Why do I bruise easily? 8 Reasons it may happen
Finally, a person with an alcohol use disorder will likely give up other activities, because their focus is on drinking. Bruises that take a long time to heal or getting bruised for no apparent cause could be signs of a bleeding disorder. Hence, drinking alcohol makes it harder for your immune system to gear up and mount a defense response against invading pathogens and viruses. As a result, you may find yourself having frequent sore throat pains, catching colds and infections more often.
Prevention
Lifelong abstinence can improve liver function, but the permanent and severe damage from cirrhosis might mean that the person needs a liver transplant to survive. Fibrosis is a buildup of certain types of protein in the liver, including collagen. Once damage begins, it can take a long time to become noticeable, as the liver is generally highly effective at regenerating and repairing itself. Often, by the time doctors detect the damage, it is irreversible. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age.
- Some conditions, such as pregnancy or breastfeeding, can temporarily increase the need for dietary iron.
- You may also feel sluggish, groggy, and easily irritable, mainly due to disrupted sleep or low blood sugar levels.
- Dr. Moawad regularly writes and edits health and career content for medical books and publications.
- This effect may explain why you’re waking up with bruises after drinking.
- This usually takes about 2 weeks, but many will heal sooner than that.
Does low iron make you bruise easily?
Treatment also consists of evaluation for other risk factors that can damage the liver or put the liver at higher risk, such as infection with hepatitis C and metabolic syndrome. In compensated cirrhosis, the liver remains functioning, and many people have no symptoms. The median life expectancy from this point is 10 https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/how-to-get-someone-into-rehab-guide-for-families/ to 12 years.
Treatment
Even though it is a biased measure, BMI is still widely used in the medical community because it’s an inexpensive and quick way to analyze a person’s potential health status and outcomes. Someone with decompensated cirrhosis may develop ascites (or fluid in the abdomen), gastrointestinal bleeding, and hepatic encephalopathy, in which the brain is affected. Having a healthcare professional come to your house to assist with your needs can relieve a lot of added stress on you to keep track of your treatment plan alone. Alcoholic neuropathy is caused by nutritional deficiency, as well as toxins that build up in the body. alcohol and bruising Alcohol decreases the absorption of nutrients such as magnesium, selenium, and vitamins B1 and B2, causing significant deficits that affect many areas of the body, including the nerves.
Symptoms of iron deficiency typically include tiredness, fatigue, shortness of breath, paleness, and heart palpitations. A person should seek emergency help if a large bruise develops after a trauma, especially if they also have lightheadedness or dizziness. Vasculitis refers to a group of conditions that cause inflamed blood vessels. Easy bruising may also run in families, so individuals whose relatives bruise easily may notice that they do too. Alcohol-related neuropathy can damage the nerves involved in movement. This may affect your muscles, causing weakness and cramping.
Corticosteroids are used to treat severe alcoholic hepatitis by decreasing inflammation in the liver. Other medications, such as Pentoxil (pentoxifylline), may also be used. Alcoholic cirrhosis is a progression of ALD in which scarring in the liver makes it difficult for that organ to function properly. Symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, muscle cramps, easy bruising, and jaundice. While not specifically approved for the treatment of alcoholic neuropathy, antidepressant medications are often prescribed to help control the pain. Anti-seizure medications are sometimes prescribed as a way to manage pain.
When to Worry About Bruises in Adults
Von Willebrand disease (VWD) is a bleeding disorder that occurs when a protein called von Willebrand factor in the blood is lacking or not working properly. Even though most people with VWD are born with the condition, it often remains undiagnosed until adulthood, as symptoms tend to be mild. Iron deficiency anemia is a frequent cause of easy bruising. This anemia can result from a variety of circumstances, including inadequate iron in your diet or chronic bleeding.
Mast Cell Disorders
Sometimes alcohol causes such severe damage to the body that a liver transplant may be necessary. Alcoholic neuropathy is a condition in which the nerves become damaged as a result of years of heavy alcohol consumption. Symptoms include burning pain in the body, hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to pain), and allodynia (a condition in which normal stimulus, like a soft touch, produces pain). If alcohol begins to interfere with daily functioning, but you have been unsuccessful with giving up drinking, seeking treatment can help you to stay committed to recovery. Liver damage from cirrhosis is not reversible, and it is linked to high mortality rates. Finally, one potentially serious cause of alcohol and bruising is alcohol liver disease.
