What are they from?!
Question:
What are they from?
for the last few months i keep getting bruses over my legs for no apparant reason.some of them look like dots others like like i been punched. i have defanatly not banged them,it happens on both legs but dont want to go to docs as everytime i have the time they seem to go for a few days!! thanks
Answers:
This is an answer I copied from another forum
Dear Black and blue,
Bruises are caused by leakage of blood after an injury. The list of usual suspects includes bumping into bedposts or other objects and not remembering, rigorous exercising (which can cause tiny tears in blood vessels, particularly in athletes and weightlifters), and old age.
Bruising doesn't always have to be the result of banging a shin against a table leg or pumping iron like Ah-nuld. Some people, especially women, just bruise easily and are less likely to notice an injury. Moreover, as people grow older and continue to expose themselves to the damaging effects of the sun, the skin becomes more susceptible to bruising. With time, the skin thins, losing some of its fatty layer that cushions blood vessels against damage. Also, capillary walls become more fragile, and tissues that support blood vessels weaken as people age. So, the bumps — especially to the arms and legs — that once went unnoticed may now, as bruises, be hard to miss.
Diabetes is an unlikely suspect, but there are reasons for people with diabetes to pay special attention to injuries, especially foot injuries. For people with diabetes, unexplained bruises can signify nerve damage (neuropathy) and/or poor circulation. This kind of nerve damage can lead to numbness and sometimes pain and weakness in arms, legs, hands, and feet. This, combined with poor circulation, causes unnoticed foot injuries to become ulcerated or infected. For more information on diabetes and diabetic nerve damage, visit the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse website.
Sometimes, unexplained bruises, or blood spots under the skin that look like bruises, can point a finger at more serious medical conditions, including:
effects of medications or supplements — aspirin, anticoagulants (blood thinners), corticosteroids, and dietary supplements, such as fish oil, ginkgo, ginger, and garlic
a bleeding or clotting disorder
nutritional deficiencies of vitamins B12, C, K, or folic acid
inflammation of a blood vessel(s)
liver disease
sepsis — a widespread presence of infection-causing organisms or their toxins in the blood or tissues
chronic inflammatory diseases, e.g., lupus
certain cancers, including Hodgkin's disease, leukemia, or multiple myeloma
Anytime unusually large and painful bruises appear for no apparent reason, or are severe after only a minor injury, it is important to consult a health care provider. Other reasons to speak with a provider may include bruising easily while also bleeding from the gums, nose, or intestinal tract; a bruise accompanied by swelling and pain, especially if taking a blood-thinning medication; and, bruises that do not show signs of healing after two weeks or those that do not heal completely after four weeks.
If any of these sound familiar, please see a health care provider as soon as possible. If these signs are not familiar, but the unexplained bruises or diabetes is of further concern to you, a talk with a provider can be helpful in figuring things out. At Columbia, call Health Services at Columbia at x4-7426 for an appointment.
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0640....
More info here
http://www.medicinenet.com/bruises/artic...
http://www.doctorslounge.com/hematology/...
http://www.steadyhealth.com/random_bruis...
http://www.bchealthguide.org/kbase/topic...