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Alcoholic liver disease: Symptoms, treatment, and causes

You may find that cuts and sores are slow to heal and may become more easily infected. Cirrhosis further worsens the condition and can lead to serious complications. In case of severe damage, the liver cannot heal or return to normal function. No material on this site, whether from our doctors or the community, is a substitute for seeking personalized professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Never disregard advice from a qualified healthcare professional or delay seeking advice because of something you read on this website. Light drinking (one or two drinks) can lower your blood pressure, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for you.

  • Consider talking with someone who has had a problem with drinking but has stopped.
  • Alcohol misuse can lead to neurological damage that can affect multiple areas of a person’s health and well-being.
  • Alcohol intolerance is caused by a genetic condition in which the body can’t break down alcohol efficiently.
  • Up to 46 percent of people with alcohol-related myopathy showed noticeable reductions in strength compared with people without the condition.

Heavy drinking can increase a person’s risk of developing alcohol use disorder (AUD). Having hepatitis C increases the risk, and a person who consumes alcohol does alcohol cause bruising regularly and has had any type of hepatitis faces a higher chance of developing liver disease. Several factors increase the risk of alcoholic liver disease.

Alcohol’s Effects on the Bone Marrow and on RBC Production

People with diabetes may develop hyperglycemia which creates too much glucose in the blood. If your mom and sister also easily bruise, it could be a family thing. Some people, mostly women, have very fragile blood vessels, especially in the thighs, arms, or butt. You should limit your alcohol intake if you are taking blood thinners. One drink on occasion is not likely to cause problems, but moderate to heavy drinking with anticoagulant medications is dangerous.

can alcohol cause bruising

The liver does a good job at this, but it has trouble keeping up if heavy quantities of alcohol have been ingested. This is when you may become intoxicated and feel the effects of alcohol. The liver can become damaged and swell, causing cells to die and scarring to develop.

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Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of porphyria cutanea tarda (PCT). This condition causes painful, blistering lesions on the skin following exposure to the sun. Changes to the skin can be more serious and last longer if a person regularly consumes alcohol. If a person spends the night drinking, they may also stay up late or not sleep at all.

can alcohol cause bruising

The presence of these cells in the blood serves as an indicator of sideroblastic anemia and can prompt the physician to perform a bone marrow examination to confirm the diagnosis. Many bone marrow abnormalities occurring in severe alcoholics affect the RBC precursor cells. These abnormalities most prominently include precursors containing fluid-filled cavities (i.e., vacuoles) or characteristic iron deposits. Dilated blood vessels can make bleeding more likely when you drink. If you have cirrhosis from alcohol liver damage, you’re also more likely to bleed and bruise easily. Continuing to drink, even when it causes health problems, is a sign of an alcohol use disorder.

Long-term effects

Anyone can experience a minor injury or accident that causes skin discoloration. Some people, including you, may be more prone to bruising than others. The early stages of alcohol-related liver disease typically have no symptoms. When they’re present, the early symptoms can include pain in the area of your liver, fatigue, and unexplained weight loss. Some people with severe alcoholic hepatitis may need a liver transplant. If you develop alcoholic hepatitis, you may be able to reverse the damage by permanently abstaining from alcohol.