Too much alcohol affects your speech, muscle coordination and vital centers of your brain. A heavy drinking binge may even cause a life-threatening coma or death. This is of particular concern when you’re taking certain medications that also depress the brain’s function. If your pattern of drinking results in repeated significant distress and problems functioning in your daily life, you likely have alcohol use disorder. However, even a mild disorder can escalate and lead to serious problems, so early treatment is important.
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It can also make circulating platelets less sticky, rendering them less effective in forming clots. This increased blood flow means more blood might escape the vessel if it ruptures. A graduate of Texas Tech University and the can drinking cause bruising University of Cincinnati, Trent is fervently dedicated to providing evidence-based, compassionate care to those battling addiction.
What Is a Bruise?
Because connective tissue is located all throughout our bodies, people with EDS can have a wide range of symptoms. Blood cancers affect blood cells and account for nearly 10% of all cancers in the U.S., according to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A low platelet count makes you bruise easily—one of the telltale symptoms of blood cancers. Your liver has many functions, including helping in digestion, removing waste from the body, and producing certain proteins. If your liver isn’t functioning properly, it will not make enough clotting factors, which makes you more prone to bruising and bleeding.
- If you’re experiencing alcohol symptoms like easy bruising, or you simply want to break free from alcohol misuse, Confidant is here to help.
- First, alcoholics are more likely to fall and injure themselves, which can cause bruising.
- Don’t do this yourself because you could hurt yourself further, cause an infection, and slow your healing process.
Addiction Therapist: What They Do & How to Find the Right One
Alcohol addiction can cause various health issues, some of which include bruising and subcutaneous bleeding. Bruises that take a long time to heal or getting bruised for no apparent cause could be signs of a bleeding disorder. Sunnyside is the leading alcohol health platform focused on moderation and mindfulness, not sobriety. On average, members see a 30% reduction in alcohol consumption in 3 months, leading to improved sleep, diet, and overall wellbeing.
How to Prevent Alcoholic Neuropathy
You should also seek medical attention if your bruises appear on parts of your body where injuries are unlikely to occur, like your torso, back, face or on the backs of your hands. Ditto if they start to appear after you’ve started a new medication. “Generally, bruises should fade completely in a couple of weeks,” Dr. Johnston says. “If your bruise doesn’t heal after roughly three to four weeks, you should seek medical attention because it could be a sign of a more serious medical issue.” With platelet disorders, such as thrombocytopenia, there may be an underproduction or overproduction of platelets in the body, or platelets that don’t work normally. “In the case of too few platelets, the body won’t be able to control bleeding after experiencing physical trauma,” Dr. Johnston says.
Myth: You’re not in danger of health or addiction problems if you only drink alcohol socially.
The pain can feel like burning, throbbing, or sharp pins and needles. As the condition progresses, the pain may vary in intensity, sometimes diminishing for months before worsening again. Because denial is common, you may feel like you don’t have a problem with drinking. You might not recognize how much you drink or how many problems in your life are related to alcohol use. Listen to relatives, friends or co-workers when they ask you to examine your drinking habits or to seek help. Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped.
What Are the Long-Term Effects of Alcohol on the Body?
You may avoid possible health problems by limiting your alcohol consumption. When it comes to drinking, remember to always prioritize your well-being and make appropriate decisions. Binge drinking, which includes consuming a large quantity of alcohol in a short period, may be harmful to our health.
- Some people experience a faster onset and progression of alcoholic neuropathy than others.
- According to DermNet.org, drinking large amounts of alcohol can increase a person’s risk of developing psoriasis.
- But long-term and excessive alcohol consumption can lead to liver inflammation (liver hepatitis).
- Furthermore, if alcohol bruises are a result of liver damage, you likely have alcoholic liver disease, which causes severe dysfunction in the liver.
Advances in research, an explosion in sophisticated imaging technology and new medical procedures have allowed for earlier diagnosis of prostate disease and more personalized treatment. Dr. Kling recommends that people going through menopause limit alcohol to one drink a day or less, in addition to eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. Dr. Oesterle leads Mayo Clinic’s inpatient rehabilitation program for addiction and says he often sees alcohol use become a problem for people after they retire.
By Lindsay CurtisCurtis is a what is alcoholism writer with over 20 years of experience focused on mental health, sexual health, cancer care, and spinal health. At this point, you may have alcohol cravings or drink to avoid the low feelings withdrawal causes rather than for the pleasurable feelings alcohol consumption may offer. The brain is highly vulnerable to the damaging effects of alcohol, which disrupts communication between brain cells.
He emphasizes a holistic, patient-centered approach and stays updated on the latest in addiction research. Trent Carter, FNP-BC, CARN-AP, is a seasoned nurse practitioner with over a decade of experience in addiction medicine. However, giving up alcohol right away isn’t sustainable or desirable for most people. After all, studies have shown that almost 50% of adults wish to reduce their intake without giving up alcohol altogether.