Everyone has had a bruise at least once in your life. It’s a common tissue injury, where small blood vessels, known as capillaries, are damaged after an injury.
For the elderly, bruises are more commonly occurring as the skin and blood vessels become more delicate with age. For those passionate about fitness, they may experience more bruising as their exercise causes small tears in their capillaries.
Most of the time, skin bruising is normal, natural, and nothing to worry about. Other times, it can indicate a much more serious issue.
If you’ve been finding strange bruises on your body, check this guide before running to your local Urgent Care.
Consider Your Circumstances
The last thing you want to do is overreact and unnecessarily run up a medical bill. Is there something new in your life that may be causing skin bruising?
For example, are you putting off a trip to the optometrist to get a new pair of glasses, causing you to bump into things more often? Are you currently dog sitting a huge mutt that doesn’t know his strength? There could be a logical explanation for this.
Even starting a new medication can cause skin bruising more easily, and while it does not always cause for concern, it’s always a good idea to discuss it with a healthcare professional.
The More Serious Signs
You know your body best. If you feel there is no natural explanation for your bruising if it appears or feels different than bruises you’ve had before, check these signs and head up to Urgent Care immediately.
Is It Firm?
As stated before, trauma to your tissue can cause blood vessels to break, leaving you with a bruise. If the trauma is extreme, sometimes that can lead to excess blood clotting in the area of the bruise, becoming a hematoma. While these hard lumps usually disappear on their own, make sure it’s not accompanied by any of these other serious symptoms.
Is It Swelling?
While swelling is a normal bodily reaction to trauma, it depends on the degree. If you see your skin experience severe swelling within just 30 minutes of the injury, that may mean you have a sprain or fracture that needs to be treated by a doctor.
Is It Fading?
A simple bruise should fade away in no more than two weeks. If you’ve had a persistent contusion with no sign of fading, it’s time to see your doctor and make sure it’s not a sign of a more serious illness.
Is It Unexplainable?
If you’ve racked your brain and can’t fathom why bruises are appearing all over your body, don’t wait to make an appointment with a medical professional. There are many severe illnesses associated with this symptom – from sepsis to several types of cancer.
Serious Skin Bruising
If you have any of these significant symptoms, time is crucial. The last thing you want is you condition to get worse and lead to permanent health implications. Contact Amory Urgent Care and get the help you need today.