its called bruising,nothing to worry about. It has nothing to do with steroids....
Bruising is caused by bleeding under the skin. For example, a hard knock which does not break the skin can damage fragile blood vessels which lie just beneath. These damaged blood vessels leak a small amount of blood, which collects in the area as a bruise.
With time, the familiar blue-black discolouration changes to green, then yellow and eventually fades and disappears. This may take up to three weeks if the bruise is large.
When the needle is taken out of the arm bleeding will continue until the small hole in the vein closes up. The way to prevent this is to apply pressure to the arm over the site where the needle was inserted. This must continue until all signs of bleeding have stopped. Failure to maintain this pressure is the most common cause of bruising.
Secondly, when the donation needle is put into the arm, damage to the opposite wall of the vein may occur, causing a small hole through which blood can escape. This is not always seen during the donation but may become apparent afterwards.
Thirdly there are tiny fragile blood vessels running just under the skin, as well as the larger veins from which a blood donation is obtained. When the donation needle is inserted into the arm, one of these small vessels may be damaged and bleeding occurs. It is impossible to predict this, as such vessels are not usually visible.
Bruising may be painful and you should avoid heavy lifting as this could aggravate the pain in the arm. However, gentle movement may be beneficial.
Applying something cool to the area can help to relieve any pain or discomfort. A cold cloth or flannel is ideal. If you require more pain relief, we recommend taking paracetamol (according to the manufacturers instructions).
If you experience any of the following, you should seek further help:
- Severe pain
- Numbness or pins and needles in the arm, hand or fingers
- Swelling and/or redness of the arm
