President Donald Trump sparked health concerns with a large mark on the back of his hand
Doctors have explained how to tell when a bruise could be something more serious after President Donald Trump’s recent diagnosis of chronic venous insufficiency. The diagnosis followed public speculation about a hand mark initially dismissed as a bruise.
Doctors with the Center for Vein Restoration (CVR) say that w hile bruises are common and usually harmless, certain skin discolorations could signal something much more serious.
“Many patients come to us weeks after noticing what they thought was a simple bruise, but in reality, it was an early sign of a vein disorder or even a blood clot,” said Dr Pamela Kim, a vein specialist at CVR. “Knowing the difference can be lifesaving.”
How to tell the difference:
- Bruises usually occur after trauma and change color over time, starting red or purple, then turning green, yellow or brown as they heal.
- Blood clots (like deep vein thrombosis or DVT) often remain red, swollen and painful without changing colour, and may occur without any injury at all.
- Vein-related bruising often occurs in the legs due to weakened or varicose veins, and can appear spontaneously, sometimes with tenderness or swelling.
Additional symptoms that should prompt medical evaluation include:
- Persistent swelling or warmth in a limb
- Unusual tenderness without a clear cause
- Skin discolouration that doesn’t fade
- A visible bulge or hardness under the skin
Why it matters now
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), hundreds of thousands of people suffer blood clots every year and many die from complications, like pulmonary embolisms. Misdiagnosis or delays in care, especially when clots are mistaken for bruises, can be fatal.
In President Trump’s case, what the public saw as a “bruise” on his hand turned out to be possibly tied to a vascular issue that’s more common than many realise.
“Chronic venous insufficiency can affect a president or anyone else. It impacts millions of Americans,” said Dr Kim. “We want people to know when to watch and when to act.”
If you’re unsure whether a mark on your leg or body is a bruise or something more serious, don’t wait. Seek prompt medical attention from a vein specialist. Early assessment can make all the difference.