[jacq10]

Can you get bruises from excessive heat?

I had a heat pad (filled with beans) on my stomach because it was sore, and then afterwards (a couple hours) I had discoloration (like a bruise) where the heating pad was.

I know bruises form because of burst blood vessels... just wondering if its possible for heat to do this, or if i should be worried?

Thanks
Jacqueline

[sabby]

Hmmm interesting.....

I wonder if your blood vessels are really close to the top of your skin. I guess the heat would expand the vessels a bit and if you had pressure on the tummy I suppose could in essence cause some bruising.

I still would mention it to the doctor though....I could be waaaaaaaay off base on that.

Take good care!

sabby

[lenjan]

You aren't supposed to apply heating pads (no matter what they're filled with) for more than 20-30 minutes at a time, so yeah, doing so for 2 hours could leave discoloration.

Supposedly they're also not supposed to be used by diabetics, but I just ran across that one the other day and am still fairly new to the dx, so I have yet to find out why.

[serafim_etal]

Originally Posted by candybear

You aren't supposed to apply heating pads (no matter what they're filled with) for more than 20-30 minutes at a time, so yeah, doing so for 2 hours could leave discoloration.

Supposedly they're also not supposed to be used by diabetics, but I just ran across that one the other day and am still fairly new to the dx, so I have yet to find out why.

It is because (uncontrolled) diabetics have a decreased ability to heal, especially in extremities. This is why we are supposed to check our feet for blisters and sores, not go barefoot, etc.

However, I go barefoot in the house just about all the time, and I don't check my feet as often as "they" say to!

[serafim_etal]

I'm wondering if the bruising is actually from whatever made your stomach sore? For example, if you got hit there by something and that is why it was sore...maybe the bruising showed up later?

[jacq10]

Thanks everyone for their replies..

Candy- sorry i should have clarified, i didn't have the heating thing on for 2 hours later, what i meant was the redness/bruising was there to hours after already haven taken it off.

Its interesting you mentioned something about diatbetes... i'm actually going to get tested for that, and i'm kind of leaning towards thinking i might have it, especially because this weekend I fainted at work for no reason.....

[lenjan]

Well, keep me posted, 'k? We can learn about it together, if you happen to be so cursed with it.



While I was out dong laundry, I DVR'd something on Discovery Health Channel about managing anticoagulation -- it was aimed at doctors, but I find that people like me who actually have to take blood thinners tend to know more about it than the MDs. (True in most cases, actually, esp. pdocs! ) Anyway, if any insight about blood vessels and the like comes from that, I'll let you know.