Subcutaneous Bruising Elderly

Senile purpura is benign, easy bruising that affects older adults. It’s sometimes called actinic purpura. This occurs because the skin and the blood vessels become more fragile as we age, making it easier for our skin to bruise from minor trauma. This is different than conditions that cause easy bruising due to bleeding disorders.

One common side effect of aging is an increase in skin bruising, and this can leave caregivers unsure of how to proceed. The line between “normal aging” and “make an appointment with a doctor” can be hard to determine for caregivers, professional and non-professional alike.

The primary symptom of senile purpura is large, purplish red bruises that are most common on the backs of the hands or the forearm. They become a brown discoloration as they fade. These bruises typically last between one and three weeks before fading.

Easy bruising is common with age. Although most bruises are harmless and go away without treatment, easy bruising can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem. Most bruises form when small blood vessels (capillaries) near the skin’s surface are broken by the impact of a blow or injury — often on the arms or legs.

There are three types of bruises based on their location on your body: Subcutaneous bruises occur just beneath the skin. Intramuscular bruises occur in the underlying muscles. Periosteal bruises occur on the bones. What are the symptoms and signs of bruises?

Older people bruise more easily and take longer to heal than younger people. As people age, their skin is bruised and discolored more easily. This happens because aging causes blood vessels to break down and reduces the amount of muscle tissue that protects the skin from the bones.

"That is why elderly tend to have frail skin," continues Dr. Besser. "Since there is less cushion, the superficial blood vessels are closer to the surface of the skin (and are also more fragile), so they break more easily. "That is what causes the bruising: leakage of blood into the skin and tissues beneath the skin."

Following are the probable causes that trigger bleeding under the skin: With aging, the fat layers under the skin become thin. As a result, the padding effect of the skin deteriorates. For this reason, in elderly people, even a minor injury on the skin can lead to the breakage of underlying blood vessels.

There is no special medical treatment for skin bruises. Conservative treatment methods, such as ice packs, heat application, elevation of the affected area and over-the-counter medications are done for relieving the skin bruises.

Senile purpura is a prevalent non-cancerous condition marked by recurrent development of purplish bruises or ecchymoses on the extensor surface of the arms, usually after some kind of mild trauma. Thomas Bateman, a British dermatologist, first described the condition in the year 1818. Hence, it is also referred to as Bateman purpura.

The list below covers some of the potential senile purpura causes: UV rays -ultraviolet (UV) radiation, like too much exposure to the sun, can weaken the connective tissues holding the blood vessels in the matrix. … Medications -overuse of blood thinners, such as steroids and aspirin. Vascular diseases -this is a class of disease affecting the blood vessels. More items…

Long-term use of strong steroids can cause widespread purpura and bruising, normally on extensor surfaces of the hands, arms and thighs. It is caused by atrophy of the collagen fibres supporting blood vessels in the skin. A similar appearance is also found in senile-type purpura.

Purpura occurs when small blood vessels burst, causing blood to pool under the skin. This can create purple spots on the skin that range in size from small dots to large patches. Purpura spots are generally benign, but may indicate a more serious medical condition, such as a blood clotting disorder .

Easy bruising is common with age. Although most bruises are harmless and go away without treatment, easy bruising can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem. Most bruises form when small blood vessels (capillaries) near the skin’s surface are broken by the impact of a blow or injury-often on the arms or legs.

Thrombocytopenia: This is a clotting disorder, which leads to low platelet count. A low platelet count ups the chances of unexplained bruising on arm. Thrombocytopenia often occurs secondary to certain other condition such as an immune disorder, pregnancy or leukemia.

Cold compresses, resting the area of injection, and elevating the bruised area will also help the healing process. Other supplements such as oral arnica tablets, may also be helpful. Some people also advise eating pineapple, which contains bromelain, and may also help reduce bruising.

A person should seek medical attention any time they have the following symptoms or issues associated with bruising: a suspected broken bone. loss of function of a joint, limb or muscle. increasing pain. an area is affected by a bruise that returns. there is no identifiable cause of the bruising.

During the healing process, which normally lasts from two to four weeks, bruises go through a sequence of color changes. The changing colors happen while white blood cells remove the decayed blood products bit by bit. For the first two days, bruises appear red because of the iron in the leaked blood.

This is because they are the color of the blood that has pooled underneath the skin . As a bruise heals, the body breaks down blood and fluids that have accumulated under the skin. As this happens the bruise turns different colors. Within the first few days after getting a bruise, the area may become a black mark, blue mark, or purple mark.

A bone contusion or bruise can hurt for several weeks to several months based on the severity of the injury. Fortunately, these do get better so would generally treat with rest, ice and antiinflammatories and activity modification.