Bruises: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Remedies, Prevention

As you age, your skin becomes thinner, and the capillaries under your skin become more prone to breaking. If you are in pain because of the bruise, you can apply a cold compress to the area to slow down blood flow. Keeping the bruise elevated above the heart can prevent further blood pooling. Because of this, easy bruising is often a symptom of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. Cushing’s syndrome is a condition that arises when levels of cortisol, a stress hormone, are too high in the blood.

Signs and Symptoms of Alcoholic Neuropathy

Especially if you have been drinking heavily for many years, coping with alcohol use disorder is not easy. But with the proper resources to help, you are better set up for success with sobriety. Verywell acknowledges that a private nurse or caretaker may not be feasible for everyone and that readers do not have uniform access to safe, affordable, high-quality health care.

Bruising as a Sign of Abuse

Either the abuser or the person being abused may excuse injuries by saying they are the result of easy bruising. Many people with alcohol use disorder hesitate to get treatment because they don’t recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person.

Alcohol Awareness Month

This article discusses risk possible causes of unexplained bruising, how to treat random bruising, and when to seek medical attention. You may get it if you hit your thumb with a hammer or stub your toe, but you may also get it from wearing tight shoes or training for a marathon. At the time of injury, your nail may feel sore or tender, but the pressure that builds up under your nail as the blood pools can cause severe pain. Your nail may lift off your finger or toe, and the color of your nail may change. You should go see your doctor if you’re bleeding and it won’t stop, the pain is too intense, or you see a lot of damage to the base of your nail. If you have a bruise on your arm or leg and signs of a blood clot in the same limb, call your doctor.

[Podcast] Episode 9: Negotiate Alcohol Peer Pressure with FBI Tactics (with Chris Voss)

• By Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHTDr, Bailey is a Virginia-based physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience.
• Chronic alcohol misuse can also lead to liver disease, which often causes bruising.
• They aid in the formation of red blood cells, help maintain mineral levels, and lower your cholesterol.
• Eventually the body reabsorbs the blood, and the mark disappears.
• Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a bleeding disorder that occurs when a protein called von Willebrand factor in the blood is lacking or not working properly.

In the short term, it can lead to injuries, violence, and alcohol poisoning. It also increases the risk of suicide, sexual assault, and homicide. Heavy drinking can cause risky sexual behavior and unintended pregnancy. Medication can help reduce some of the symptoms of alcoholic neuropathy. bruises all over body after drinking The most important strategy against alcoholic neuropathy lies in preventing the symptoms from getting worse by decreasing alcohol consumption as soon as possible. In general, it takes years for alcoholic neuropathy to develop, so a long-standing history of heavy alcohol use is typical.

Bruises happen when blood leaks out of your veins and capillaries and pools under your skin because there isn’t an opening for the blood to get out of your body. Blood cells called platelets stop your bleeding, but the pool of blood under your skin can change your skin color and cause swelling, pain, and tenderness. When you get a bruise, an injury crushes blood vessels, but the skin doesn’t break, so there’s no external bleeding. There are no medications that can help improve loss of sensation, strengthen muscle weakness, or assist with the coordination and balance problems caused by alcoholic neuropathy. However, some people notice an improvement in symptoms a few months after discontinuing alcohol intake. If the sensation is decreased enough, you may feel actual numbness after drinking alcohol.

Does easy bruising mean low iron?

When blood isn’t clotting like it should, bleeding can be heavier or longer than normal. Whenever this blood gets trapped under the surface of the skin, it will form a bruise. Von Willebrand disease is a genetic disorder that affects your blood’s ability to clot.

• However, if you bruise easily, even a minor bump can result in a substantial bruise.
• Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking.
• You’ll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox.
• Something people might notice with ongoing, severe alcohol misuse is bruising from alcohol.

When blood vessels are dilated, you’re more likely to experience a bruise after bumping into something. This effect may explain why you’re waking up with bruises after drinking. Alcohol and unexplained bruising could point to liver damage from drinking. Easy bruising and bleeding are signs of cirrhosis, which is a serious liver disorder. This condition has a high mortality rate and is not reversible.

Withdrawal Symptoms

If a person has non-Hodgkin lymphoma, especially in their bone marrow, it can reduce blood cell count and blood platelet count, leading to clotting issues and random bruising. On top of genetics, aging can be a factor of unexplained bruising. Older adults often experience random bruising as part of the natural aging process.