Why Drinking Alcohol Can Cause Bruising

do alcoholics bruise easily

Cirrhosis of the liverOur liver filters out harmful substances, cleans our blood, stores energy and aids in digestion. Too much alcohol can be toxic to liver cells, causing dehydration and permanent scarring—which ultimately affects the blood flow. With excessive alcohol consumption, this important organ can’t metabolize Vitamin D, which could develop into a deficiency. Some common signs and symptoms of cirrhosis include fatigue, itchy skin, weight loss, nausea, yellow eyes and skin, abdominal pain and swelling or bruising. The most destructive form of alcoholism is chronic alcoholism, an alcohol and bruising emotionally, socially and physically devastating disease. Alcoholism emerges from alcohol abuse, when there’s a pattern of drinking despite negative consequences.

do alcoholics bruise easily

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You’ll soon start receiving the latest Mayo Clinic health information you requested in your inbox. If you’ve noticed any of the above symptoms, you may consider going cold turkey to improve your health. While alcohol sends you into dreamland quicker, there’s a good chance that having too much will lead to a night of tossing and turning once its sedative effects wear off. If you’ve ever had to nurse a hangover, nausea and vomiting are commonly part and parcel of the ordeal.

Alcohol use disorder

Years of chronic alcohol consumption have ravaged their body and mind, and their lives revolve around little else other than the bottle. The mental and physical health of alcoholics are rapidly deteriorating at this stage, and unless they seek alcohol rehab, they may drink themselves to death. “Having a vitamin deficiency can hinder your body’s ability to create blood clots, which can lead to bigger and darker bruises,” Dr. Johnston says. Specifically, deficiencies in vitamins K and C can cause more severe and sometimes unexplainable bruising.

General Health

  • “Bruises on the legs and arms are very common,” says Fisher, “and if the bleeding is significant enough, a large collection of blood can form – which is referred to as a hematoma.”
  • Bruising occurs more readily as a person ages, making age the most common cause of easy bruising.

The discoloration you see as a bruise on the surface of your skin is from blood that has pooled in or under your skin. On people with lighter skin tones, bruises may start out red or purple soon after the injury, then turn light brown, green, or yellow as they heal. On people with darker skin tones, bruises can look purple, dark brown, or black. To determine the cause of easy bruising, your healthcare provider will conduct a physical examination and review your symptoms, medical history, and any medications you are taking.

do alcoholics bruise easily

Bill Zimmerman is a Greater Cincinnati Area native who has worked in substance use disorder/co-occurring mental health disorder treatment since 2018. Bill received his (Chemical Dependency Counselor Assistant) license from the Ohio Chemical Dependency Professionals Board in 2020. If you’re concerned about alcohol abuse, we offer personal treatment programs at Ohio Recovery in Cincinnati, OH. If you’re worried about your drinking habits or bruising, talk to a doctor. They can help you determine whether you have a problem and what to do next. It’s tough to judge the seriousness of a bruise using the color.

If you bruise easily and are worried that it may be a sign of alcoholism, talk to your doctor. Easy bruising can cause large bruises in multiple areas of the body, often at the same time. Bruising also can occur due to bleeding disorders or other rare medical conditions. Continuing to drink, even when it causes health problems, is a sign of an alcohol use disorder.

Graduate School of Addiction Studies

So can prescription medicines, such as certain antidepressants. Immune systemDrinking too much can weaken your immune system, making your body a much easier target for disease. Chronic drinkers are more liable to contract diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis than moderate drinkers. Drinking a lot on a single occasion slows your body’s ability to ward off infections–even up to 24 hours after getting drunk. Plus, you’re more susceptible to an accidental fall or bump after you’ve been drinking, anyway.

do alcoholics bruise easily

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Your provider might also check your blood platelet levels or do tests that measure the time it takes your blood to clot. 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.

Does low iron make you bruise easily?

do alcoholics bruise easily

Over time, drinking a lot of alcohol can cause many health problems. It increases the risk of many types of cancer, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Chronic alcohol misuse can also lead to liver disease, which often causes bruising. In our blood there are tiny particles called clotting factors and platelets; their job is to form clots only when the vessel wall is damaged (when you are wounded). 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! Micro-bleeds form at the location of these unnoticeable injuries and clotting factors along with the platelets take care of these micro-bleeds.

do alcoholics bruise easily

Health Categories to Explore

  • Sunnyside is the leading alcohol health platform focused on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety.
  • If you bruise easily and are worried that it may be a sign of alcoholism, talk to your doctor.
  • Research reviews have also listed alcohol as a culprit for triggering migraine attacks.
  • You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use.
  • People with hemophilia don’t make much of several blood clotting factors, such as factor VIII and factor IX.

Taking these steps can help you reduce bruising and stay healthier. If you’re worried about your drinking habits, don’t hesitate to get help from a healthcare professional. These conditions can cause organ damage, so if you suspect you have vasculitis, you should go see your doctor.

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