When are bruises serious?

Bruising may indicate blood leaking from damaged blood vessels, resulting in dark spots under the skin. If these vessels transport oxygen to the lungs, the bruise appears red, and if they transport carbon dioxide, it appears blue.

In some cases, bruises can be evidence of serious diseases such as leukemia, liver cancer, lymphoma, or myeloma. In the case of leukemia, bruising occurs due to a deficiency in the number of platelets produced by the bone marrow, which are responsible for blood clotting to close blood vessels when injured.

You're more likely to bruise easily when leukemia cells from your bone marrow replace healthy cells, especially platelets, causing there to not be enough platelets to cover damaged blood vessels and control leakage.

When is easy bruising a sign of a more serious problem?

If bruises appear frequently and on areas such as the torso, back, or face, or even for no apparent reason, you should consider seeing a doctor. Also, if bruises form very easily and you have a previous history of prolonged or heavy bleeding after minor injuries, or during surgeries, this may be a sign of a health problem that requires a medical examination.

If you notice sudden and frequent bruising, especially when you start using new medications, this may be evidence of side effects of the medication. Having a family history of family members suffering from easy bruising or bleeding also calls for seeing a doctor to rule out hereditary diseases.

Factors that could be behind these symptoms are a deficiency in the number or efficiency of platelets, which play a major role in blood clotting, or problems with the proteins responsible for facilitating clotting.

In addition to diseases, there are other serious reasons that may lead to the appearance of bruises, such as exposure to violence or assaults. If bruises appear on unusual places, such as the face, for no apparent reason, this may indicate that an assault has occurred and you should be aware of it.

When you go to the doctor, you are expected to perform a comprehensive physical examination and ask about the symptoms you may be experiencing and your medical history to better understand the problem and determine the necessary steps for diagnosis and treatment.

When are bruises a sign of leukemia?

When the bruises are very black in color, appear irregularly, or appear in multiple areas of the body such as the head, face, thighs, back, hands, buttocks, ears, and chest, and if they increase significantly in size, these symptoms may indicate the possibility of Leukemia. In such cases, it is highly recommended to see a doctor.

If vermis cancer is confirmed, you may experience other symptoms such as excessive bleeding, yellowing or pale skin, nose and gum bleeding, as well as heavier than usual menstrual periods.

In addition, other common symptoms include feeling hot and chills sometimes, losing weight for no apparent reason, excessive sweating especially at night, a general feeling of stress and fatigue, bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, and frequently facing infections.

How does liver cancer cause bruising?

Liver cancer, whether it originates in the liver itself or has spread to it from other organs, causes bruising on the skin. These bruises form as a result of a deficiency in clotting proteins that the liver supposedly produces.

This deficiency prevents the body from stopping internal bleeding that may occur in the blood vessels, which leads to blood accumulating under the skin.

In addition to bruising, there are several other symptoms that are common with liver cancer and require attention. Among these signs are weight loss for no apparent reason, lack of appetite, and pain in the right side of the abdomen that sometimes extends to the shoulder.

The patient may also feel that the stomach is full quickly when eating and notice the presence of a hard mass under the ribs. Other symptoms include constant fatigue, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the skin known as jaundice, skin itching, and dark urine.

Evidence of color changes in bruises

The age of a bruise can be determined based on the color changes that occur during the healing process. When the blood collected under the skin begins to decompose, the bruise goes through several different color stages. The colors associated with each stage of bruise healing vary.

1- Red color

When you suffer an injury, the affected area quickly turns red. This phenomenon occurs because oxygen-rich blood, known for its red color, collects under the skin and outside the arteries and veins.

2- Blue, purple or black

When the subcutaneous tissue is hit, slight bleeding may occur, leading to bruising. During the first two days, the blood seeping into these tissues loses oxygen, causing the bruise to gradually turn from red to shades of blue, purple, and sometimes black. It all depends on the amount of blood leaking and how quickly the body responds to repair those tissues.

3- Yellow or green color

Bruises usually appear with a distinct color 5 to 10 days after the area was hit or injured. This color is due to chemical reactions that occur inside the body, as it breaks down hemoglobin present in the blood collected under the skin.

4- Yellow-brown color

This dye usually appears between the tenth and fourteenth days after exposure to the injury, and it indicates the breakdown of blood cells that have collected under the skin due to that injury. It is important to note that bruises tend to disappear and heal spontaneously without the need for medical intervention within two weeks of their appearance.

Home methods for treating bruises

To deal with bruises effectively at home, you should follow some useful measures:

1. Using cold compresses on the bruised area is an effective way to prevent worsening bleeding and reduce the feeling of pain and swelling.

2. There are several preparations available in pharmacies that can be purchased without a prescription that help speed up the healing of bruises. It is also recommended to use creams that contain substances such as Arnica, Vitamin B3 or Vitamin K.

3. It is recommended to avoid taking aspirin when there is a bruise because it may increase the risk of continued bleeding.

4. Raising the affected part of the body above the level of the heart, such as placing it on a pillow when sitting, contributes to reducing blood flow to the area and helps relieve discomfort.

These procedures are simple and can be easily performed at home to help relieve the symptoms associated with bruises and speed up the healing process.