The body is full of blood vessels, and smaller version of blood vessels, called capillaries. These different types of blood vessels carry oxygen and nutrients to your tissues. Normally, blood remains in the circulatory system inside the blood vessels. But if there is damage to your blood vessels or capillaries a bleeding can occur anywhere in the body, either externally or into body tissues.

The body stops the blood loss through a complex clotting process called hemostasis. During hemostasis, the injured blood vessel tightens to reduce blood flow, platelets adhere to the injured site and clump together to form a loose platelet plug and a process of clot formation is initiated.

Causes:

• Bleeding problems like hemophilia (a rare bleeding disorder that prevents the blood from clotting properly) is hereditary.
• Nutritional deficiencies, especially of vitamin K (facilitates the normal blood clotting).
• Use of aspirin and other medications that suppress clotting.
• Symptoms of certain diseases like cancers.
• Thrombocytopenia a medical term for a reduced number of platelets (the blood cells instrumental in clotting).

Symptoms of Thrombocytopenia: Easy bruising, frequent nosebleeds, and excessive bleeding from even minor cuts. Bleeding gums unrelated to dental problems are common. Affected women may experience very heavy menstrual periods. In some cases, there are no obvious symptoms, but blood tests reveal a low platelet count and reduced clotting time.

Symptoms of Bleeding Problems: Nosebleeds, bleeding gums, bruising, heavy menstrual periods, blood in the stool and/or urine, and chronic anemia.

Normal and Abnormal Bleeding in women:

A. Normal menstrual bleeding:

• Occurs approximately once a month (every 26 to 35 days).
• Lasts a limited period of time (3 to 7 days).
• May be heavy for part of the period, but usually does not involve passage of clots.
• Often is preceded by menstrual cramps, bloating and breast tenderness, although not all women experience these premenstrual symptoms.

B. Abnormal bleeding (DUB or dysfunctional uterine bleeding) includes:

• Too frequent periods (more often than every 26 days).
• Heavy periods (with passage of large, egg-sized clots).
• Any bleeding at the wrong time, including spotting or pink-tinged vaginal discharge
• Any bleeding lasting longer than 7 days.
• Extremely light periods or no periods at all

What to Eat to Prevent Bleeding Problems:

• Vitamin K rich foods like spinach and other green leafy vegetables, potatoes, cabbage, oats and other whole grains, and organ meats.
• Lean meat, poultry, seafood, and other foods high in iron and vitamin B12.
• Citrus and other fresh fruits and vegetables for vitamin C, this vitamin strengthen capillaries.

Treatment:

• Transfusions of platelets and other blood cells.
• Sometimes prolonged antibiotic therapy destroys the intestinal bacteria that make vitamin K resulting in bleeding problems. Increasing intake of foods high in vitamin K may help, but more often, supplements or even injections of the vitamin are given.
• For Nose bleeding: Soak a pad of cotton wool in cold or even iced water with a couple of drops of lemon oil added, and place firmly across the bridge of the nose. A more effective method is to place a small piece of this as a plug in the affected nostril. The essential oil helps to speed up clotting. Sometimes placing a cold compress on the back of the neck can be helpful in reducing the local blood flow too

Avoid:

• Omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fishes like salmon because it can suppress platelet function. People taking high doses of fish oil supplements and oily fishes like salmon have an increased risk of developing bleeding problem because this oily fishes contain omega-3 fatty acids that can suppress platelet function.
• Alcohol, aspirin, and other drugs that can also suppress blood clotting.