Many people suffer from skin bleeding. What exactly this is, what can cause it and how to treat this bleeding will be explained in more detail in the following article.
What is skin bleeding?
The most pronounced form of skin bleeding is called hematoma or also better known as bruise or “blue spot”, which almost everyone has suffered from at least once. Skin hemorrhage, as you may have guessed from the name, is blood leaking from blood vessels into the skin or mucous membranes. These hemorrhages are usually dark red, but can also turn red-brown, green or yellow as they heal. They are often in the form of a dot, usually occur sporadically and are about the size of the head of a pin, but can also occur in increased numbers over a large area. These skin hemorrhages usually occur on the extremities, i.e., arms or legs, or in the chest area. The most pronounced form of skin bleeding is called a hematoma, or also better known as a bruise or “blue spot,” which almost everyone has suffered from at least once.
Causes
Skin bleeding is harmless and often only a visual problem. However, this bleeding can also be a symptom of a more serious disease. One disease that may be the cause of skin bleeding is inflammation of the blood vessels. This condition often damages the walls of the blood vessels, causing the blood to leak. Another cause could be clotting disorders of the blood. This often occurs in various blood diseases. Blood stasis can also be the reason of skin bleeding, because it causes too high pressure in the blood vessels, which damages them. In addition, skin bleeding is often observed in people suffering from platelet deficiency, for example as a result of chemotherapy. However, there are also more harmless triggers that lead to skin bleeding, among which is a simple injury (fall or abrasion).
Diseases with this symptom
- Blood clotting disorder
- Spotted fever
- Measles
- Scrape
- Leukemia
- Plasmocytoma
- Schoenlein-Henoch purpura
- Psoriasis
- High blood pressure
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis of a skin hemorrhage is relatively simple and you do not need to be a doctor to do it. One can easily recognize a skin bleed and thus identify it. Nevertheless, if one suffers from unusual skin bleeding, one should definitely consult a doctor so that he or she can locate the cause of the skin bleeding. This is important because these bleedings are often just a symptom of a more serious disease. In order to diagnose them, medical knowledge is needed and various examinations must be performed. If this is not done, it can lead to the whole organism being endangered in the long term. Even though the diagnosis can be quite different, the course is usually the same. First, the red spots or dots, i.e. the skin bleeding, appear. During healing, the red spots change color differently. Often they first become bluish, before they turn yellow or green, before they disappear completely in the end.
Complications
In most cases, skin hemorrhages have complications that are of little concern. If left untreated, skin hemorrhage may spread. The bleeding goes deeper inside the body or the affected area under the skin enlarges. Bruises or bruises develop. These are painful and uncomfortable when pressure is applied. The same symptoms can occur when wearing tight clothing. Blood loss is associated with increased heart activity. If the condition persists, it leads to strain on the organism. In rare cases, dizziness or a so-called lightheadedness occurs. Initial treatment by cooling or immobilization in case of skin hemorrhage is usually without further complications. If ointments are used, attention should be paid to the individual side effects. In addition, intolerance may occur depending on the preparation. If an infection is the trigger of a skin hemorrhage, drugs such as antibiotics are usually used. These can cause nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea.If the skin bleeding was caused by high blood pressure, measures must be taken to reduce it. Depending on the cause, this can be done with medication, but also with psychological care. In some cases, the skin bleeding is based on a blood clotting disorder. In order for the blood to thin and flow better again, medication or natural remedies are administered.
When should you go to the doctor?
In common parlance, skin bleeding is called a bruise or hematoma. Another specialist but common term for this is hematoma. The cause is usually previous impact to the affected area including falling, occasionally pinching or sucking. For most people, such skin bleeding is trivial and no reason to go to the doctor especially for it. Usually, skin bleeding heals on its own within a few days. There are, however, a few exceptions where seeing a doctor for skin bleeding is strongly recommended. One cause of pathological skin bleeding that requires treatment is blood clotting disorders. Blood stasis can also cause skin bleeding after high pressure on the blood vessels has caused them to burst. Inflamed blood vessels are another cause. Skin hemorrhages also occur during chemotherapy if this has led to a platelet deficiency. The first point of contact for clarifying skin bleeding is the family doctor. Depending on the suspected cause, he or she may refer the patient to specialists such as internists, dermatologists or oncologists. In the case of skin bleeding, therefore, the patient’s assessment is also required as to whether a visit to the doctor is necessary or not. If skin bleeding occurs several times for no apparent reason, this is definitely reason enough to consult a doctor about this.
Treatment and therapy
The treatment of a skin bleeding can look quite different. The decisive factor is, of course, the diagnosis of the cause. If, for example, a coagulation disorder of the blood and thus too high pressure in the blood vessels is the trigger for the skin bleeding, the patient must usually take so-called “blood thinners” so that the blood can flow properly again and it does not become congested. However, if an infection or inflammation of the blood vessels is the cause, this is often treated with antibiotics. If the skin bleeding is caused by an injury, however, often only cooling and waiting helps.
Outlook and prognosis
In many cases, the skin bleeding is a bruise or hematoma. As long as no other discomfort or problems occur in the process, treatment by a doctor is not necessary and the skin bleeding will disappear on its own. In most cases, the affected area on the skin is sensitive to pressure and hurts to the touch. The color of the skin bleeding may change in the process of healing and vary between blue, green and yellow. This is a common symptom. If the skin bleeding is severe, there may be more blood loss. In this case, the affected person sometimes suffers from headache, dizziness and nausea. Diarrhea and vomiting may also occur. In this case, the skin bleeding is treated with the help of medication. If the skin bleeding occurs in the course of chemotherapy, no special treatment is necessary either. In the case of increased pressure in the blood vessels, blood-thinning medication is administered to allow the blood to drain away. In this case, there are no further symptoms. However, it is advisable to determine and treat the cause of the elevated blood pressure.
Prevention
There is no specific method to prevent skin bleeding. Of course, there are some factors that favor the causes, such as smoking, which should be avoided, but still this symptomatology may occur. However, in principle, one should pay attention to a healthy lifestyle. This includes drinking enough, eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly and trying to avoid injuries. Even though this is not a guarantee to never suffer from skin bleeding, it basically makes one less at risk and thus has a stronger immune system, which can prevent many diseases.
This is what you can do yourself
Some skin hemorrhages persist only temporarily. Those affected should therefore be advised to make temporary adjustments to their daily routine. Provided the bleeding is permanent, long-term changes should be made. Although these cannot replace therapy.However, they facilitate everyday management and can supplement existing treatment measures. Those who suffer from skin bleeding should protect themselves from injury and pay increased attention to warning signs of threatening bleeding. For prevention, contact-intensive sports should be avoided. In addition, the skin should be covered as much as possible. When dressing daily, care should be taken to ensure that the skin is protected but not dented. Further self-help measures include dexterity training. This is offered by various therapists. The purpose of this training is to minimize the general risk of injury through a sustained improvement in dexterity. In addition to this preventive-oriented instruction, the therapists are on hand to offer advice and support. They provide valuable advice on how to deal with difficult situations. This can be used to try out the real thing. In addition, it may also be advisable to visit a self-help group. The exchange with other affected persons leads to massive improvements of the psychological condition. Depression and comparable negative moods are thus prevented. The general attitude to life is improved, so that psychosomatoses, which can make everyday life considerably more difficult, do not even come into being.
