Petechiae and purpura are similar, but purpura is the term used to describe any purple skin blotch caused by bleeding beneath the skin. Petechia is a sub-type of purpura that is normally caused by a physical trauma. Very small purple spots on the skin are normally petechiae, where as a purpura may be much larger.
A person should schedule a doctor's appointment if he or she believes petechiae and purpura are causing the strange markings on his or her skin. The doctor will need to run tests to see what is causing the blood vessel issues. It is possible for petechiae and purpura to occur together or separately.
Petechiae are often caused by injuries, accidents, excessive coughing or extreme bouts of vomiting. Certain medications and some types of allergic reactions also may cause petechiae. The doctor will likely ask a patient with signs of petechiae a list of relevant questions and run a complete blood count and platelet count.
Large purpuraj may be caused by vascular problems, platelet disorders, meningitis or a vitamin C deficiency. A medical professional may choose to do a skin biopsy on an area of the skin being affected by a purpura. Other tests that need to be done will depend on the patient's full list of symptoms.
The underlying cause of both petechiae and purpura will determine what treatments are needed. Patients who have developed the purple skin symptoms as the result of an injury may just have to wait for the spots to fade on their own. A person who tests positive for meningitis, however, will need immediate medical attention and a series of medications that may be lifesaving. Petechiae caused by an allergic reaction will typically clear up within a few days after the person stops being exposed to the allergen and is given allergy medication.
Some young children under age 7 may develop rheumatoid purpura, a form of purpura that does not typically affect adults. A majority of children's rheumatoid purpura symptoms will clear up on their own but, in some rare cases, other health problems also are present that may lead to renal failure if left untreated. Any child who develops spots that could be purpuraj should be evaluated by a pediatrician. Purpura in kids also can be caused by a syndrome called Purpura fulminans, a condition normally accompanied by vomiting and a high fever. A lumbar puncture can be done to make a diagnosis.