Bruises

When the blood vessels near your skin's surface breaks because of a blow, force, or bump it forms a bruise. Bruising happens when a small amount of blood is leaked into the tissues under your skin because of the impact. The bruise appears as a black-and-blue mark.

Who are prone to bruising?

Bruising is common with age. Young children, who are active in sports and play, bruise more often than older ones. Women bruise more often than men because of some hormonal play during periods of menstruation. Older men and women bruise easily because of several factors, among which are:

1. Aging capillaries. The tissues supporting these vessels become weak, as one gets older. They become more fragile and become prone to rupture.

2. As you age, your skin becomes thinner and you become more prone, not only to cold temperature, but also to bruises. The fatty layer of skin that pads and protects the small blood vessels underneath becomes thinner and makes the vessels easily injured.

3. Excessive exposure to the sun accelerates the aging process and thereby adds to the thinning of the skin that can make the latter easily bruised.

What can you do about it?

When you easily get bruised, you can accelerate the healing process with the following:

1. Elevate the injured area. This practice will limit or decrease the amount of blood that may be pulled by gravity resulting to pooling of blood towards the injured area.

2. Apply cold pack or ice over the bruised or injured area for repeated periods or times of about 20 minutes each.

3. Whenever possible, rest the bruised area.

4. Consider painkillers, such as paracetamol or acetaminophen for pain relief.

When do you need to see your doctor?

You need a visit to the doctor's office if:

1. You have large and painful bruises.

2. Bruises develop for no known reasons.

3. Together with your bruises, you experience bleeding from elsewhere in your body, like from your nose and on your gums.

4. You bruise easily and you notice blood in your urine and stools.

5. You have no previous history of bruising and now you suddenly notice and experience bruises.