Why do some people think petechiae is harmless?
Okay, so petechiae CAN be harmless. They can be a result of: – Strenuous vomiting or coughing (usually in distribution of the superior vena cava) – Viral infections – Trauma to the skin/soft tissues Although, they can also be found in other conditions both benign and serious. In broad brush-strokes: – Clotting disorders – Autoimmune disorders – Bone marrow deficiency (aplastic anaemia, pancytopaenia) – With certain drugs – Haematological malignancy (i.e. Leukaemias) – Serious sepsis (i.e. meningococcal disease) So, they can be completely benign, however, in the setting of severe anaemia or other clinical symptoms they need to be investigated thoroughly. Your doctor sounds like he/she is doing the appropriate tests. Most importantly, if it were me, I would be looking at your cell counts, coagulation and viral serology as a start. Further investigations would be guided by those results. Hope this helps and good luck.
