Chronic alcohol misuse has a negative effect on every system of the body. 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. Most people who drink heavily will progress through the stages of liver damage described above over time. According to UPMC, your liver contains about 10 percent of your total blood supply at any given time. When you’re drinking alcohol, your liver is working hard to process the toxins from your blood, but that work takes time.
When you should see a doctor for spontaneous bruises
The conclusions were made from a review of studies and announced by “NIH Health” on March 23, 2009. Other skin conditions common in alcoholics may include hives and a worsening of existing rosacea, a disorder characterized by redness, pimple-like bumps and thickening skin on the nose and cheeks. 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 do you bruise easier when drunk level of them can cause easy bruising. Finally, alcoholics may have a deficiency of vitamin C, which is important for healing wounds. If you bruise easily and are worried that it may be a sign of alcoholism, talk to your doctor.
Why Do I Get Random Bruises After A Night Of Drinking?
- A damaged liver may not produce the necessary proteins for coagulation, leading to coagulopathy, a condition characterised by bruising and bleeding even with minimal trauma.
- Liver disease affects the blood clotting process, increasing your risk of bleeding and bruising easily.
- A person may start to bruise more easily than before for a number of different reasons, though bruising doesn’t necessarily indicate a serious health issue.
- If you’re concerned about alcohol abuse, we offer personal treatment programs at Ohio Recovery in Cincinnati, OH.
- This is generally considered to negatively impact the quality of the whiskey and is typically avoided by bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts.
- Of the group, 1,150 developed psoriasis, a significantly higher rate than nondrinkers in an original cohort of 116,671 women.
The color of a bruise is primarily determined by the depth of the bruising and the breakdown of blood under the skin, rather than alcohol consumption. When you get a bruise, an injury crushes blood vessels, but the skin doesn’t break, so there’s no external bleeding. While simple bruises can be managed at home, worsening pain, size or additional symptoms warrant urgent medical evaluation to rule out significant bleeding or injury requiring treatment. Alcohol addiction can cause various health issues, some of which include bruising and subcutaneous bleeding. Bruising now and then is more of an aesthetic problem, but bruising very frequently and spontaneously during and after drinking may indicate some other risk factor. So you can reduce the risk and secure your well-being too, by taking the preventive measure.
Get help for alcoholism now
Seeing a doctor can help determine if there’s a more serious issue and get you the right treatment. Filter out the noise and nurture your inbox with health and wellness advice that’s inclusive and rooted in medical expertise. Around 10% of people experience non-epileptic seizures triggered by syncope, low blood sugar, POTS, panic attacks and more.
Alcohol abuse can also impair judgment and decision-making, increasing the risk of accidents and subsequent injuries. When someone develops an alcohol use disorder, they will show signs or symptoms that are characteristic of this condition. But long-term and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver inflammation (liver hepatitis).
On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing. While there is no direct relationship between alcohol and hair loss, heavy drinking may lead to other issues that thin out your locks. Well, alcohol intake may lead to night sweats by speeding up your heart rate and widening your blood vessels, triggering the release of perspiration. Alcohol suppresses rapid eye movement, or REM sleep, which is an essential restorative stage of sleep your body requires. Corticosteroids—topical or systemic medications used to treat various health conditions—may make you bruise easily because they can cause the skin to become thinner. According to the National Eczema Society, using topical corticosteroids over long periods of time may make the skin appear transparent, fragile, and more susceptible to bruising.
Impaired liver function may result in redness or mottling on the palms of the hands. Other symptoms of cirrhosis may include yellowed complexion and the appearance of spider veins on the trunk, face, arms and hands. The American Academy of Family Physicians states that the number and size of spider veins can be correlated to the severity of chronic liver disease. Additionally, chronic alcohol consumption can damage the liver, which plays a crucial role in blood clotting. A damaged liver may not produce the proteins required for coagulation, leading to coagulopathy, which is characterised by bruising and bleeding even with minimal trauma.
- You may get it if you hit your thumb with a hammer or stub your toe, but you may also get it from wearing tight shoes or training for a marathon.
- Specific factor assays showed depletion of all factors except for factor VIII, which further confirmed the suspicion that the factor depletion was secondary to liver cirrhosis.
- If you also feel tired, achy, and weak all the time, or lose weight without trying to, give your doctor a call.
- Alcohol is a blood thinner, which means it affects the platelet count and quality in people who drink too much.
Preventing Alcohol-Induced Bruising
Bleeding continues longer after an injury because the blood cannot clotted properly. Psoriasis is an autoimmune skin condition characterized by red, scaly patches that can be itchy and painful. It results from an accelerated skin cell production process, leading to the buildup of skin cells on the surface. Individuals with psoriasis are often found to have higher rates of alcohol consumption compared to the general population. Studies have suggested that people with psoriasis are nearly twice as likely to be heavy drinkers.
Final Thoughts: Bruises After Drinking
Blood thinners such as warfarin, heparin, and aspirin can cause you to bleed and get bruises more often. Steroids and some cancer drugs (chemotherapy and targeted therapy) may also lower your platelet levels, which can cause you to bleed and get bruises more than you usually do. An ecchymosis is bigger around than 1 centimeter, which is about as big around as a triple-A battery. Alcohol might worsen the symptoms of eczema, causing intense itchiness and dry, inflamed skin.
Deficiencies in vitamins C and K may cause unexplained bruising—but if you live in a developed nation and have regular access to healthy food, then it’s highly unlikely this one applies to you. These deficiencies typically occur only in severely undernourished populations, explained Dr. Fisher. “A bruise is a reflection of minor injury to the blood vessels under the surface of the skin.
Additionally, heavy drinkers usually get most of their calories from alcohol. The problem is that alcohol is a wellspring of empty calories—which are calories with minimal nutritional value. Hence, consuming alcohol as your why does alcohol cause bruising primary source of fuel will lead to poor nutrition and weight loss.
Deficiencies in vitamin K can exacerbate bruising and prolong the healing process. Furthermore, alcohol can impair judgment and coordination, increasing the risk of falls and injuries that result in bruising. To determine the cause of easy bruising, your healthcare provider will conduct a physical examination and review your symptoms, medical history, and any medications you are taking. The symptoms of hemophilia can be mild or severe, depending on how much clotting factor is present in the affected person’s blood.