Easy Bruising

While easy bruising can be a symptom of several serious conditons, it's unlikely that you have any of them or you would be noticing others problems.

One of the most common causes is taking aspirin or other nonsteroidal antiinflamatory meds.

My mom, my sister and I all have this problem. I had heard and read that it could be due to low vitamin C, but since I take 1000mg every day I doubted that was it. I finally did ask a doctor and he said I just have very thin skin, and it is genetic. Makes sense, I can also see my veins in my arms quite clearly. You might want to just mention it next time you're in the drs office, since it could be something else, but my guess is that's all it is.

You might be anemic. The doctor can check your hemoglobin levels with a finger prick and blood test. If you are you can take iron (which constipates a lot of people, so be proactive if you do) or you can make sure you are eating lots of green leafy veggies and red meat. But if you notice a lot of unexplained bruises and they don't go away quickly, I would ask my doctor.

Girl, talk to your doctor........

easy bruising can be a sign of a blood disorder. you should definitely consult your doctor.

Hi E.~
You might be anemic. You will have to talk with your MD so you can get blood tests done. I get bruising very easily and I've been checked for anemia and I don't have it. Don't know what the cause is so I just try to watch myself.

Paula G.

yes, talk to your doc, you could be anemic.

W.

Yep-definately talk to your Dr. He/She will be able to ask questions and determine if it is anything serious and set your mind at ease, maybe even draw a little blood to check a few levels. You have nothing to lose by checking. I have been a Medical Assistant for almost 15 years, and am very familiar with different reasons why you would bruise easily. It could be a hormonal thing or something to do with your blood count, any of several different things. You should always check with a medical professional if there is any change in your health that lasts more than a few weeks that concerns you. Best of luck, and hope that this advice helps you!

I think you should definitely talk to your doctor. I don't want to scare you, but a friend of mine had this problem and then started getting nosebleeds and they wouldn't stop. It turned out that he had a rare form of leukemia. He's now in remission, but it could be something that you definitely want to pay attention to. Bruises are blood at the skin, so if your veins are breaking easier than they should, that's definitely something I would want to know about. Good luck!

You may have bruised easily as a child also, and have only recently noticed (children tend to bruise a lot during play and tend to ignore it). Ask your parents or childhood carers if your bruising was excessive. If this was not noticed during your childhood then it is probably of more recent origin. Does your blood take a long time to clot if you cut yourself? Do you suffer from prolonged nosebleeds? There are some blood conditions that one can have from birth. This can also be an indication that you may have developed a condition. AND IT MAY BE NOTHING AT ALL, but you should get it checked out by your Doctor. If the easy bruising indicates that you are an easy bleeder, Surgeons will need to know this if you are ever scheduled for surgery.

First, E., I would ask if you are taking any pain relievers on a regular basis, even aspirin. That will cause you to bruise more easily, as they thin the blood. I have the same problem myself. Then if your answer to that is no, I would say call your doctor, as it can be a symptom of something that needs attention. Don't be afraid about it, but don't wait, either. God bless.

okay, ill be the 18th person to say this. take an iron supplement. i really like the wild oats brand from whole foods. it is gentle on my stomach and easy to swallow.

E.,
i would bring it up at your next doctor's appointment. i wouldn't stress right now over running right to the doctor, but keep that in mind for your next appointment. i see that you delivered in march of 07, was this bruising like that prior to delivery/pregnancy, or just after? i'm wondering if you don't have low blood counts-- anemia, low platelets, stuff like that. i'm sure when you delivered they checked all that out, but if this didn't present until after, might just be something to keep in mind. of course, maybe it's just being sleep deprived and having a hectic lifestyle with two kids :) it couldn't hurt either way to try to up your iron intake, either with a supplement or iron-rich diet. good luck!

I also bruise very easily and just recently I was tested for anemia but the results came back fine. I haven always bruised easily but I def. bruise more now then ever before but I guess Im just so busy doing things with the kids I dont even notice half of the time until later. But I would reccommend that you go get tested for anemia. It's really simple all they do is take a little blood and then you're done. That way you know for sure and if you are anemic they can give you a prescription to help it.

You might want to talk to your doctor, but I would also recommend iron supplements. That's a symptom of iron deficiency. One summer in college my iron was so low that the hem of my shorts would bruise my legs. My mom said that if I'd been in a relationship of any sort she'd say I was being abused!

E.,
Please talk to your Doctor. My brother had this issue as a child, and ended up being in the hospital for two months due to a disease called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).
It can be accute or chronic ... either way, talking to your doctor will get to the root of it. It's nothing to play around with.
Here's a link to a description of it from the Mayo Clinic.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/idiopathic-thrombocytope...
God Bless.
C.

It could be that you are low on Vitamin C.

A poor diet will promote easy bruising. Vitamin C plays a major role in preventing, the blood vessels from becoming leaky. If you bruise easily, you should increase your consumption of foods containing vitamin C, and you should take a daily supplement.

This article also has other good ideas:

http://alternative-medicine-and-health.com/conditions/bru...

My doctor recently had a SpectraCell blood test done on me to check my vitamin levels. It was only $75 and I found out I was low on carnitine, so it was very helpful.

tyry taking vitman b12

i recommend talking to your doctor, just to rule out something serious.

It may very well be that you have become a little anemic. Folks that are anemic bruise quite easily. Are you more tired than usual too? That is usually spot on. Sometimes, the hormone levels dropping after having a baby can do some serious re-arranging of your system. Go see your doctor and have him take a little blood. It may be as simple as adding an iron supplement. Make sure to ask the right questions if you are breastfeeding. Ask how any supplements may affect your breastmilk or your baby's digestive system.

It is definitely something to bring up to your doctor, but I had the same question and after blood work it came down to one thing - busy mom not paying attention. I bump into so many things trying to carry two kids and not bump THEM into anything. I just don't pay attention like I use to. Hope that's it for you too.

Make a doctor's appointment. You'll stress less to just know. :O) It's likely very simple, and you can add a supplement to your diet. Yet, so much better to be sure.

~P.
www.momentsbypaula.blogspot.com

Get your iron checked

I had a child that did that when he was little. The dr told me to feed him vitamins with iron and alot of meat. He was almost anemic. I guess he is fine now.
You may be anemic or nearly anemic. Go get that checked out if you bruise easily

Hi E.,
My daughter is almost 21 and she has had this all her life. Several times over the years her blood work showed she had a problem with her platelets being low. To this day they can't determine why and its just occasionally. She was scheduled for surgery at one time and was there and prepped, when the dr decided to do another platelet count at the last minute and we were so glad he did, the surgery had to be canceled not once but twice because of it. The dr has tried everything to find out why it is doing this and nothing has turned up. She was in a car wreck one time and very small bruises turned into dinner plate size one in a week. And those don't seem to ever go away. They will still be visible to a certain point. Also little tiny scratches she gets from time to time or cutting herself while shaving bleeds profusely, but the dr says she is NOT a bleeder because it isn't like this all the time, just occasionally. I would have blood work done by all means, also yes, take some iron and vitamin C. My daughter does when she thinks about it,,LOL If you just had a baby in March, you could be low on vitamins so it should be checked out. Our bodies go thru a lot with having a baby. Good luck, but be checked out as soon as you can. You may not find out anything as we haven't in all these years but it bares being checked at least.

I agree, you can always check with your doctor. (And you definitely ought to bring it up the next time you meet with him/her.)
I had a friend with this problem who was told it was a deficiency in vitamin K. She was told she could take supplements (I think they may have been available only in injection form at the time) or eat the white inside peel of a grapefruit once a month. Apparently that soft white stuff is very high in vitamin K. I see some other folks have recommended vitamins.
This also may be a side effect of small children. I know when my daughter was younger I went through a period of being covered in bruises from trying to keep up with her.

Good luck!

First, take a good look at your diet.
Do you take any blood thinners or aspirin?
Do you eat foods high in Vit. K, like your green leafy vegetables every day?
If you answered no to the first question & yes to the second, you could have a blood disorder, see your Dr.
If you have a typical american diet, you are probably lacking the green leafy veges that promote healthy blood, including clotting factors. In which case, I know its hard to drastically change your diet, especially when feeding an entire family, not just cooking for yourself. Try suppliments of alfalfa or chlorophyll during your transition to a healthier diet, and see if that bruising lessens.
M.

Hi, when I started to bruise very easily I found out I was lacking Iron, so maybe an iron supplement or adding more iron to your diet will help, but you should probably ask your doctor first since iron really constipates :)

My mother also bruises very easily and she has nothing wrong, so it might not be anything either.

E.

Hello. That happens to me too and it is a family problem. We have a coagulation alteration that it is not very important but when I eas pregnant I had to inyect heparin. I see you have 2 kids and no problem with pregnancies. If you have no other member of your family with similar problem I would not worry. If you do, ask your doctor...

Hi E.,
I am the same way. I have always bruised easily as I am very fair-skinned. The slightest knock leaves me with a big ol' blue bruise. As long as the bruises heal, you are probably ok. Just mention it to your doctor as a concern and see what they have to say. My doctor just told me to be more careful! lol