Is it normal to get a bruise in the area where your blood is drawn?

[jinduy]

i had my blood drawn yesterday on my right arm and now i have a bruise there... just curious to see if anyone ever experienced this also?


on a side note, i hate seeing my blood gush out into that lil tube :disgust:

 

[WhiteKnight]

Not uncommon at all, although after about 3 gallons it's only happened to me once. You can just ice it if it's bothering you.

 

[Vanstorm]

Perfectly normal.

 

[Gravity]

It usually denotes a bad or sloppy "stick". Did it hurt when it went in? Sometimes they have a hard time getting the vein.

I'm a 2 gallon guy BTW.

 

[TheNinja]

It's not normal. You are probably going to die.

 

[DrNoobie]

It's normal with any antecubital venipuncture. To reduce the chance of bruising keep pressure on the site for a few minutes afterward.

 

[gistech1978]

Originally posted by: Staley8
It's not normal. You are probably going to die.

probably?
id say the chances are pretty good.

 

[jinduy]

i've had my blood drawn probably less than 6 times and this is the first time it actually stung. so yeah i guess the nurse kinda messed up

 

[Pliablemoose]

It depends on a lot of factors, they should have told you to keep pressure on the site for ~10-15 minutes.

It could have been that they went through both sides of the vein too, or you're more prone to bleeding if you've taken aspirin or tylenol recently.

It should go away in a few days.

I do a lot of blood draws, I'm the guy they call if no-one else can do it & I can perform arterial sticks for ABG's too.

 

[DrNoobie]

Originally posted by: jinduy
i've had my blood drawn probably less than 6 times and this is the first time it actually stung. so yeah i guess the nurse kinda messed up

It happens from time to time, she probably stuck it in too far. It's only a 3cm insertion, so it's easy to push to much.

EDIT: Metric System

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: DrNoobie
It's normal with any antecubital venipuncture. To reduce the chance of bruising keep pressure on the site for a few minutes afterward.

Actually, too much pressure just enhances the bruising! Best to just hold something firmly, with little pressure.....don't bend the arm with gauze in it either...that makes bruising really nasty!

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
It depends on a lot of factors, they should have told you to keep pressure on the site for ~10-15 minutes.

It could have been that they went through both sides of the vein too, or you're more prone to bleeding if you've taken aspirin or tylenol recently.

It should go away in a few days.

I do a lot of blood draws, I'm the guy they call if no-one else can do it & I can perform arterial sticks for ABG's too.

Me too.

<----- blood woman

 

[Pliablemoose]

Originally posted by: DrNoobie

Originally posted by: jinduy
i've had my blood drawn probably less than 6 times and this is the first time it actually stung. so yeah i guess the nurse kinda messed up

It happens from time to time, she probably stuck it in too far. It's only a 3mm insertion, so it's easy to push to much.

I'm really glad you don't measure my sticks, just measured my most frequently used needles, I stick them in sometimes 2.2-4 cm:Q

I've even done a couple of EJ's per ACLS protocol.

I think the record # of sticks I walked in on by residents/students was actuall in the 20's. I just volunteer to do it for them & ask them to ask for me in the future if they can't get a sample by the 3rd try.

 

[DrNoobie]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: DrNoobie

Originally posted by: jinduy
i've had my blood drawn probably less than 6 times and this is the first time it actually stung. so yeah i guess the nurse kinda messed up

It happens from time to time, she probably stuck it in too far. It's only a 3mm insertion, so it's easy to push to much.

I'm really glad you don't measure my sticks, just measured my most frequently used needles, I stick them in sometimes 2.2-4 cm:Q

I've even done a couple of EJ's per ACLS protocol.

I think the record # of sticks I walked in on by residents/students was actuall in the 20's. I just volunteer to do it for them & ask them to ask for me in the future if they can't get a sample by the 3rd try.

Ack! meant cm. Damn, 20 sticks...yea I can't talk...

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose

Originally posted by: DrNoobie

Originally posted by: jinduy
i've had my blood drawn probably less than 6 times and this is the first time it actually stung. so yeah i guess the nurse kinda messed up

It happens from time to time, she probably stuck it in too far. It's only a 3mm insertion, so it's easy to push to much.

I'm really glad you don't measure my sticks, just measured my most frequently used needles, I stick them in sometimes 2.2-4 cm:Q

I've even done a couple of EJ's per ACLS protocol.

I think the record # of sticks I walked in on by residents/students was actuall in the 20's. I just volunteer to do it for them & ask them to ask for me in the future if they can't get a sample by the 3rd try.

LOL I was thinking the same thing with some of my patients...try sticking a 700 lb man with a 3mm insertion!

Now, me on the other hand, you can get my blood in 1mm, I swear! Those suckers pop RIGHT out.

 

[DrNoobie]

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: DrNoobie
It's normal with any antecubital venipuncture. To reduce the chance of bruising keep pressure on the site for a few minutes afterward.

Actually, too much pressure just enhances the bruising! Best to just hold something firmly, with little pressure.....don't bend the arm with gauze in it either...that makes bruising really nasty!

Holding something firmly = pressure. I didn't mean squeeze the heck out of it. Come on, sexy, don't be like that.

 

[DT4K]

My wife gets her blood drawn at least once a month for the past 8 years.
She occasionally gets bruises. Not usually though.

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Originally posted by: DrNoobie

Originally posted by: MrsSkoorb

Originally posted by: DrNoobie
It's normal with any antecubital venipuncture. To reduce the chance of bruising keep pressure on the site for a few minutes afterward.

Actually, too much pressure just enhances the bruising! Best to just hold something firmly, with little pressure.....don't bend the arm with gauze in it either...that makes bruising really nasty!

Holding something firmly = pressure. I didn't mean squeeze the heck out of it. Come on, sexy, don't be like that.

Giggle....when people at work often apply "pressure," they do more than just firmly hold it! Maybe your idea of pressure is more along the lines of my "holding so the gauze doesn't fall off!" I once saw a surgeon put so much pressure on a site once that the area all around it was white for a good minute when he removed his hand! GOOD GRIEF!

 

[MomAndSkoorbaby]

Oops, double post. My bad.