A bruise is a discolored mark on your skin that forms when blood vessels under your skin break and leak. They can be caused by several things, such as an injury, certain disorders, or certain medicines. Most bruises don’t need treatment because they heal on their own, usually within about 2 weeks. It’s less serious than a bone break, but the injury has damaged some part of the inside structure of your bone.
Some Causes of Excessive Bleeding
If you notice that you or someone you know is bruise easily, it may be a sign of alcoholism. And when you do get to the doc, you should get a full check of your overall health, including family history and health history, and then check your blood work and platelets, recommends Dr. Vyas. 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.
General Health
- “Capillaries can be weak because there’s not enough protein to hold them in place or because of problems in the layers of the vessels,” she says.
- If you’re on a blood thinner such as Plavix or Coumadin, you might notice you’re bruising more easily than before starting the medication.
- A doctor can perform tests to see whether a person has a vitamin deficiency.
- If you’re concerned about bruising, talk to your doctor about other possible causes.
However, the occasional bruise or a bruise due to an accident, typically isn’t a cause for concern. 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. There are more than 100 types of liver disease, according to the American Liver Foundation. You’re probably no stranger to bruises — just ask the corner of your coffee table. Bruises usually heal without treatment, but raising the bruised part and applying ice covered in a cloth may help reduce swelling.
Bruises After Drinking FAQs
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. 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. does alcohol make you bruise easily We don’t mean you woke up with a black-and-blue mark because you bumped into something after one too many cocktails. But if you often drink a lot of alcohol and you tend to get a lot of bruises, it may mean you’ve got liver problems.
- A person may also develop a tolerance for alcohol, meaning that they need larger and larger amounts to obtain the desired effects.
- Bruising easily usually isn’t a serious problem, but Jahn recommends calling your health care provider if any of these descriptions apply to your bruises.
- Someone who lives with an alcohol use disorder may experience lasting brain changes that make it difficult to stop drinking.
- This is swelling and tenderness where your toe bones connect on the bottom of your foot.
- However, giving up alcohol right away isn’t sustainable or desirable for most people.
Depending on the type of disorder, they might recommend treatments like topical medications, iron supplements or blood transfusions. Anti-inflammatory medications, like steroids (used to treat conditions such as asthma, hives, psoriasis and allergies), can also cause easy bruising, thanks to their skin-thinning effects. “If an individual has a vitamin C deficiency, they might also experience bleeding gums, along with bruising and wounds that don’t heal or take a longer period of time to heal,” Dr. Johnston says.
Your body quickly tries to repair the damage, and if it’s not fast enough, you’ll get a bruise. On rare occasions, you can also get a bruise from your immune system attacking blood vessels — and if your blood vessel is too fragile, it can be extra prone to leaking blood, says Dr. Elliott. 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 Alcoholics Anonymous not with a new bruise, you’re probably wondering why you’re bruising so easily 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).
Your provider might also check your blood platelet levels or do tests that measure the time it takes your blood to clot. Most commonly, easy or excessive bruising occurs because the skin and blood vessels are fragile. Bruises tend to develop on the thighs, buttocks, and upper arms.