Ecchymosis or contusion, or more commonly known as bruise, is a damage on the tissue and the capillaries. This allows the blood to leak in the tissue’s surroundings. Initially, the bruise will look a little pink. After some days, the bruise will become blue or purple. And when the area nearly heals, it will turn into brown or yellow until it completely fades. The healing process varies from person to person. More often than not, bruise happens when we fall or we accidentally bump any part of our body to a hard surface. Having a bruise will usually elicit pain. It can be caused by a simple accident, as stated, but it can also be a symptom of a severe disease, such as bleeding disorders. When you have any bleeding disorder, you are more prone to get bruises. Bleeding disorder is a general name for sicknesses that prevent the blood from clotting when the blood vessels get damaged, resulting from continuous bleeding. To explain more of the causes of bruises, below are some of the interesting conditions to take note.
- One of the blood disorders is hemophilia. In this case, the blood is not able to form a clot when needed. It is a disease that is usually hereditary. Blood transfusion is a way to deal with this condition.
- A common case of cancer is leukemia. It is a type of cancer in the blood cells, generally white blood cells. Leukemia is hard to diagnose as it usually has no early symptoms. It is normally common for leukemia patients to get bruises.
- Having immune disorders can also be the reason why you get bruises easily. When your immune system fails, you are susceptible to get various infections.
- Another blood disorder that can make one vulnerable to bruises is aplastic anemia. Having this sickness means that the bone marrow generates not enough blood cells. Other symptoms of the disease include shortness of breath, progressive weakness, and fatigue.
- Bruising easily is also common among the elders. This is due to thinner and more fragile blood vessels and skin. Aside from this, elders usually have more medicine intake which could possibly get in the way of forming blood clot. As a result, they can get bruises even in slight accidents and these can take a longer time to heal.
- Lastly, medications can also play a role in getting bruises easily. Examples are aspirins and other anticoagulants. Such medications interfere in the development of blood clot when the need arises.