Every once in a while, you develop a health symptom so bizarre—like suddenly finding bruises all over your body—that it sends you into a total panic spiral. But guess what: We all have weirdo body issues that creep up and freak us out. That's why we asked an expert to solve them in the March "Confessions" issue of Women's Health. Here's what you need to know if you've suddenly got some weird black and blues.
Why you can stop spiraling: It's rarely a sign of something serious. More likely: You've taken OTC pain medications like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen. These can thin your blood, making you more likely to bruise, says Lori Tishler, M.D., director of internal medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Although black and blues typically occur when you've been using these meds for a week or so, they can, for some, cause bruising with just one or two doses. OTC supplements like fish oil can also make you turn purple, adds Khorasani, since they have anticoagulant properties. (Learn how bone broth can help you lose weight with Women's Health's Bone Broth Diet.)
Watch a hot doctor explain why that stubborn bruise won't heal:
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What to do now: If your bruises start to fade in a week, no need to do anything (except maybe decrease the amount of aspirin or anti-inflammatories you take). But if you're noticing them everywhere or they're lingering longer than a month, see your doc—especially if you have other random bleeding (like nosebleeds). Tishler says physicians will check for blood disorders such as anemia, Von Willebrand disease (a blood clotting disorder), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (when you have low levels of blood cells), and, in rare cases, leukemia.
Cassie Shortsleeve is a skilled freelance journalist with more than a decade of experience reporting for some of the nation's largest print and digital publications, including Women's Health, Parents, What to Expect, The Washington Post, and others. She is also the founder of the digital motherhood support platform Dear Sunday Motherhood and a co-founder of the newsletter Two Truths Motherhood and the maternal rights non-profit Chamber of Mothers. She is a mom to three daughters and lives in the Boston suburbs.
