FORUMS > Injury & Prevention Forum Rules

How many of you out there bruise easy? Or you look at yourself in the mirror before or after a shower and wonder where the hell that little bruise on you came from? This happens to me all the time. And the trouble is that people at the gym think someone is beating me up, which is most definitely not happening.

Also, do any of you hav any advice on what to do, besides moving in to a padded room?

You may want to try taking Vitamin C (after speaking with your doctor to make sure it's okay). Here are two interesting links on the subject:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02931/Bruises.html
http://www.raysahelian.com/bruising.html

Bruising easily can be a sign of a vitamin deficiency....such as iron. You might want to look at your diet and see if you are not eating enough of one food group. You could also take a multivitamin as well.

If you take Aspirin regularly that can also cause you to bruise easily.

swguy30 saidBruising easily can be a sign of a vitamin deficiency....such as iron. You might want to look at your diet and see if you are not eating enough of one food group. You could also take a multivitamin as well.

Interesting that you mention this too. I've been awfully fatigued lately, and a friend of mine asked me if I was getting enough iron...

CuriousJockAZ saidIf you take Aspirin regularly that can also cause you to bruise easily.

Not regularly.... only when I have a headache or an ear ache, and even then, it's usually half he normal dose. I'm something of a lightweight with meds.

SeaSon saidYou may want to try taking Vitamin C (after speaking with your doctor to make sure it's okay). Here are two interesting links on the subject:

http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02931/Bruises.html
http://www.raysahelian.com/bruising.html

Thanks for the links. I think I am okay in the C department. I've been having an orange every day for breakfast for a long time, and I am a pretty regular juice drinker. But I'll keep this in mind.

Hey there my friend! It does sound like a bit of iron deficiency, and a multi-vitamin will help with that. You may even want to add some iron rich foods into your diet.

That happens to me too, and while these other posters are probably right about an iron deficiency, for me I know it sheer klutziness. "Was that were I bumped into the coffee table?"

Other things that people don't think or even consider are lotion, supplements and food... sounds strange but some people are sensitive to vitman E, which is a natural anticoagulant. If you are taking supplements like "One a Day" which has vitamin E it could be something to consider. Also all lotions have vitamin E, so its kind of hard to avoid. Foods or snacks to consider are raspberries, dark grapes, blueberries, crannberries, strawberriss, etc..

Either that or you just need some vitamin K.

I suggest you mention the bruising to your doctor, who will probably draw some blood to check your blood count, clotting time and chemistry.

I recently started developing bruises on my forearms and on my legs. The culprit appears to be prednisone, which I have had to take to get control of some bad allergies. My doctors advice has been to tolerate the bruising if it remains largely cosmetic, but to call him right away if I develop bleeding gums, a bloody nose or signs of GI tract bleeding.

Others have mentioned aspirin as a possible culprit. Another commonly prescribed class of meds that make platlets less sticky is SSRI's (commonly used anti-depressants).

Best of luck.

Oh gosh.... I sure hope Sahem has scurvy!

In the meantime, I suggest practicing lines like "Oh I ran into a doorknob" or "I'm really clumsy and ran into the kitchen counter".

=D

But yes, have you always bruised pretty easily? Some people just bruise easier than others, and if so, not a whole lot can be done about it. If this is a newer occurrence, it's probably from an iron deficiency as others have said. I'm still holding out for scurvy though.

Toddy, I have no idea WHY you would want me to have scurvy.
Besides, I think that's actually a bleeding of the gums due to lack of vitamin C.
I think I already established that I do not have a C deficiency. Iron may be the problem. But since you asked, yeah I have always bruised pretty easily. It just seems like a lot more lately. Small bruises in weird places (like on my flank by my ribcage, or my hip, or my clavicle).

I bruise very easily as well, have so all my life. Oftentimes my bf asks me where this or that bruise on my legs comes from and I have no clue. I blame genetics because my mom has the same issues. I eat enough fruits and veggies and have a multi-vitamin every morning to be able to blame it on any deficiencies.

SAHEM62896 saidToddy, I have no idea WHY you would want me to have scurvy.

It would totally fit your roguish image for you to have scurvy.

I was exactly the same way, bruising by just barely bumping myself. I finally figured out it was the fish oil supplement that was causing it- it was amazing, within two weeks after reducing the dosage the bruises had completely dissapeared.

I was always taught that it's because I fell off the swing or down the stairs.

I have no idea how easily you bruise, but the cause could vary from being completely benign to low Vit C levels to leukemia. (Sometimes the bruising is the only sign a leukemia patient experiences before getting diagnosed.)

In short, bring this up to your doc and let him/her examine you. An online forum is probably not your best bet for conclusive information.

see a qualified MD.. I heard bruising and easy nose bleeds are a sign of low iron, but get bloodwork and a good Dr.'s opinion!!

For those of you who bruise easily - do you also have a problem with bruises that take forever to disappear? I'm having to avoid "violent" sports like kart racing because most bruises (even minor ones) take several months to disappear.

good to know it's only bruising....bruises go away.....imagaine if you lost a leg.

jeffper1 saidgood to know it's only bruising.....imagaine if you lost a leg.

Why, does that happen to you a lot?

SAHEM62896 said

swguy30 saidBruising easily can be a sign of a vitamin deficiency....such as iron. You might want to look at your diet and see if you are not eating enough of one food group. You could also take a multivitamin as well.

Interesting that you mention this too. I've been awfully fatigued lately, and a friend of mine asked me if I was getting enough iron...

My friend bruises easily and her doctor ... and a feeling I had ... recommended to her to take in additional iron because perhaps she was lacking.

OP what was your iron level on your blood work??? Didn't get it?? Why the hell not!!

Saheem, bruising easily does not mean you have a serious health problem, if bruising is minimal or only shows up once in a while. But it is one early indicator if it occurs often.
Also, as a person ages, the skin becomes less flexible and thinner because there is less fat under the skin. Dieting & exercise can cause this too. The cushioning effect of the skin decreases as the fat under the skin decreases. This and skin damage from exposure to the sun can cause blood vessels to break easily. When blood vessels break, bruising occurs. A tendency to bruise easily can be genetic.

You should not take any chances, get yourself to a doctor soon and get any tests necessary. Chances are it's nothing serious.
Best wishes.