Bruising Easily: Causes, Treatment, When to Get Care

A single bruise on your skin is often a symptom of a minor injury. Up to half of Americans bruise easily, sometimes without any obvious cause. This dark purple spot forms on your skin when blood leaks out of your blood vessels into the top layer of your skin.

What am I lacking if I bruise easily?

They may look reddish-purple on lighter skin tones and brownish-black on darker skin tones. A hematoma is a large pool of blood that may come from a serious injury, such as a major fall or a car accident. Hematomas are usually painful and may make the skin over it feel raised, spongy, rubbery, and/or lumpy. Hematomas are more serious than ecchymoses, and they generally need medical attention. If your bruise doesn’t improve within two weeks, or if you start to notice frequent, unexplained bruises—whether you’re drunk or sober—call your doctor. And when the blood vessels underneath your skin break, it causes blood to leak out.

Types of Bruises

Anyone can experience a minor injury or accident that causes skin discoloration. Some people, including you, may be more prone to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ bruising than others. Sunnyside is the leading alcohol health platform focused on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety.

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A person with a genetic bleeding disorder has a higher risk of bruising and excessive, possibly life threatening bleeding. The bruises will look like regular bruises, but they can be larger. The liver can usually repair itself and generate new cells. However, in advanced alcoholic liver disease, liver regeneration is impaired, resulting in permanent damage to the liver. If you experience increased bruising, don’t stop taking your medications.

• But long-term and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver inflammation (liver hepatitis).
• For most states in the United States, the alcohol limit to legally drive a vehicle for drivers aged 21 or older is currently 0.08% BAC.
• Some conditions can make it harder for your blood to clot, which may increase your chance of bruising and bleeding.
• Nutrient deficiencies can further contribute to low energy levels.
• Newborns often have very low levels of vitamin K, which are insufficient to stop bleeding.
• If you’re drinking faster than your liver can process the alcohol, your BAC increases and you may feel the effects of drunkenness, also called intoxication.

Anytime you experience a minor injury or accident that damages the skin, it affects the blood vessels below the surface of your skin. Sometimes, bruising after drinking occurs because of the fact that alcohol dilates the blood vessels. 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 why do alcoholics bruise easily after drinking. Even if you aren’t experiencing severe health problems like cirrhosis from alcohol, seeking early treatment can prevent an alcohol use disorder from progressing and causing severe complications. If alcohol begins to interfere with daily functioning, but you have been unsuccessful with giving up drinking, seeking treatment can help you to stay committed to recovery.

Alcohol Bruises FAQ

• A single bruise on your skin is often a symptom of a minor injury.
• If you’re not consciously keeping track of the drinks you’ve chugged, it’s easy to go over these limits.
• Second, alcoholism can lead to a condition called thrombocytopenia, which is a low level of platelets in the blood.
• Adults with low vitamin K levels may also notice a sudden increase in bruising.
• But, sometimes you spot a bruise and wonder what causes you to bruise easily.

• There are several causes of bruises after drinking; some of these causes are not particularly serious, whereas others could point to a health problem.
• By interfering with your body’s normal circadian rhythm and sleep cycles, alcohol increases the likelihood of disruptive sleep behaviors that pose a safety risk.
• Hence, drinking alcohol makes it harder for your immune system to gear up and mount a defense response against invading pathogens and viruses.
• Your doctor has medicines for liver and kidney disease, HIV, and cancer.
• If you often find yourself wondering why you’re bruising easily, you suspect you might have any of the above conditions, or you check off any of the risk factors, talk to your doctor, says Dr. Vyas.
• It was very surprising for me to know that we damage our vessels every time you scratch your hand, kick the ball or keep your arm on the armrest for a long time!