You may get them if you had a fall, got hurt playing sports, or bumped into a piece of furniture. People over 65 years old and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) are more likely to get bruises than others because these groups generally have thinner skin and smaller blood vessels. The liver makes proteins that the blood needs for clotting, so if it’s not doing its job, you may bleed or bruise more easily.
Age and genetic factors
Hematomas are more serious than ecchymoses, and they generally need medical attention. ARLD does not often cause symptoms until it’s reached an advanced stage. If you misuse alcohol, you may have liver damage, even though you have none of the symptoms above.
- You should bring a list of the medications you are taking to the appointment, as some drugs can increase your risk of bruising.
- 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.
- Since the skin isn’t cut or broken, you won’t see external bleeding.
- In other cases, an underlying health condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease, may need addressing.
- If you need help because of domestic violence or sexual assault, talk with a healthcare professional, or access resources and assistance through our domestic violence resource guide.
Think you have a drinking problem?
Aside from a physical exam to look at any bruises, your healthcare provider will likely ask you questions about your family medical history. In this case, you should go see your doctor to find out what’s going on. Your body uses vitamin C to make collagen, a protein that is the substructure of your blood vessels. It’s rare to have extremely low levels of vitamin C, but when you do, your blood vessels may be weaker. Most bruises form when small blood vessels (capillaries) near the skin’s surface are broken by the impact of a blow or injury — often on the arms or legs.
Underlying Liver or Kidney Issue
If you seem to be bruising easily, it could also be due to medications, a medical condition, or even a vitamin deficiency. People with hemophilia don’t make much of several blood clotting factors, such as factor VIII and factor IX. These disorders are rare, but they can be life-threatening if you don’t treat them. If you’re having nosebleeds for no reason, if your gums bleed a lot after you brush or floss, or if small cuts or scrapes seem to bleed heavily, call your doctor. Some people — especially women — are more prone to bruising than others. As people get older, the skin becomes thinner and loses some of the protective fatty layer that helps cushion blood vessels from injury.
It can be caused by wearing old or worn-out shoes while you train, running or walking on hard surfaces like concrete, or training for too long. Right after a tattoo, it’s normal for your skin around your tattoo to be red, why do alcoholics bruise easily irritated, swollen, warm, and sometimes bruised. These skin reactions are part of the healing process and usually last about 3-7 days. However, if you bruise easily, even a minor bump can result in a substantial bruise.
It can lead to liver problems including fatty liver, hepatitis and cirrhosis. This can develop into alcohol hepatitis, which https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/why-does-alcohol-cause-bruising/ is the inflammation of the liver. Alcohol is also a diuretic, meaning it dehydrates you every time you have a drink.
Partial facial numbness after drinking alcohol.
- Additionally, heavy drinkers usually get most of their calories from alcohol.
- Hence, seeking professional medical advice is crucial if you notice such symptoms.
- Cushing’s syndrome is diagnosed with blood, urine, and saliva tests, as well as imaging to identify tumors.
- One group of medical conditions that can cause easy bleeding are bleeding disorders.
Bruising (ecchymosis) happens when small blood vessels (capillaries) break under your skin. You’ll see discoloration from the bleeding under your skin, which is a bruise. 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.
The treatment for Cushing’s syndrome will be specific to the underlying cause but can include medication, chemotherapy, radiation, or sometimes surgery. People who run regularly may get something called a stone bruise (metatarsalgia). This is swelling and tenderness where your toe bones connect on the bottom of your foot. With a stone bruise, you may notice pain or tenderness when you press on that point on your foot, pull up on your toes, or flex your foot upward.
- On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing.
- Have you ever found a bruise on your body and wondered how it got there?
- When you bump against an object, your body normally responds by forming clots to stop the bleeding, which prevents bruising.
- In the long term, these vessels can over-dilate, leading to spider veins on the skin.
People with heavy periods, who are pregnant or have gastrointestinal disorders are most at risk of not getting enough iron. Bruises typically form when a localized injury, such a blow or impact, causes capillaries to break open and leak red blood cells under the skin. Everyone gets a few black-and-blue bruises every now and then — who doesn’t have routine run-ins with their desk or bed frame? But if you’re waking up more mornings than not with a new bruise, you’re probably wondering what it means or if there’s something more serious going on with your health. Next, read what you need to know about bruising easily (anemia isn’t always the answer, BTW).