Unexplained weight loss and easy bruising can be unsettling. While most bruises are harmless and resolve without treatment, and weight fluctuations can occur, the combination of these symptoms warrants attention. This article explores the potential causes of easy bruising and unexplained weight loss, offering insights into when medical evaluation is necessary.
Understanding Bruising
Most bruises form when small blood vessels, called capillaries, near the skin's surface are broken by the impact of a blow or injury, often on the arms or legs. Blood then leaks out of the vessels, initially appearing as a dark mark. Harder blows generally cause larger bruises. Some people bruise more easily than others, and skin becomes thinner with age, leading to increased bruising.
Common Causes of Easy Bruising
Easy bruising is common and often not a cause for concern. Here are some typical reasons:
Age: As people get older, the skin becomes thinner and loses some of its protective fat layer. This makes blood vessels more vulnerable to damage.
Medications: Certain medications can interfere with blood clotting, leading to easy bruising. These include:
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- Anticoagulant medicines, such as warfarin (Jantoven), dabigatran (Pradaxa), rivaroxaban (Xarelto), apixaban (Eliquis), edoxaban (Savaysa) and heparin. These medications reduce the blood's ability to clot, so bleeding from damaged capillaries takes longer to stop, resulting in larger bruises.
- Medicines called corticosteroids thin the skin, making it easier to bruise.
- Some antibiotics and antidepressants may also cause problems with blood clotting.
- NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen)
Supplements: Certain supplements, especially when taken with blood-thinning medications, can increase bruising. It's essential to inform your healthcare provider about all supplements you are taking. These may include Vitamin E and Fish oil.
Family history: People who have a history of bleeding more than normal during medical procedures and women who get heavy periods may notice they bruise easily as well
Lifestyle Factors: Drinking alcohol can make you more prone to easy bruising and bumping into things.
Post-Bariatric Surgery: Bruising is perfectly normal after bariatric surgery and should improve when you stabilize at a lower weight and over time. As you lose weight, the fat padding around newer blood vessels begins to shrink, exposing the blood vessels to a greater risk of trauma from even a minor bump.
Unexplained Weight Loss: A Cause for Concern
Unexplained weight loss, particularly when combined with other symptoms, can be a sign of an underlying medical condition. It's crucial to investigate the cause to ensure timely diagnosis and treatment. Unexplained weight loss is a clear sign that there’s something going on in your body.
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Serious Health Issues Associated with Bruising and Weight Loss
While most cases of easy bruising are benign, it can sometimes indicate a more serious health issue. Similarly, unexplained weight loss can be a symptom of various underlying conditions. When these two symptoms occur together, it's essential to consider the following possibilities:
- Blood-Clotting Conditions or Blood Diseases: Easy bruising can sometimes be a symptom of a serious health issue, such as a blood-clotting condition or a blood disease. Low levels of platelets can also lead to increased bruising.
- Cancers: Symptoms such as bruising or bleeding are also often signs of cancer. Bruising, because it can represent a change in the way our blood is composed, and that can lead to bleeding. Same with bleeding, and cancers can, when they’re on surfaces, result in bleeding. They have loose surfaces that can bleed. Unexplained weight loss can be a sign of cancer, it can be a sign of other things, such as chronic infection, as well.
- Vitamin Deficiencies: Vitamin C or K deficiency can sometimes cause bruising.
- Bleeding Disorders: Bleeding disorders such as hemophilia or Von Willebrand disease, or cancer can cause bruising.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Bruising
Bruising easily usually isn’t a serious problem, but it's essential to consult a healthcare provider if any of the following apply:
- Systemic Symptoms: You have systemic symptoms such as fever, chills, swollen lymph nodes along with unexplained bruising and unintentional weight loss.
- Unusual Bruise Appearance: Bruises look like big purple spots with clear edges, and you’re younger than 65. These spots, called purpura, are common in older adults but may be a sign of inflamed blood vessels in younger people.
- Petechiae: Bruises look like tiny red dots. These bruises are called petechiae and appear when tiny blood vessels called capillaries break. They’re common on the neck and chest after prolonged straining from vomiting or childbirth. They also can appear on the lower legs. These bruises may be an early sign of problems with platelets, the blood cells involved in clotting. If you haven’t had a recent straining event, they may indicate a more serious medical condition.
- Enlarging Bruises: Bruises are getting larger with time. The bruise may be a hematoma that could continue to bleed if you take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder.
- Frequent Bruising: You notice a lot more bruises than normal, bruises in unusual places or bruises not healing after about two weeks.
- Unusual Bruise Locations: Bruises on your back, abdomen and upper thighs may be concerning because most people don’t frequently bump those body parts.
- Joint Involvement: Bleeding into the joints that causes swelling or bruising may be a sign of a bleeding disorder.
- Accompanying Symptoms: Bruising occurs along with other bleeding, swelling, extreme pain, especially if taking a blood thinner. Bruising accompanied by frequent nosebleeds that are hard to stop or blood in the urine or stool should be also investigated.
- Bruising with No Known Trauma: Your primary care provider will refer you to a hematologist if you have continued significant bruising larger than one centimeter with no known trauma.
What to Expect During a Medical Evaluation
To find the cause of bruising, your healthcare professional likely will do a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms and medical history. They may also:
- Inquire about your symptoms and medical history.
- Find out about the side effects of medicines you take.
- Have your vision and hearing tested.
Managing Bruises
Once a bruise has formed, not much can be done to treat it. Most bruises go away over time as the body absorbs the blood. But healing might take longer as you age.
- Ice: If you think a bruise is trauma-related, using an ice pack and elevating the affected area can help to decrease swelling in the first 24 hours.
- Warm Compress: After that, a warm compress can help recirculate blood.
- Hydration: Make sure you are well-hydrated. This allows the vascular system to recover from trauma more readily and keeps it healthier in the first place.
- Exercise: Don’t stop exercising. Increasing blood flow from exercise is vital, even if it sounds counterintuitive.
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