Bruises Ecchymosis Cause, Symptoms, Treatment

But long-term and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver inflammation (liver hepatitis). 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. 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.

You Can Protect Your Liver

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. We provide online medication assisted treatment for alcohol use, so you can begin your recovery from home.

  • If you’re not consciously keeping track of the drinks you’ve chugged, it’s easy to go over these limits.
  • They will educate you on ABC Medication, breathing technique and nutrition.
  • Bruising after drinking alcohol can be linked to deficiencies in vitamins like vitamin C and K, and minerals like zinc, which are important for skin health and healing.
  • “Without these proteins, excessive bleeding and bruising can occur,” Dr. Johnston says.

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. An alcohol use disorder is a legitimate medical condition that causes lasting changes in the brain. Once a person develops an alcohol use disorder, they will continue to drink, even in the face of serious consequences, such as health problems caused by alcohol. Brain changes from repeated alcohol misuse lead to compulsive drinking and make it difficult to stop without treatment. Essentially, it is a bruise resulting from bleeding beneath the skin due to minor damage to superficial blood vessels (blood capillaries).

Q11: Can quitting alcohol consumption reduce the risk of bruising?

Seeking medical care for proper nutrition and managing any underlying liver conditions can help recover normal clotting ability. Over time, excessive alcohol can damage the liver which is responsible for making clotting factors. Alcohol and unexplained bruising could point to liver damage from drinking.

“In the case of too few platelets, the body won’t be able to control bleeding after experiencing physical trauma,” Dr. Johnston says. If your kidney issues are a result of a medical condition, managing the condition properly can slow further kidney damage. Treatment for kidney problems specifically include going on a special diet, dialysis and a kidney transplant. “Without these proteins, excessive bleeding and bruising can occur,” Dr. Johnston does drinking make you bruise easier says. There are a number of medications and supplements that can increase your risk of bruising.

Another health-related risk linked to chronic alcohol misuse is liver disease, which is often the cause of bruising from alcohol. But you may also bleed a little more if you cut yourself while drinking. Bruising comes into play when you bump a part of your body on a hard surface, causing blood vessels to rupture.

“There are many genetic blood abnormalities that can cause easy bruising,” Dr. Kappel says. Below, a highlight reel of possible reasons behind your bruises to help you — with an assist from your doctor — get to the bottom of why you’re always black and blue. Alcohol impairs your cerebellum, the part of your brain that’s responsible for coordinating your movements, Swartzwelder said. Advocates of natural healing advise using a cream with comfrey or a compress made from boiled dry comfrey leaves to facilitate bruise healing. If you’ve taken a blow to the face, you’re probably experiencing some pain.

Most people who drink heavily will progress through the stages of liver damage described above over time. A bruise, or contusion, occurs when an area of the body is hurt and blood from injured capillaries (small blood vessels) seeps out. When there’s no place for the blood to escape, it becomes trapped beneath the skin, resulting in a tender red or purplish mark upon contact — a bruise. Medications that reduce blood clotting, like warfarin, heparin, and aspirin, can lead to increased bleeding and bruising. Bone bruises tend to last longer (1-2 months) and are more painful than soft tissue bruises, but most can heal with rest and the same home care as for other types of bruises. For bone bruises in your legs and feet, your doctor will likely recommend using a brace or crutches.

This Is Why You Tend To Wake Up With Bruises After A Night Of Drinking

While some people may have just a drink or two on special occasions, people with an alcohol use disorder may lose control of their drinking, and consume ten or more drinks, for example. They may have such a high tolerance that they do not show any overt signs of intoxication, despite drinking large amounts. Chronic heavy drinking can cause alcoholic hepatitis, which is the inflammation of your liver. One common sign of alcoholic hepatitis is jaundice, where the skin and whites of your eyes look yellowish. Stopping alcohol abruptly after long-term heavy drinking can also lead to alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which commonly manifests as symptoms like nausea and vomiting. Under normal circumstances, your brain communicates with your body by sending signals through your central nervous system.

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But a liver that is damaged needs a perfectly pure environment to heal, and that means alcohol at any level must be eliminated. Every sip does another tiny bit of damage and impairs healing, and that can lead to more bruising. That vital organ, which sits on the right side of your body beneath your rib cage, processes all of the blood in your body and cleans it of toxins before releasing it into circulation. However, “reducing overall reliance on sweeteners and focusing on whole foods is likely the most effective path for long-term brain and vascular health,” he concluded.

Beyond clinical practice, he’s an advocate for community awareness and early intervention in addiction prevention. Outside work, Trent values family time, personal growth, travel, and promoting a healthy lifestyle. Mindful drinking offers that middle ground where you’ll proactively improve your drinking habits without any pressure to quit. It centers on being more conscious and thoughtful of how much, how often, and why you drink.

Why You Bruise More Easily When You Drink Alcohol

Those who bruise easily and don’t have a family history of a bleeding disorder are unlikely to have a bleeding disorder themselves. These conditions can lead to organ damage, so if you think you might have vasculitis, it’s important to consult your doctor. With darker skin tones, redness may not be apparent at the time of injury. Rather, you might notice a bump beneath your skin that could be sensitive to the touch.

  • There’s not enough iron to produce haemoglobin, which causes the production of platelets to dip.
  • Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting, so a vitamin K deficiency can also contribute to bruising.
  • Experts suggest that males restrict themselves to two drinks per day, while women limit themselves to one drink per day.
  • Hello, my name is Ben Lemmon, and I’m the Vice President and Clinical Director at Ohio Community Health Recovery Centers.
  • It also increases the risk of suicide, sexual assault, and homicide.

Does drinking alcohol cause bruising?

As a result, you may find yourself having frequent sore throat pains, catching colds and infections more often. Your judgment and decision-making skills will be affected fairly quickly when you start drinking. This is because it affects the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that controls reasoning and higher brain function. Since alcohol also lowers your inhibitions, you may be more likely to try something that you normally wouldn’t do, including potentially dangerous physical activities. This is also why people may be willing to get behind the wheel of a car while they’re drunk.