Contusion or Easy Bruising

Skin | Dermatology | Contusion or Easy Bruising (Symptom)


Description

A contusion is a type of physical injury on a non-penetrating human or animal body caused by the action of hard objects, obtuse or blunt surface, which act on the body by means of a force about considerable. A contusion is also known as bruise.

A bruise is a discolored area under the skin caused by leakage of blood from damaged capillaries (tiny blood vessels). When a bruise fades, it turns into green and brown as due to the body metabolic process involving blood cells and bilirubin pigment in the skin.

Causes

As you get older, several factors can contribute to easy bruising, including: aging capillaries - over time, the tissues supporting these vessels weaken, and capillary walls become more fragile and prone to rupture; thinning skin - with age, your skin becomes thinner and loses some of the protective fatty layer that helps cushion your blood vessels from injury. Excessive exposure to the sun accelerates this process.

Easy bruising can be symptomatic of medical conditions including autoimmune disorders, vitamin deficiencies, leukemia and other cancers, and blood clotting disorders. Clotting disorders are characterized by a failure of the blood to properly clot, indicating a deficiency in coagulation factors (substances in the blood that work together to stop bleeding). This can result in heavy or uncontrollable bleeding after injuries or trauma. Clotting disorders can be hereditary or due to medications, vitamin deficiency, or liver disease.

Diagnosis and Treatment

A bruise is best treated with local application of a cold pack immediately after injury. Easy bruising is common with age. Although most bruises are harmless and go away without treatment, easy bruising can sometimes be a sign of a more serious problem.

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