Red stripes on arm after using blood pressure cuff

[nhelen79]

Hi all
i have high blood pressure so I need to measure it 3 times a day before taking labetalol. I just notice recently that after I use the automatic BP machine, there are red lines going up and down in the cuff area. Cuff is tight when pumping. Thing is I don’t remember seeing this before. Have anyone ever experience this? I ask my doctor and she said it can happen when the cuff is tight. She doesn’t do anything else after telling me that.


I delivered my baby 6 weeks ago and have countless CBC blood tests for preeclampsia. Latest one is 3 weeks ago and my platelet count was elevated but my doctor said it can be because I was stressed out or healing from c-section. My guess my concern is bleeding disorder causes these red lines. However, logically I’m trying to tell myself that if something is serious in the weekly blood tests in the past 3 months, they (doctors) would have let me know and treat me right? I was in the hospital just 3 weeks ago for preeclampsia. Sigh, my anxiety is blinding my logical thoughts.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Congratulations on your new baby! I wonder whether it could be because of things like water retention or even your body changing since you have been through a big physical event so there are weight & hormone changes still taking place?They do sometimes leave a temporary mark on me. When I was diagnosed with Hypertension they gave me the 24hr ambulatory test and the cuff is in very tight for that time let alone when it performs it's hourly tests. It left an intention that ended up turning red and there was some fluid loss and it ended up being a scab in two places. It took some time for it to go down. What I mean is that you are doing it several times a day which could be irritating the skin. Perhaps some moisturise of the area or some cream might help?

[nhelen79]

Congratulations on your new baby! I wonder whether it could be because of things like water retention or even your body changing since you have been through a big physical event so there are weight & hormone changes still taking place?They do sometimes leave a temporary mark on me. When I was diagnosed with Hypertension they gave me the 24hr ambulatory test and the cuff is in very tight for that time let alone when it performs it's hourly tests. It left an intention that ended up turning red and there was some fluid loss and it ended up being a scab in two places. It took some time for it to go down. What I mean is that you are doing it several times a day which could be irritating the skin. Perhaps some moisturise of the area or some cream might help?

Thank you for sharing your experience. The red lines fade the next day or so. If I use the wrist BP machine, nothing happens in the cuff area of the wrist. Also You reminded me that I'm still healing from the surgery. Sometimes,I forgot that pregnancy and C-section is a big physical change. I know eventually I will need blood tests to make sure everything is back to normal again and I'm already scared thinking of that, but I need to face it.

[ErinKC]

Sometimes,I forgot that pregnancy and C-section is a big physical change.

Keep reminding yourself of this! I read somewhere that the physical effects of pregnancy and childbirth are akin to being in a major car accident, and it sounds like you had an even bigger ordeal with preeclampsia! Yet, off they send us to recover with tons of stress and no sleep! The psychological effects are also enormous! So, if your anxiety is worse definitely seek out help. Mine didn't get bad until after having a child.

As for the marks, my guess would be the same as Terry, that it's just from the cuff squeezing and perhaps your body is just a bit different now and it's leaving more of a mark. And, there's also the possibility that you just didn't notice this before, but now your anxiety level is a big higher and you've focused on it. It sounds like you're getting good and regular medical care, so I'm sure they would have noticed anything serious.

[nhelen79]

Keep reminding yourself of this! I read somewhere that the physical effects of pregnancy and childbirth are akin to being in a major car accident, and it sounds like you had an even bigger ordeal with preeclampsia! Yet, off they send us to recover with tons of stress and no sleep! The psychological effects are also enormous! So, if your anxiety is worse definitely seek out help. Mine didn't get bad until after having a child.

As for the marks, my guess would be the same as Terry, that it's just from the cuff squeezing and perhaps your body is just a bit different now and it's leaving more of a mark. And, there's also the possibility that you just didn't notice this before, but now your anxiety level is a big higher and you've focused on it. It sounds like you're getting good and regular medical care, so I'm sure they would have noticed anything serious.

Thanks ErinKC. I will have my 6-week postpartum tomorrow so I will bring this issue up. As of right now, I’m clinging on the hope that if something was wrong with me, they would have let me know because I have had so many blood tests in the past 3 months or so and I was just discharged from the hospital just few weeks ago. Will ask the obgyn tomorrow for blood tests. I always have health anxiety beofre pregnancy but it’s getting worse after delivery.