Occurs when blood vessels are injured, causing blood to collect under the skin and in surrounding tissue. The tenderness, swelling, and gradual change of color occur as the body works to break down the collected blood.
Caroline Murtha, a family nurse practitioner in San Antonio, Texas, explains that as we age, our blood vessels may naturally become thinner and less elastic.
If bruising is a side effect of a medication, ask your doctor about other options.Applying a cold compress to the area immediately following an injury can help decrease swelling and possibly reduce bruising.
But if you are experiencing frequent bruising without trauma, you could have an issue with blood clotting, though “typically, if there is an underlying condition, there will be other common symptoms, too, such as frequent nosebleeds, bleeding gums, or prolonged bleeding with minor cuts and scrapes,” she says.