Unexplained Bruising on Legs: Why It Happens & When to Call a Doctor

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. All of these impairments can lead to more morning after bruises, but they can also make driving extremely dangerous. Even small amounts of alcohol can affect your cognitive functioning enough to make driving dangerous.

Is Bruising A Sign Of Alcoholism?

Brain changes from repeated alcohol misuse lead to compulsive drinking and make it difficult to stop without treatment. 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. Platelets help the blood clot, so a low level of them can cause easy bruising. Finally, alcoholics may have a deficiency of vitamin C, which is important for healing wounds.

Bruise that won’t go away on leg

PBC tends to appear more between the age of 35 and 60 years old. Lack of energy, unexplained weight gain, and excessive bruises on the legs are common symptoms. These hormones overstimulate the gland causing the body to burn calories more quickly leading to excessive weight loss.

Common physical signs of alcoholism

Even when sober, there’s an increased risk of falls and accidents. They may lose feelings of hunger or no longer have a desire for food, as their focus shifts to alcohol. Alternatively, they may crave high-fat foods as alcohol produces the hunger-increasing hormone, ghrelin.

• If you suddenly stop drinking, this can lead to a number of uncomfortable alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
• It’s best to use an elastic bandage and wrap the area firmly but not too tight.
• This is especially true when you consider the increased likelihood of them falling.
• A bruise is a common skin injury from damaged small blood vessels just beneath the skin’s surface.

Signs of Liver Disease

In many cases, people with alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) do not have any noticeable symptoms until their liver is badly damaged. They are the people who have a lot of it or take it habitually. This influences the long-term production of clotting factors and places the sufferer at an enhanced risk of bruises. Bruises result from direct trauma, bumping into something, among others that may cause damage to blood vessels. Alcohol directly impacts the circulatory system, contributing to easier bruising. This dilation can make capillaries more fragile and prone to breaking from slight pressure or minor bumps.

If there’s no sign of improvement after 2 weeks, it could be a sign of an underlying health condition. The location of the bruising, plus other symptoms, can provide your doctor with diagnostic clues. Your skin and tissue of your limbs become thinner and less flexible as you age (1). Due to this, a minor injury can easily damage the skin, leading to excessive bruising alcohol and bruising on legs of the arms and legs. One side effect of heavy drinking is the development of psoriasis, which is a skin condition that leads to red, scaly patches of skin all over your body.

However, giving up alcohol right away isn’t sustainable or desirable for most people. After all, studies have shown that almost 50% of adults wish to reduce their intake without giving up alcohol altogether. If you’ve noticed any of the above symptoms, you may consider going cold turkey to improve your health. If you’ve ever had to nurse a hangover, nausea and vomiting are commonly part and parcel of the ordeal. While throwing up can make you feel miserable, it is one of your body’s self-defense mechanisms to remove excess toxins from the alcohol consumed.

How to Treat Minor Cuts and Scrapes

He has published many peer-review papers in medicine and he is a best-selling author with more than twenty books in national and international distribution. Dr. Holt is a frequent lecturer at scientific meetings and healthcare facilities throughout the world. He is a best selling author and the founder of the Holt Institute of Medicine. The disturbed gut wall integrity could be responsible https://development.zerotooneedu.com/how-to-stop-drinking-6-tips-to-quit-drinking-3/ for the CRP elevations consistently found in heavy drinkers (cf. Table 1) 37. CRP is recognized to be an inflammatory acute-phase protein, remarkably of hepatic origin.

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 your skin symptoms are negatively affecting your quality of life, a doctor may be able to treat the condition and provide relief. About 47% of people with cirrhosis develop hyperpigmentation, resulting in gray blotches that appear on your shins and the tops of your feet.

Drink Responsibly

Women and people of Asian or Mediterranean descent are more likely to experience it. Jaundice is a serious condition that causes discoloration of your skin and the whites of your eyes. It occurs when there is too much of the yellowish substance bilirubin in your blood. You’ll also receive our newsletter and special offers to support liver health. Is a Distinguished Professor of Medicine NYCPM (Emerite) and a medical practitioner in New York State.

When that happens, the person is seemingly functional and appears normal to other people. Meanwhile, the specific cause of bruising in children can sometimes be difficult to determine. Children often fall or get bumped when learning to walk or while playing. AlcoholAwareness.org is dedicated to providing support and resources for individuals struggling with alcohol addiction. We aim to raise awareness, offer guidance, and connect people with recovery programs to help them regain control and improve their lives.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, heavy drinking for women involves having more than three drinks in one day or more than seven drinks per week. Heavy drinking for men involves more than four drinks in one day or more than 14 drinks per week. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a Sober living house healthcare professional. It’s important to see a doctor if you have cirrhosis and are developing any skin symptoms. Cirrhosis due to excessive alcohol use may lead to spider angiomas because ethanol increases the formation of new blood vessels. Although liver damage from cirrhosis is permanent, treatment and lifestyle changes may help prevent further damage.