What Causes You To Bruise All The Time

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. When this happens, blood leaks out of the vessels and initially appears as a black-and-blue mark. Eventually your body reabsorbs the blood, and the mark disappears.

Causes. Bruises are usually caused by bumping into something which ruptures the tiny capillaries under the skin leaving the area darkened. Some people bruise more easily than others, and this is indicative of fragile capillaries, poor health or an inability to create collagen.

Bruising easily, or even spontaneously without trauma, could signify a medical problem that needs attention. Bruising easily could mean that bone marrow isn’t producing enough platelets, components of blood that literally plug leaks in the walls of injured blood vessels.

A chest bruise that won’t go away could be due to: fractured or broken ribs fractured sternum injury to the chest wall

You may begin to bruise easily if you aren’t getting enough iron. That’s because your body needs iron to keep your blood cells healthy. If your blood cells aren’t healthy, your body won’t be able to get the oxygen that it needs to function. This may make your skin more susceptible to bruising. Other symptoms of iron deficiency include:

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.

As a person ages, they tend to bruise more easily. People tend to bruise more easily as they age because blood vessels become weaker and the skin thins. Easy bruising may also run in families, so people whose relatives bruise easily may notice that they do as well.

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.

Easy bruising can sometimes be a symptom of a disease or health issue. For instance, sepsis (a bacterial infection), chronic inflammatory disease, liver disease and certain types of cancer can all cause you to bruise easily.

To find the cause of your bruising, your doctor might check your blood platelet levels or do tests that measure the time it takes your blood to clot. Other serious causes of bruising include domestic violence or abuse.

If you have petechiae or bruising on the legs or calves that won’t heal, it could be due to a shortage of platelets . Some conditions that can cause this are: Certain medications can also affect platelet counts, such as:

It is normal for a bruise to change color over time. A person can expect about four phases of colors to a bruise before it fades away. If a bruise does not fade, becomes worse, or other issues accompany it, a person should consult a doctor. Otherwise, most bruises should heal within about 2 weeks with no medical treatment.