04
October
2018
|
07:00 AM
America/New_York

Do You Bruise Easily? Here's What Your Body Is Trying To Tell You

Mind Body Green reports on what it means to bruise easily - and what to do about it.

Kathryn D. McElheny, MD, primary care sports medicine physician at HSS, quotes a recent study that found that 18 percent of 500 healthy adults reported easy bruising.

As there are a variety of reasons why bruises occur, Dr. McElheny recommends trying to pinpoint what trauma may have caused the bruise, how often the bruises are appearing and what they look like. Some causes for concern include getting five or more bruises that are larger than one centimeter in diameter without any known trauma, experiencing associated bleeding from other sites (i.e. nose or gum bleeds), or having a history of abnormal lab tests that suggest a bleeding disorder. If you experience any of those situations, bruising may be indicative of an underlying problem so it's best to visit your doctor.

There are some adjustments around the house that you can make to try to avoid bruising altogether. "Maintain good lighting and keep the stairs and walkways uncluttered to avoid falls and trauma," said Dr. McElheny.

Read the full article at mindbodygreen.com.