A bruise, or contusion, is an injury to skin or tissues just under your skin. Everyone bruises occasionally. There's usually no reason for concern.
Keep reading to learn more about what causes bruising, the color-coded healing process, and warning signs that you need to see a doctor.
You get a bruise when a small blood vessel just under the skin's surface breaks. The skin isn't broken, so blood leaks into tissues. Blood platelets then form a clot to plug the leak.
Here are the different types of bruises:
Everyday things that cause bruising include:
As you age, you tend to have thinner skin and less fat under the skin. This can make you bruise more easily.
Certain medications can make it easier to bruise, too, such as:
Some conditions that can lead to bruising are:
It takes a few weeks for a bruise to completely disappear. The color transition looks something like this:
A bruise may clear in the center before the outer edges. The coloring and healing process vary from person to person. If you have darker skin, you may also have darker bruises.
If there's no sign of improvement after two weeks, it could be a sign of an underlying health condition. The location of the bruising, plus other symptoms, can provide your doctor with diagnostic clues.
A bruise changes color and shrinks as it heals. If this doesn't happen within two weeks, there may be something else going on.
Easy or frequent bruising could be the result of low or abnormal blood platelets or blood-clotting problems. This could be due to an underlying condition.
It could also be a side effect of medication. For example, anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and aspirin interfere with blood clotting. Corticosteroids can thin the skin. Even dietary supplements, such as gingko, can thin your blood.
If you suspect a prescribed medication is the cause, don't stop taking it. Instead, ask your doctor if there's an alternative medicine.
Your doctor can also order blood tests to check platelet levels or measure your blood-clotting time.
If you have petechiae or bruising on the legs or calves that won't heal, it could be due to a shortage of platelets. Some conditions that can cause this are:
Certain medications can also affect platelet counts, such as:
A chest bruise that won't go away could be due to:
Chest bruising can take up to six weeks to heal. You may also have some pain and discomfort.
Always see your doctor after a chest injury. Complications can include infection and difficulty breathing.
Frequent bruising or bruising that won't heal can be a sign of leukemia. Other symptoms of leukemia include:
Inflammatory breast cancer can look like bruising on the breast. Your breast may also feel tender and warm. Inflammatory breast cancer may not involve lumps like other types of breast cancer.
If you have signs and symptoms of leukemia or inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor right away.
You can also develop bruising and bleeding problems during cancer treatment due to:
You probably don't need to see a doctor for an everyday bruise. Of course, seek immediate treatment if it's possible that you've fractured a bone. An X-ray can confirm or rule this out.
Also see your doctor for these symptoms:
Be prepared to provide your personal and family health history as well as a list of medications and dietary supplements.
Blood tests can check platelet levels and measure blood-clotting time. Depending on your symptoms, you may also need an X-ray or other imaging tests to check for fractured bones. Initial tests plus a physical exam will inform the next steps.
If you have swelling or pain during the healing process, you can give the RICE method a try:
Aspirin can cause more bleeding, so choose acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain. You can also try a few home remedies:
If your injury isn't serious, or there's no underlying disease, no medical treatment is necessary.
Bruises aren't usually serious, and they often clear up without treatment. If you have a bruise that doesn't go away after two weeks, you bruise for no apparent reason, or you have additional symptoms, see your doctor for diagnosis. The sooner you get treatment, the sooner you'll start feeling better.