People with von Willebrand disease (about 1%-2% of the population have this) make little or no von Willebrand protein, which is important for blood clotting. Liver cirrhosis is linked to bleeding complications and can even lead to the formation of a large type of bruise called a hematoma. Alcohol and unexplained bruising could point to liver damage from drinking. Easy bruising and bleeding are signs of cirrhosis, which is a serious liver disorder. After all, heavy alcohol consumption increases the risk of serious injuries from falls, burns, and motor vehicle crashes. Chronic alcohol misuse has a negative effect on every system of the body.
How to Get Rid of a Bruise
While the bruises themselves may not be dangerous, they can indicate underlying health issues related to alcohol consumption. The cerebellum, a part of the brain responsible for maintaining balance, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of alcohol. This can further contribute to impaired motor control and increase the likelihood of falls or accidents. Additionally, alcohol has blood-thinning properties, affecting platelet production and reducing their effectiveness in forming clots. This prolonged bleeding time can result in visible bruises, even from minor injuries that typically would not cause bruising.
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While there is no direct relationship between alcohol and hair loss, heavy drinking may lead to other issues that thin out your locks. 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. Stopping alcohol abruptly after long-term heavy drinking can also lead to alcohol withdrawal syndrome, which commonly manifests as symptoms like nausea and vomiting. In this guide, we’ll explore 15 short and long-term signs that you’re drinking too much, including symptoms that don’t necessarily involve a hangover. Withdrawal side effects can be incredibly uncomfortable, which can lead a person to resume drinking to alleviate these side effects.
Alcohol addiction and heavy drinking can cause vitamin deficiencies, which may increase bruising
- It’s rare to have extremely low levels of vitamin C, but when you do, your blood vessels may be weaker.
- It also slows down central nervous system activity, reducing your reaction time.
- Bruising easily can be a sign of alcoholism, but it can also be caused by other factors, such as vitamin deficiencies or underlying health conditions.
- On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing.
- Platelets are important for the coagulation of blood and heavy drinking impairs the generation as well as function of these platelets.
We aim to raise awareness, offer guidance, and connect people with recovery programs to help them regain control and improve their lives. Seeking help for alcoholism is a brave and crucial step towards a healthier, more fulfilling life. Our dedicated team offers compassionate support, ensuring you have the guidance and resources needed to navigate your journey to sobriety and wellness. Check with your doctor before using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like aspirin or ibuprofen, because these can make bleeding and bruising worse.
If you are concerned about bruising easily after drinking alcohol, you should consider reducing your alcohol intake or quitting alcohol altogether. You should also stay hydrated, eat healthily, and get plenty of rest to help your body recover and reduce bruising. If you are having difficulty cutting down on alcohol, you should seek medical advice. Furthermore, drinking heavily can result in a loss of coordination, making individuals clumsier and more prone to falls or injuries that cause bruises. Waking up with bruises after drinking could indicate injuries sustained during periods of memory loss, highlighting the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption.
- Therefore, it is essential to be cautious and avoid situations where injuries may occur when consuming alcohol.
- Firstly, alcohol is a vasodilator, causing blood vessels to relax and expand, which increases blood flow throughout the body.
- The bruises themselves are not inherently dangerous, but they indicate a more severe underlying issue.
These conditions can cause organ damage, so if you suspect you have vasculitis, you should go see your doctor. As you age, your skin gets thinner and you lose some of the layer of fat that cushions your blood vessels and protects you from injury. Both of these things mean you may get more bruises, even from a minor bump. Chronic heavy drinking can cause alcoholic hepatitis, which is the inflammation of your liver. One common sign of alcoholic hepatitis is jaundice, where the skin and whites of your eyes look yellowish. Heavy drinking can lead to easy bruising and bleeding, and not just because you’re more prone to falling and hitting table corners when drunk.
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He has a nursing and business/technology degrees from The Johns Hopkins University. Taking minor precautions can drastically reduce bruising after drinking. This usually takes about 2 weeks, but many will heal sooner than that. Talk to your doctor if you have a bruise that lasts longer than 2 weeks. Drinking and Bruising If necessary, your doctor can pierce your nail to drain the blood and fluid built up underneath.
Finally, one potentially serious cause of alcohol and bruising is alcohol liver disease. As liver functioning declines from chronic alcohol misuse, a person is likely to bleed and bruise easily. But you may also bleed a little more if you cut yourself while drinking. Bruising comes into play when you bump a part of your body on a hard surface, causing blood vessels to rupture. While you’re drinking, the blood flow around the surface of your skin will increase; even minor bumps can cause blood vessels to burst, forming a bruise. Alcoholics tend to bruise easily because of the blood vessels in their body breaking down.
If you’re not consciously keeping track of the drinks you’ve chugged, it’s easy to go over these limits. For some of us, half a dozen drinks during a night out aren’t yet enough to faze us. And yes, you may feel great and energized upon waking up—but that doesn’t mean you didn’t have too much to drink the night before. These are individuals who are on medication with drugs such as aspirin, warfarin, and other anticoagulants. They bruise easier because alcohol will improve the thinning that is already taking place, and the bruises are going to be much worse.
Dry skin may be present at the same time but is unlikely to be related to binge drinking. If you are concerned about your drinking or any symptoms, seek prompt advice from a healthcare provider. Alcohol is a vasodilator, which means it causes blood vessels to relax and expand, increasing blood flow throughout your body. This makes it more likely that you will bruise after bumping into something. Alcohol also thins the blood and reduces the ability of platelets to clump together, which can lead to easier bruising and bleeding. While bruising after a night of drinking may not always signify a serious issue, chronic heavy drinking that results in frequent and easy bruising may indicate a significant health concern.
If you notice unusual bruising or other symptoms like bleeding gums or nosebleeds, it is advisable to consult a doctor to rule out any underlying health problems. Additionally, alcohol misuse can lead to a negative impact on brain function, which may result in impaired coordination and an increased risk of injuries. This loss of coordination can lead to falls or accidents that cause bruises. Therefore, it is essential to be cautious and avoid situations where injuries may occur when consuming alcohol. Alcohol is a vasodilator, causing blood vessels to relax and expand, which increases blood flow throughout the body.
Types of Bruises
The brain changes brought about by alcohol could make clear thinking difficult, and that could make it hard for you to stick to your commitments even if you want to do so. That vital organ, which sits on the right side of your body beneath your rib cage, processes all of the blood in your body and cleans it of toxins before releasing it into circulation. Typically, a bruise begins as a purple or red spot, and as it heals, and the blood is reabsorbed into the body, it can fade to green or even yellow. If you drink heavily, regularly, or both, your alcohol use could be the cause of your bruise. That discoloration sitting beneath the surface of your skin might prompt you to ask for help so that you can stop drinking for good. AlcoholAwareness.org is dedicated to providing support and resources for individuals struggling with alcohol addiction.
You may get them if you had a fall, got hurt playing sports, or bumped into a piece of furniture. People over 65 years old and those assigned female at birth (AFAB) are more likely to get bruises than others because these groups generally have thinner skin and smaller blood vessels. Right after a tattoo, it’s normal for your skin around your tattoo to be red, irritated, swollen, warm, and sometimes bruised. These skin reactions are part of the healing process and usually last about 3-7 days.
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This vasodilation can lead to blood vessel breakdown, making individuals more susceptible to bruising, even without any apparent trauma. Additionally, alcohol thins the blood by interfering with platelet production and reducing their stickiness, further prolonging bleeding time and promoting bruising. It increases the risk of various types of cancer, as well as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. Another health-related risk linked to chronic alcohol misuse is liver disease, which is often the cause of bruising from alcohol. First, alcoholics are more likely to fall and injure themselves, which can cause bruising. Second, alcoholism can lead to a condition called thrombocytopenia, which is a low level of platelets in the blood.
