Bruises and blood clots both stem from problems related to your blood vessels, but can bruises cause blood clots? Not necessarily, but there are certain factors to be aware of if you’re concerned about blood clots with bruising.
Both bruises and blood clots are common, but it’s important to know the differences between bruising vs a blood clot. This includes their causes, symptoms, and ways to lower the risk of a bruise becoming something more serious.
What Causes Bruises and How They Heal
We’ve all had a bruise before, and they can look drastically different depending on their cause, location, and the amount of damage done underneath your skin. They often appear as dark purple or red and gradually lighten up to a yellowish-green as your body breaks down the blood cells and reabsorbs them during the healing process.
Bruises develop when small blood vessels under the skin, known as capillaries, are damaged due to an impact or injury. This damage causes blood to leak into the surrounding tissues, resulting in a visible discoloration of the skin.
The healing process can take anywhere from a few days to a couple of weeks, depending on the severity. Factors like your age, medication usage, and existing health conditions can also influence how quickly bruises heal.
Can a Bruise Lead to a Blood Clot?
Will a bruise cause a blood clot? In most cases, even your most gruesome-looking bruise isn’t going to turn into a blood clot. A bruise occurs when blood vessels are damaged, causing blood to pool under the skin, while blood clots form inside veins or arteries to stop bleeding.
Bruises that are close to the surface of your skin and result from everyday bumps and contact injuries rarely pose a risk of clotting. However, can you get blood clots from a bruise? While rare, it’s possible that deep bruising could increase the risk of developing a blood clot.
This is more likely in scenarios where someone has deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a clotting disorder, or has experienced severe physical trauma. Additionally, people who are prone to having varicose veins may be at a higher risk for superficial thrombophlebitis (where a blood clot forms in a vein near the surface of the skin) — but varicose veins and blood clots don’t automatically go together.
In any case, it’s always best to practice caution and watch for signs that bruising is potentially turning into or indicating something more serious going on.
Identifying Symptoms of Blood Clots from Bruises
Bruises are very common and generally harmless, but it’s important to be able to identify if they could be signaling an underlying blood clot requiring more immediate attention. While a regular bruise may look, their appearance and any pain or mild swelling associated with them should improve over the following days.
Symptoms of a blood clot from a bruise may include:1
- Ongoing or worsening swelling
- Warmth
- Tenderness
- Pain that worsens
- Unusual redness of the skin
- Discolored skin beyond the area of your bruise
In the case of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), you may also notice throbbing in your leg. DVT is a condition where a blood clot forms in a deep vein, typically in the legs. If you notice any of the symptoms above, especially if you’re also experiencing shortness of breath or chest pain, seek medical attention right away.
Reducing the Risk of Blood Clots After a Bruise
While most bruises will go away on their own and don’t indicate a more serious issue, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of developing blood clots after having a bruise. The most important thing is to manage any underlying risk factors you have and practice lifestyle habits that promote healthy circulation, such as:
- Moving your body regularly: Especially after long periods of lying down, sitting, or even standing in one position, physical movement is important to prevent blood from pooling in your veins and potentially causing a problem.2 Exercise also stimulates the muscles to contract and relax, which helps pump blood through the veins and back to your heart.
- Elevation: Depending on where your bruised area is located, keeping that part of your body elevated off and on during the day can help promote healthy blood flow. This is easier when the bruise is in an area like an arm or leg. Elevating it above the level of your heart allows gravity to help move blood and fluids away from the bruise, reducing swelling and pressure. This also decreases the risk of stagnant blood flow.
- Cold therapy: A cold compress applied during the first 48 hours after an injury can help reduce swelling and inflammation at the bruise site. The cold constricts your blood vessels, reducing blood flow to the injured area and minimizing the amount of blood that leaks into surrounding tissues.
- Hydration: Drinking water helps increase your blood volume and support healthy circulation, preventing your blood from thickening. When your body is dehydrated, blood becomes more concentrated and thicker, increasing the likelihood of clot formation.
- No smoking: Smoking damages the lining of your blood vessels, making them more prone to inflammation and plaque buildup. This damage also can lead to the narrowing of blood vessels, which restricts blood flow and worsens the risk of clot formation. Smoking increases certain clotting factors in your blood while reducing how much oxygen there is, forcing your heart to work harder, further contributing to clot risks.3
For individuals at a higher risk of developing blood clots, such as those with clotting disorders or on blood thinners, wearing compression garments or taking prescribed medication can also help.
When to Consult a Doctor About Bruises and Blood Clots
Consult your doctor if bruises suddenly appear without an obvious cause (like hitting your arm or leg on something), are unusually large, or are taking longer than normal to heal. If you experience bruising along with odd symptoms like intense pain, redness, swelling, or warmth around the injury site, this could indicate a more serious issue that requires medical attention, like a blood clot. Seek immediate medical attention if you also experience chest pain or difficulty breathing.
It’s important for people who use blood-thinning medications or have a clotting disorder to be extra cautious with bruises and injuries.
At Empire Vein and Vascular Specialists, we’re here to help, whether it’s an issue with blood clotting and bruising, varicose veins, or other vascular health concerns. We are a team of board-certified vascular surgeons specializing in improving vein and vascular health with six locations throughout Southern California.
Empire Vein and Vascular Specialists is the top provider of VenaSeal™, the leading outpatient vein treatment in the USA, and other vein procedures. Our office is glad to accept most major PPOs, some HMOs, Medicare, and IEHP. Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our experienced team to learn more!
References
- Ashorobi D, Ameer MA, Fernandez R. Thrombosis. [Updated 2024 Feb 12]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538430/
- Olsen LN, Fischer M, Evans PA, Gliemann L, Hellsten Y. Does Exercise Influence the Susceptibility to Arterial Thrombosis? An Integrative Perspective. Front Physiol. 2021;12:636027. Published 2021 Feb 23. doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.636027
- Parmar MP, Kaur M, Bhavanam S, et al. A Systematic Review of the Effects of Smoking on the Cardiovascular System and General Health. Cureus. 2023;15(4):e38073. Published 2023 Apr 24. doi:10.7759/cureus.38073