When You Bruise Easily What Does That Mean

Some signs that a person bruises more easily than is typical include:

• very large, painful bruises in response to minor injuries
• having many bruises without remembering their cause
• frequently developing bruises that take many weeks to heal
• bleeding for longer than 10 minutes following an injury

Most of the time bruises are normal and nothing to worry about. But if you bruise extremely easily or get bruises without any injury, this can be a sign of a serious issue like a vitamin deficiency or blood clotting disorder. Here are five reasons why you may be bruising easily and when you should see a doctor.

What to know about bruising easily 1 Causes. As a person ages, they tend to bruise more easily. … 2 When to see a doctor. A person should consult a doctor if they begin bruising more easily than before. … 3 Outlook. In most cases, easy bruising is a minor inconvenience that is due either to genetic factors or a minor medical condition.

"The more physically active you are, the more likely you are to bruise or bleed," says Dr. Elliott. With exercise, you risk more forceful physical contact—whether that’s a hard-hitting connection with a weight, another class goer, or the ground (clumsy in HIIT class, anyone?)—and when that impact gets powerful, it’s more likely to leave a mark.

But if you often drink a lot of alcohol and you tend to bruise easily, it may mean you’ve got liver problems. 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.

Bruises without injuries can be caused by thinning of the skin which could be caused by a number of factors. Some medication when taken for too long could lead to bruising without injuries. Aspirin is one such drug. It leads to coagulation changes which then lead to spontaneous hematoma.

A person should seek medical attention any time they have the following symptoms or issues associated with bruising: a suspected broken bone. loss of function of a joint, limb or muscle. increasing pain. an area is affected by a bruise that returns. there is no identifiable cause of the bruising.

To find the cause of your bruising, your doctor might check your blood platelet levels or do tests that measure the time it takes your blood to clot. Other serious causes of bruising include domestic violence or abuse.

Some signs that a person bruises more easily than is typical include: very large, painful bruises in response to minor injuries having many bruises without remembering their cause frequently developing bruises that take many weeks to heal bleeding for longer than 10 minutes following an injury

Some nutrient deficiencies may make bruising more likely. Your blood needs vitamin K to clot correctly, so if you’re very deficient, you’ll bruise easier. "Theoretically, if you’re deficient in vitamin C, your blood vessels would be more fragile," Nagler says.

A fall, blow, or anything else that puts sudden high pressure on the skin can cause a bruise. Very forceful blows can damage bones, causing deep bleeding and bruises that take several weeks to heal. Minor bruises often heal in a few days. Some people find that they bruise so easily that they do not remember the original cause.

Random bruising may indicate an underlying health problem. Most bruises are nothing to worry about and will heal within a couple of weeks. They can vary in color, and skin color may affect the appearance of a bruise. Learn more about what the colors of a bruise mean here.

Easy bleeding can be a side effect caused by: certain medications such as ibuprofen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood thinners, and blood clot-preventing medicines. anemia (low red blood cell count in blood) hemophilia or trouble clotting blood. thrombocytopenia (low platelet levels) liver disease.

Fragile or thin skin that tears easily is a common problem in older adults. Aging, sun exposure and genetics all play a role in thinning skin. Certain medications, such as long-term use of oral or topical corticosteroids, also can weaken the skin and blood vessels in the skin.

Easy bruising can sometimes be a symptom of a disease or health issue. For instance, sepsis (a bacterial infection), chronic inflammatory disease, liver disease and certain types of cancer can all cause you to bruise easily.

For the average healthy guy (say, drinking one or two drinks per night, or fewer than 14 drinks per week) the alcohol-related effects on bruising are temporary, and no real cause for concern. They should dissipate after three or four days.

Typically used as an antiseptic, people who abuse rubbing alcohol have been known to consume it when seeking intoxication. Individuals who consume rubbing alcohol can and do get drunk. The other kind of rubbing alcohol is ethyl alcohol, and it is akin to that which is found in alcoholic beverages.