Internal bruising is a common problem in our society. People are not aware of it. They do not know how to treat it effectively. Some people may think internal bruising is just a minor inconvenience or pain they have experienced once in their life, but actually internal bruising can cause long term problems like heart disease, cancer and other diseases. So let’s look at some of the things you need to know about internal bruising:
What Is Internal Bruising?
Internal bruising is a type of blood clotting disorder which occurs when there is a blockage inside the body. Blood clots form within the capillaries (small channels through your skin) in your veins and arteries. These clots can travel throughout your bloodstream causing damage to vital organs such as the brain, heart, lungs and kidneys. Internal bruising can occur anywhere in the body, but most commonly happens around veins and arteries in the legs or arms.
Causes Of Internal Bleeding:
There are several causes of internal bleeding including:
Vascular disease – Vascular disease includes conditions such as atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), thrombosis (clotting in one place) and pulmonary embolism (blood clots traveling through the lungs). Any condition that increases your risk of blood clots is a potential cause of internal bleeding.
Trauma to the veins or arteries – Injury, burns or even surgery can cause damage to the veins and arteries allowing blood clots to form.
Drugs and medical treatment – Some medications have been known to cause blood clots, such as estrogen treatments for transgender women.
Hemophilia – This is a condition where you lack certain proteins that help your blood clot normally.
Diseases and infections – Infections such as HIV and sepsis (infection throughout the bloodstream) can cause blood clots.
Sickle-cell disease and leukemia also increase your risk of internal bleeding.
Symptoms Of Internal Bleeding:
The signs and symptoms of internal bleeding include:
Unexplained fatigue and weakness.
Shortness of breath, especially when active.
Headaches, dizziness or confusion.
Bruising or bleeding easily. For example, easy bruising below the knees or dark sticky bowel movements.
Pain in the chest or back which does not ease even when resting.
If you experience any of these symptoms, consult a doctor immediately. If you ignore the symptoms, you could suffer a stroke or heart attack.
Treatments For Internal Bleeding:
There are several treatments for internal bleeding, including medications and surgical procedures. The right treatment will depend on the cause of your internal bleeding.
Your doctor will assess your symptoms and medical history and determine how to proceed with your treatment. The most common treatments for internal bleeding are:
Anticoagulants – These drugs help prevent blood clots from forming or growing larger.
Anti-inflammatories – The pain of internal bleeding can often be managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like aspirin or ibuprofen. If these are not effective, your doctor may prescribe corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.
Hemophilia medication – If you suffer from a bleeding disorder such as hemophilia, you will need regular infusions of replacement proteins to help the blood clot normally.
Sources & references used in this article:
Chemical composition and physical properties of pericarp, locule, and placental tissues of tomatoes with internal bruising by CL Moretti, SA Sargent, DJ Huber… – Journal of the …, 1998 – journals.ashs.org
Internal bruising alters aroma volatile profiles in tomato fruit tissues by CL Moretti, EA Baldwin, SA Sargent, DJ Huber – HortScience, 2002 – journals.ashs.org
Sensitivity of tomatoes at mature-green and breaker ripeness stages to internal bruising by SA Sargent, JK Brecht, JJ Zoellner – Journal of the American …, 1992 – journals.ashs.org
Internal bruising affects chemical and physical composition of tomato fruit by CL Moretti, SA Sargent, DJ Huber, R Puschmann – HortScience, 1997 – journals.ashs.org
1-Methylcyclopropene treatment and bruising of different apple cultivars during storage by SK Jung, CB Watkins – The Journal of Horticultural Science and …, 2009 – Taylor & Francis
Arnica for bruising and swelling by SA Kouzi, DS Nuzum – American Journal of Health-System …, 2007 – academic.oup.com
