What is Bruising

Featuring Dr. Beth Donaldson, MD

Duration: 1 minute, 18 seconds

Bruising is is most often caused by some sort of contusion, which translates into bleeding underneath the skin and then you have the bruise show up on your skin.

The first thing that people need to be aware of with bruising is how did it happen? Is it actually from a hockey puck hitting you in the leg, or is there something more going on? And the first thing you need to think about is is this some sort of abuse, or not? Once you've decided that it's actually from a hockey puck or something like that, you need to understand that bruises are different in every individual.

Some people bruise really easily and some people won't show a bruise at all. If your bruise becomes painful and doesn't seem to be going away after a couple of days, you may want to consult your physician on that.

The types of people that really need to be concerned about bruising are those on blood thinners such as aspirin or Coumadin. And those people where bruises tend to show up without any sort of accident or fall.

If you do notice that you are bruising a little bit more than normal, consult your physician as it could be a sign of an underlying disorder. If you are on aspirin as well, you may want to think about going off, but do consult your physician first.

Presenter: Dr. Beth Donaldson, Family Doctor, Vancouver, BC

Local Practitioners: Family Doctor