief. The healthcare provider makes a special note if it takes more than 20 minutes for the bleeding to stop.

Are There Any Risks Associated with a Bleeding Time Test?

When your skin is broken, there is always a general risk of excessive bleeding and infections. However, since this test checks how quickly your bleeding stops, it is necessary to draw some blood from your body. There are very few chances of any complications since the cuts are generally shallow, and chances of excessive bleeding are very low.

What Happens After A Bleeding Time Test?

Your doctor will examine the results from a bleeding time test and compare them with the Normal Bleeding Time. In case of any abnormality, your doctor will be able to determine whether there is an underlying health issue. Some chronic conditions can cause dysfunction in the normal function of the platelets; however, medicines and treatment can help overcome the symptoms of the problem to some extent. The normal bleeding time is generally between one and eight minutes. If the results are outside that range, it is normal for a doctor to deduce that there is a defect in the platelets.

Conclusion

Only proper testing can reveal problems with blood clotting and platelet count in the body. A longer than normal bleeding time can indicate defects in the blood vessels or other defects. After performing the test, doctors will be able to diagnose any bleeding problems in the body. During and after the test, do not consume any medicines without your doctor's advice. Also, do not stop consuming any medicines without your doctor’s go-ahead.