Where did you get those bruises from?

Do unexplained bruises surprise you quite often? Nutritional deficiency and certain medications can be the underlying causes. Read on to know more about the factors contributing to your bruises.

Do you find bruises on your body even without you hurting yourself? Does it take forever to fade away or does not fade at all? If your bruises have become a common phenomenon, then it's time for you to find out the hidden culprits behind those mysterious bruises.

Consider seeking medical help if the bruised parts along with the surrounding areas show signs of infection and are too painful to bear. This may be the sign of a life-threatening condition known as 'compartment syndrome'.

WHAT IS A BRUISE?

Blood vessels get damaged whenever a skin injury occurs. The surrounding tissues get stained by blood that leaks out of these injured blood vessels, resulting in a bruise. While you can develop a bruise by injuring yourself, there are other potential reasons like nutritional deficiencies, ageing and effects of medications prescribed for conditions like cancer and haemophilia. Here, we list down 5 causes for those unexplained bruises on your body.

NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY:

Various vitamins and minerals help the blood to clot and heal wounds. The deficiency of these nutrients can cause bruises to develop.

Vitamin K

An essential component of the bone structure, vitamin K helps in blood clotting and healing wounds. The deficiency of this vitamin thus inhibits the blood to clot and leads to bruises.

Vitamin C

It helps in the synthesis of compounds such as collagen that protects the blood vessels from the damage that can result in a bruise. Lack of Vitamin C, therefore, can lead to poor healing and bruises.

Bioflavonoids

Valuable flavonoids such as citrine, rutin, catechin, and quercetin help in reducing the chances of developing bruises. Foods such as amla, oranges, mosambi, sesame seeds, beetroot, bananas, etc. help to remove the nutritional deficiencies and reduces bruising.

Minerals

Zinc and iron are essential minerals that help the wounds to heal. A deficiency of iron in our blood results in anaemia, a major cause of increased bruising.

AGEING:

As we age developing bruises becomes a common phenomenon. Medically known as actinic purpura, contusions develop initially as a red flat blotch which gradually turns purple and deepens to eventually fade away. Due to increased exposure to the sun, the blood vessels become weak over time. Medicines such as aspirin, coumadin, alcohol, etc. increase the risk of developing these bruises.

CANCER AND CHEMOTHERAPY:

Chemotherapy treatment can lead to a reduction in your blood platelets count (below 4,00,00) and result in frequent liasons.

THROMBOPHILIA:

Bleeding disorder such as thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) or idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) can drastically reduce your blood count thus affecting the blood's ability to form clots and causing bruises.

HAEMOPHILIA:

Individuals with haemophilia have an increased tendency to bleed which prohibits the blood to form clots. Unexplained and excessive bleeding leads to bruising.

MEDICATIONS AND SUPPLEMENTS:

Medications used as blood thinners such as warfarin and aspirin reduce the ability to form clots, in turn, increases the risk of developing bruises. Non-steroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen, corticosteroids such as cortisol or prednisone, Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as prozac may also result in bruising your body. Excess use of natural supplements like fish oil, garlic and gingko biloba also cause thinning of blood and may also result in surfacing bruises on your body.

EHLERS-DALOS SYNDROME:

Inherited collagen disorders like Ehlers- Danlos syndrome (EDS) can lead to easy bruising. Capillaries and blood vessels around the connective tissues tend to become weak and break easily in individuals suffering from this disorder. This syndrome leads to delayed wound healing, extensive bruising, premature death and rupture of hollow organs such as the gravid uterus (foetus developing in the uterus) and intestine.