Why do I bruise so easily?

Question

The slightest knock always leaves me with a massive bruise that takes ages to go away, why? Is there anything I can add to my diet that will help or should I go to the doctor?

Answer 1

Go to see the Doctor and tell him. He may arrange blood tests for you. I bruise easily because I have a blood disorder, don't worry but it is worth getting it checked out.

Answer 2

get your doc to order a BLEEDING TIME STUDY.

especially if you also have heavy periods with cramping and/or passing clots; bleeding gums, major bleeds after dental work.

VON WILLEBRAND'S DISEASE is a clotting disorder roughly analogous to haemophilia in men - both involve inadequate amounts of Factor VIII which means that, when you are bleeding somewhere in your body - whether from a cut or an internal bruise - the clotting cascade goes only so far and then essentially collapses, because you haven't enough of that compound.

The GOOD NEWS is that it is eminently treatable and there is NO risk of acquiring HIV from pooled blood factors.

Here's what happens: you get tested for bleeding time. If it is abnormally long you get tested for the subtype (there are 4, some are treated rather differently) and then you know what is happening and what's likely to occur.

So, when you need a tooth taken out, for example, you will get cyclokapron (tranexamic acid) and/or DDAVP (desmopressin) which aid your body in clotting properly. Also, if/when you are going to have a baby, everyone will be prepared.

Diet is meaningless in terms of treatment; don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

The one type of substance you MUST avoid is ASPIRIN and NONSTEROIDAL ANTI INFLAMMATORIES -NSAIDs.

I once fell down basement stairs on my aspidistra and had a bruise that spread from nearly my waist around to the side of my hip, past the midline of my back and down to the crook of my knee. I went to hospital and got a transfusion of DDAVP (they always estimate the needed quantity conservatively, so you do not need to be worried about clotting too much). It stopped. Bruise took a month and more to go away. The dent in the aspidistra - well, that evened out after a couple of years!

Answer 3

Vitamin C, E, and K should help. Make sure you get plenty of them--C is in citrus fruits, peppers, broccoli, some other stuff. E is usually in nuts, I think. For K, you probably need a supplement. It seems like it's in liver or something gross like that. Get enough protein, but not too much. If that doesn't help, then get checked out.

Oh, and while you're bruised, try Burt's Bees Res-Q ointment. It has comfrey and some other stuff in it--it really helps heal bruises a lot faster. I was surprised how well it works.

Answer 4

U should go to c ur Doctor, just to be safe, and rule any blood disorders out, I have Pernicious Anaemia, which is a condition where I don't absorb B12 and I bruise very easily like you, its treatable, I have B12 injections every month, I don't bruise as easily now, although i still bruise easier than most people do.

Answer 5

A bruise is caused by a busted blood vessel. That is what makes the purple mark, that is blood underneath the skin. I don't know if there is anything you can do to prevent it. You may want to talk to a doctor about that.

Answer 6

You must take into account your buils (Petite, Small etc), your Diet and a thousand other things, ask your Doctor for a Blood analasyse it will show up if there is anything wrong but as you don't give your age hard to give a proper answer

Answer 7

Bleeding occurs because of something wrong in the vessel wall, or the blood clotting proteins or the haemoglobins, lots of causes with differing patterns - worth seeing GP if really a problem for blood tests.

Answer 8

My wife does. It's just the way you're built - her doctor told her she has thin skin, but it makes me look like an abusive husband! All she has to do is brush a desk or chair at work, and bang! It looks like I've knocked her about!

Vitamin Bs and Cs help, apparently. I'm the opposite - I hardly bruise at all!

Answer 9

Doctor, yes.
Get The Step, do it when you wake up and before you go to bed. 5-15 minutes. Get your blood flowing UP so you will bruise less and will heal quicker.

Answer 10

i have the same problem--people will see a bruise on my legs and I can tell they are thinking that surely I am being beaten! i will have no clue how it happened. make sure when you have a checkup to mention to your dr. so that in case blood work shows you are deficient in a certain vitamin--also if you take aspirin it thins your blood making you bruise more easily.