Uncovering the Relationship Between Alcohol and Bruising

can drinking cause bruising

If you, your mom, and your sister all turn black and blue from the tiniest bump, it may be a family thing. Some people just have more fragile blood vessels, and that makes them more likely to bruise, especially on their upper arms, thighs, or butt. Right after a tattoo, it’s normal for your skin around your tattoo to be red, irritated, swollen, warm, and sometimes bruised. These skin reactions are part of the healing process and usually last about 3-7 days. When you first get a bruise, the newly trapped blood makes it look pink or red.

  • It’s important to be aware that alcohol doesn’t have to be a part of those things, Dr. Oesterle says.
  • Sunnyside is the leading alcohol health platform focused on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety.
  • A part of your brain called the cerebellum is responsible for maintaining your body’s balance.
  • You can help speed your recovery if you use a cushion or gel doughnut when you sit down because this takes the pressure off your tailbone.
  • If you notice someone has bruises regularly, it may suggest serious problems in their home, like domestic violence.

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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. If necessary, your doctor can pierce your nail to drain the blood and fluid built up underneath. can drinking cause bruising Don’t do this yourself because you could hurt yourself further, cause an infection, and slow your healing process. Blood thinners such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin can cause you to bleed and get bruises more often.

can drinking cause bruising

Is Bruising A Sign Of Alcoholism?

You’re probably no stranger to bruises — just ask the corner of your coffee table. If you have a bruise on your breast and don’t know how you got it or have other symptoms, go talk to your doctor. Ecchymosis (pronounced eh-kuh-mow-sis) is the medical term for a bruise.

And, not for nothing, it really is true that alcohol can affect your motor skills, and even your memory.

can drinking cause bruising

For instance, if you have a blood clot in your leg, you may have pain in your calf, behind your knee, or in your thigh or groin. You may get them if you had a fall, got hurt playing sports, or bumped into a piece of furniture. People over 65 years old and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) are more likely to get bruises than others because these groups generally have thinner skin and smaller blood vessels.

What are the short and long-term effects of alcohol on the skin?

can drinking cause bruising

This is usually achieved if you consume five or more standard drinks on a single occasion for men or four or more drinks on a single occasion for women. The typical recommendation is to stick to 1-2 drinks per hour. Unfortunately, once a bruise has formed, not much can be done to treat it. Most bruises eventually disappear as the body reabsorbs the blood, although healing might take longer as you age.

can drinking cause bruising

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. This means it’s a substance that actually relaxes the muscular walls of the blood vessels and allows more blood to flow to the skin and tissues — aka a blood thinner. Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS) is an inherited condition that affects connective tissue like tendons and ligaments. Depending on the type of disorder, they might recommend treatments like topical medications, iron marijuana addiction supplements or blood transfusions.

  • You should also seek medical attention if your bruises appear on parts of your body where injuries are unlikely to occur, like your torso, back, face or on the backs of your hands.
  • They can help you determine whether you have a problem and what to do next.
  • You may also notice swollen lymph nodes in your armpit or near your collarbone on the same side as the bruised breast.
  • In people assigned female at birth, alcohol use can interfere with regular ovulation and menstrual cycles and make it difficult to get pregnant.

In short, alcohol may increase your risk of experiencing gastritis and digestive symptoms. If you’re not consciously keeping track of the drinks you’ve chugged, it’s easy to go over these limits. According to the CDC, moderate drinking is defined as having two standard drinks or less per day for men and one drink or less per day for women.

  • Dilated blood vessels can make bleeding more likely when you drink.
  • Going to the bathroom can be painful, so make sure you eat plenty of fiber and drink plenty of fluids to avoid a bout of constipation.
  • As a result, you may find yourself having frequent sore throat pains, catching colds and infections more often.
  • Both the toxicity of alcohol and nutritional deficiencies have been linked with alcoholic neuropathy, which is one of the most common but least recognizable consequences of heavy alcohol use.

Even drinking a little too much (binge drinking) on occasion can set off a chain reaction that affects your well-being. Lowered inhibitions can lead to poor choices with lasting repercussions — like the end of a relationship, an accident or legal woes. Each of those consequences can cause turmoil that can negatively affect your long-term emotional health.

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