Research studies on the association between weight gain and alcohol consumption have ended in conflicting results. In other words, weight gain isn’t inevitable, but you could still tip the scale up from drinking too much alcohol. Erin is a Nurse Practitioner with 8 years of experience in midwifery and women’s health. She has spent the past 5 years specializing in the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. If you’re experiencing alcohol symptoms like easy bruising, or you simply want to break free from alcohol misuse, Confidant is here to help.
When You Should See a Doctor About Bruising Easily
- Let’s explore the four stages of alcohol misuse and how we can recognize the signs.
- Severe alcohol consumption can impair the immune system, which can leave a person at greater risk of infections and skin sores (abscesses).
- “Before fading away, they go through color changes as they heal, from red/purple to yellow/green.”
- We drink it willingly, unaware that we might be sinking into a trap, much like the fly in the pitcher plant.
- A high heart rate together with low blood pressure suggests low blood volume due to bleeding.
You may get a bruise from a bump or injury to the skin or the tissues beneath the skin. Since the skin isn’t cut or broken, you won’t see external bleeding. But damage to blood vessels below the skin causes them to rupture and leak blood. Cirrhosis can cause a host of other health problems, including high blood pressure, which can lead to the development of enlarged veins in the esophagus called esophageal varices.
How bruises develop
With two party tricks up its sleeve, alcohol has its way to help us feel good, at least temporarily. If your doctor suspects domestic abuse, you may be referred to a social worker. By Aubrey Bailey, PT, DPT, CHTDr, Bailey is a Virginia-based physical therapist and professor of anatomy and physiology with over a decade of experience. Sign up to receive the latest health news and trends, wellness & prevention tips, and much more from Orlando Health. What you’re technically experiencing there is a drop in your blood pressure, which causes the heart to work a little harder than usual to pump blood to the rest of your organs.
Why is easy bruising so common in older adults?
In this article we’ll take a closer look at what can cause you to bruise easily and when it’s important to see your doctor. “A person who is otherwise healthy can develop acute liver failure that could manifest as changes in mental state or personality such as disorientation, confusion or sleepiness,” Banini said. “A subtle sign of liver disease is yellowing of the white of the eyes or skin, known as jaundice,” Banini said. Most bruises don’t need treatment because they heal on their own. This usually takes about 2 weeks, but many will heal sooner than that. Talk to your doctor if you have a bruise that lasts longer than 2 weeks.
Help to Stop Drinking
Doctors reveal the physical signs you’re drinking too much – Daily Mail
Doctors reveal the physical signs you’re drinking too much.
Posted: Fri, 30 Apr 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Let’s explore the four stages of alcohol misuse and how we can recognize the signs. It’s also very rare, but sometimes, a bruise on your breast may be a sign of a breast infection (mastitis) or inflammatory breast cancer. You may also notice swollen lymph nodes in your armpit or near your collarbone on the same side as the bruised breast.
The development of a yellow color happened much faster in people who are younger than 65 years old. This study also showed that yellow bruises were generally older than 18 hours. Blood thinners such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin can cause you to bleed and get bruises more often. Steroids do alcoholics bruise easily and some cancer drugs (chemotherapy and targeted therapy) may also lower your platelet levels, which can cause you to bleed and get bruises more than you usually do. A hematoma is a large pool of blood that may come from a serious injury, such as a major fall or a car accident.
What Are The Common Signs Of Alcohol Use Disorder?
That said, your ease of bruising could be medically important. When bruising easily starts suddenly, happens relatively frequently, or if the bruises are unusually large or painful, you should consult a doctor. Doctors first try to establish whether the person’s symptoms actually represent easy or excessive bleeding. The following information can help people know when to see a doctor and help them know what to expect during the evaluation.
Bleeding disorders
As the bruise develops, the skin over your bruise may look dark brown or black. In general, people with darker skin and hair will have darker-colored bruises. People with medium skin tones may see more red and yellow color in their bruises than people with lighter or darker skin tones. Low blood platelets due to rare disorders such as von Willebrand disease or thrombocytopenia can result in increased bruising due to slow or reduced clotting ability. If your injury affects a joint, like an ankle or elbow, excessive bruising or bleeding could mean it’s sprained or broken.
- Plus, you’re more susceptible to an accidental fall or bump after you’ve been drinking, anyway.
- By this stage, their drinking is taking an obvious physical toll as well.
- There are several causes of bruises after drinking; some of these causes are not particularly serious, whereas others could point to a health problem.
- Anyone who experiences these symptoms should seek prompt medical advice, as early treatment is often effective.
- These consequences can include relationship problems, difficulty fulfilling duties at work or home, or a worsening of health problems.