Why Do I Bruise Easily? Doctors Explain Easy Bruising

Drinking too much alcohol http://stage.runloco.events/alcoholism-relapse-prevention-tools-how-to-stay/ can impact physical health in many ways and, in some cases, have serious health consequences. It is a good idea to restrict your alcohol use to live and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Consuming alcohol in moderation is the key to preventing bruises after drinking and having detrimental effects on your health. Alcohol drinking can raise the likelihood of bruising and other harmful skin consequences.

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Keep in mind it’s important to hydrate before, during, and after drinking alcohol, he says. That said, darker alcohols contain contaminants, or congeners, which are produced during the alcohol fermentation process that can contribute to the sucky aftereffects of drinking alcohol. These congeners give alcohol a darker color, which is why clear alcohols tend to be purer, says Mansour. UV rays can penetrate deep into the layers of our skin and damage the collagen fibres which are the pliable, elastic building blocks of our skin.

do alcoholics bruise easily

How to Prevent Alcohol-induced Bruising?

The main types include systemic conditions that alcohol rehab affect the body, and cutaneous conditions that affect only the skin. In many cases, people with alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) do not have any noticeable symptoms until their liver is badly damaged. Additionally, alcohol itself is a vasodilator, meaning it causes blood vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow throughout the body. This increased blood flow can make even minor bumps more likely to result in ruptured blood vessels and subsequent bruising. The combination of dilated blood vessels and impaired liver function due to heavy drinking creates a heightened risk of easy bruising.

  • Other alcohol-related liver diseases resulting from consistent liver inflammation, like alcoholic jaundice (aka alcoholic hepatitis), are also common with chronic drinking.
  • Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your cognitive functioning enough to make driving dangerous.
  • She added that ‘any medication that heroin addiction makes you very sleepy’ can also make you more prone to knocking into things and therefore increase bruising.
  • It can also relax the muscles leading towards your stomach, increasing the likelihood of leaking stomach acid.
  • Heavy drinking for men involves more than four drinks in one day or more than 14 drinks per week.

Can alcohol interact with medications that increase bruising?

  • Sometimes, bruising after drinking occurs because of the fact that alcohol dilates the blood vessels.
  • People with alcoholism can develop erosive gastritis, where the stomach lining wears away.
  • If you are concerned about bruising easily after drinking alcohol, you should consider reducing your alcohol intake or quitting alcohol altogether.

It increases the risk of various types of cancer, as well as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Another health-related risk linked to chronic alcohol misuse is liver disease, which is often the cause of bruising from alcohol. Liver cirrhosis is linked to bleeding complications and can even lead to the formation of a large type of bruise called a hematoma. Finally, one potentially serious cause of alcohol and bruising is alcohol liver disease. As liver functioning declines from chronic alcohol misuse, a person is likely to bleed and bruise easily.

do alcoholics bruise easily

How to Stop Binge Drinking

Alcoholics tend to bruise easily because of the blood vessels in their body breaking down. Sometimes alcohol causes such severe damage to the body that a liver transplant may be necessary. What all of this means is that people who live with an alcohol use disorder are likely to consume large quantities of alcohol. As alcohol consumption increases, the liver adapts to break down alcohol more quickly. Over time, repeated alcohol exposure also alters a person’s brain chemistry.

do alcoholics bruise easily

Alcohol addiction and heavy drinking can cause vitamin deficiencies, which may increase bruising

When you’re drinking alcohol, your liver is working hard to process the toxins from your blood, but that work takes time. When you drink so much that your liver cannot keep up with the amount you’re drinking, intoxication can take hold. Knowing the warning signs can make it easier to spot when casual drinking has progressed into something more concerning. In general, it takes years for alcoholic neuropathy to develop, so a long-standing history of heavy alcohol use is typical. Some people experience a faster onset and progression of alcoholic neuropathy than others. It’s not completely clear why some people are more prone to this complication than others.

Alcohol is a vasodilator, increasing blood flow and making blood vessels larger

Everybody gets the occasional bruise on does alcohol make you bruise easier their arms or legs, and it’s normal not to remember the small injury that caused it. Bruises typically aren’t a big deal, and they usually go away within a week or so. Symptoms of iron deficiency typically include tiredness, fatigue, shortness of breath, paleness, and heart palpitations.

  • It’s not completely clear why some people are more prone to this complication than others.
  • Please book an appointment with us today, and let’s get you back to where you want to be.

When that happens, it’s best to consult a professional to prevent the issue from becoming a full-blown alcoholism. Bruising can be one of the side effects of alcohol dependence, but it’s not the sole cause of it. A chronically damaged liver may not produce the proteins required for coagulation. Alcohol is a blood thinner, which means it affects the platelet count and quality in people who drink too much.

It can be confusing and worrisome to find unexplained bruises after drinking alcohol. This article will help you understand why bruises occur after drinking, what are bruises after drinking, give tips on how to prevent them, and let you know when to visit a doctor. Let’s break down the mystery of these bruises and learn to take better care of your body.