You may need to have other tests if your doctor suspects that liver disease, cancer, or another condition caused your bruises. Taking certain medications (aspirin, steroids) and drinking alcohol can also encourage this type of bruising to form. Blood thinners such as warfarin, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ heparin, and aspirin can cause you to bleed and bruise more. Some herbal supplements, such as aloe, dong quai, evening primrose, flaxseed, ginger, and saw palmetto may also interact with blood thinners or antiplatelets and increase your risk of bleeding and bruising.
- In people with inherited bleeding disorders, coagulation factors are lacking, which leads to easy bruising and bleeding.
- Steroid medications such as prednisone can cause thinning of the skin, and people taking these medicines may notice that they tend to bruise more easily.
- Another health-related risk linked to chronic alcohol misuse is liver disease, which is often the cause of bruising from alcohol.
- Erin is a Nurse Practitioner with 8 years of experience in midwifery and women’s health.
One of the diagnostic criteria that points toward an alcohol use disorder is continuing to drink, even in the face of consequences. These consequences can include relationship problems, difficulty fulfilling duties at work or home, or a worsening of health problems. If a person continues to drink despite health-related problems, bruises after drinking may be a consequence that arises from alcohol misuse. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies may be linked to an increased risk of bruising. This is because micronutrients play a role in functions such as blood clotting, blood vessel integrity, and the health of connective tissues.
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They may look reddish-purple on light skin tones and brownish-black on darker skin tones. However, if you bruise easily, even a minor bump can result in a substantial bruise. Leukemia can be treated with chemotherapy or other medications, radiation, and stem cell transplant. The treatment for Cushing’s syndrome will be specific to the underlying cause but can include medication, chemotherapy, radiation, or sometimes surgery.
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Plavix Side Effects: What They Are and What to Do About Them.
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Bruising easily can be as simple as a side effect of taking a blood thinner, or it could signal a vitamin deficiency or another underlying issue. Most often, physical injury (say, wiping out on your run or banging your elbow on the table) causes damage to the blood vessel. 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. Their thinning skin often has less fat underneath to cushion the blood vessels.
Medications That Can Cause Easy Bruising
Other medical conditions that can cause easy bruising include Cushing’s syndrome and leukemia. If blood clots form in unbroken blood vessels, they can be dangerous. Blood thinning medications (anticoagulants) and anti-platelet drugs are prescribed to prevent clots from forming or stop blood clots from becoming larger. People who take blood thinners can develop more severe bruises or bruise more easily. Examples of blood thinners include warfarin, heparin, dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), and apixaban (Eliquis).
Your doctor has medicines for liver and kidney disease, HIV, and cancer. If a drug caused ecchymosis, you may need to stop taking it or change medicines. From taking certain medications to an underlying blood clotting disorder, figuring out exactly why you’re bruising so easily can help you put together alcohol and bruising a successful treatment plan. 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. Your body uses vitamin K to help your blood form clots to stop bleeding. People with low levels of vitamin K may notice easy bruising.
Healthy aging
After two days, you can apply a warm compress or a heating pad several times a day. An elastic bandage over the bruise can help reduce swelling, but make sure it is not too tight. If you want to take over-the-counter pain medication, take acetaminophen (check with your doctor before taking aspirin or ibuprofen). Vitamin K deficiency, vitamin C deficiency, or vitamin B12 deficiency can affect the blood’s ability to clot and cause easy bruising and bleeding. If you’ve ever bumped your arm or leg with enough force on a hard surface, you know how bruises form.
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. Actinic purpura is a type of bruising that occurs as a result of chronic sun exposure. Skin naturally becomes more fragile with age, a phenomenon known as dermatoporosis. It is characterized by thinning skin combined with the loss of connective tissue and supportive fat.
Treatment
Easy bruising may also run in families, so individuals whose relatives bruise easily may notice that they do too. Robert is our health care professional reviewer of this website. He has a nursing and business/technology degrees from The Johns Hopkins University. Frequent bruises can be a sign of physical abuse, whether in a child, adult, or older adult.
