Bruising is caused by bleeding under the skin which sometimes continues when the needle is taken out of the arm. It can also occur during needle insertion when there is damage to the opposite wall of the vein. It may also be the result of an arterial puncture, where the needle is inadvertently inserted into an artery instead of a vein.

Although bruises can look very dramatic and may be painful, they are usually harmless and will disappear. Larger bruisers may take up to three weeks to disappear.

Arm or discomfort in the arm may be the result of tendon or nerve injury.

If you experience any of the following, please contact our team on 0800 25 22 26:

• Stiffness, weakness or a dull ache in your arm
• Pain that gets worse with movement
• Severe pins and needles
• Swelling or the development of a lump in the arm
• Redness or inflammation
• Change of skin colour to the arm or hand

An arterial puncture occurs when the needle is accidentally inserted into an artery rather than the vein. An arterial puncture usually results in a bruise, in which case you should follow the same guidelines as above.

If you suffer an arterial puncture, the staff will inform you and give you further information.

If you experience any of the following symptoms you should visit A&E immediately or call 999:

• Bleeding has restarted
• Swelling that is large or growing
• Numbness or pins and needles in the arm, hand or fingers
• Severe or increasing pain
• Coldness or paleness in the lower arm.

Some people feel sick, dizzy or faint before, during or after their blood donation. On rare occasions, a donor may faint.

There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of fainting after your donation:

• Make sure you continue to eat and drink plenty
• Avoid strenuous exercise or activity
• Avoid standing for long periods of time
• Avoid hot baths, saunas and steam rooms
• Keep the dressing on your arm for at least two hours
• Avoid heavy lifting for the rest of the day
• Don’t take part in hazardous activities that require a lot of concentration
• Avoid drinking alcohol
• Avoid smoking cigarettes or vaping for at least two hours

Fainting does not mean you cannot donate again. However, our clinical team may advise you against future donations if you have a history of fainting after several donations.

If you fall ill in the weeks following your donation, it’s vital that you let us know at the earliest opportunity. You don’t need to inform us about common ailments like coughs and colds, but we may not be able to use your donation for transfusion if you have certain illnesses.

Please inform us by email at donors@wales.nhs.uk or by calling us on 0800 25 22 66.

Every donation tells a story. Every donation makes a difference. If you’ve had a great experience, please let us know.
Whether it’s a friendly face at a donation session, a driver, a nurse, someone behind the scenes, a message that made you smile, or simply feeling a part of something special, we would love to hear from you.

Click here to send us a compliment.

We aim to provide a quality service to everyone we interact with, from donors, to volunteers on our stem cell registry, to the hospitals we supply blood and patients we serve.

If you feel our Service has fallen below those standards and wish to make a complaint, you can do so here.