Bruising after a blow is common and may subside over time. However, You need to be careful ifbruises arise without cause which clear, because it can be a symptom of a dangerous disease.
Bruises occur when small blood vessels near the surface of the skin burst as a result of an impact or injury. So that the blood in the blood vessels leaks out to fill the surrounding tissue. So, if a person experiences frequent bruising of the skin, it means that the small blood vessels break easily and frequently.
Various Diseases That Can Cause Bruises
The most common cause of bruising is impact. However, sometimes bruising can occur spontaneously, with no apparent cause.
The appearance of spontaneous bruising should be watched out for, as it could indicate a more serious medical condition. There are several conditions that make a person more prone to bruising, such as:
- Hemophilia A (factor VIII deficiency)
Hemophilia is the most common blood clotting disorder that can cause bleeding, bruising, and stiff joints.
- Abnormal platelet levels
Thrombocytopenia or low platelet levels can be mild to severe. In addition to bruising, thrombocytopenia can also cause severe bleeding. In some cases, symptoms of bruising can also be found in patients with diseases with very high blood platelet levels (thrombocytosis).
- LeukemiaPeople with leukemia or blood cancer tend to bruise easily due to a lack of platelets for the blood clotting process.
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)
ITP is a blood clotting disorder that causes bleeding and bruising.
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation(disseminated iintravascular coagulation/DIC)
DIC will cause the blood to clot so that it uses up the entire supply of platelets. As a result, when the platelets are depleted, internal and external bleeding occurs, one of which is bruising.
- hemophilia B or Christmas sickness
This rare genetic disorder can cause blood to not clot normally and eventually lead to bruising.
- Platelet function disorders (acquired platelet function disorder)
A condition in which platelets do not function normally due to disease, food, or medication. This increases the risk of bleeding which can lead to bruising.
Some other diseases that can also cause symptoms of bruising are kidney failure, chronic kidney disease, glomerulonephritis, brittle bone disease (Fig.osteogenesis imperfecta), Von Willebrand's disease, Cushing's syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and Gaucher's disease.
Bruises can also be affected by aging. Generally in the elderly (elderly), especially women, there will be thinning of the skin due to loss of fat layer. This causes the walls of blood vessels to become unprotected, making them prone to rupture and easy bruising.
To diagnose the cause of bruising, blood tests are needed to measure the number of platelets and the time it takes the blood to clot. Most of the above diseases are life-threatening if not treated immediately.
Bruises should be checked by a doctor immediately if:
- More often than usual.
- Easy to occur and there is a history of severe bleeding, eg heavy bleeding at the time of surgery.
- Accompanied by severe pain and swelling.
- It didn't go away after two weeks.
If the bruise is caused by a minor impact, it can be treated by self-treating the bruise at home. Generally, it will subside and go away on its own. However, don't take bruising for granted, especially if they occur frequently, have no known cause, or are accompanied by other symptoms. Immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.