Once the bruise has already formed, you can apply heat to help clear up the trapped blood under your skin. Applying heat will also boost circulation and increase blood flow. Use a heating pad, a hot water bottle, or soak in a warm bath. This will also help loosen tight muscles and relieve any pain associated with your injury. Elevate the bruised injury above the level of your heart.
Thanks to gravity, this helps relieve pain and drain fluid away from the bruise. Elevation reduces pressure and compression.
It also increases blood flow back to your heart and away from your injury. If possible, wrap the bruised area with an elastic bandage. This will squeeze the tissues around your injury, preventing the blood vessels from leaking any more. When your injury occurs, adding compression can lessen the severity of your bruise, reduce pain, and alleviate inflammation.
The same is true when it comes to healing injuries and bruises. While bruises are common and not usually a cause for concern, there are some cases where you should see a doctor or visit an urgent care nearby. You should also go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility if you think you have a broken bone along with your bruising.
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Images may contain models. Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary. How to Get Rid of Bruises Dr. What Is a Bruise? What Causes a Bruise? Are There Different Types of Bruises? Almost all bruises are a result of physical injury. The most common causes of bruises are: Sports injuries Concussions Head injuries Muscle sprains Blunt Force Trauma Certain medications, especially blood thinners Supplements Rigorous exercise Bleeding disorders Vitamin deficiencies Certain medical conditions, such as leukemia, hemophilia, iron-deficiency anemia, and liver disease Bruises are divided into three different types.
This includes: Subcutaneous bruises — bruises that appear just beneath the skin. What Is a Bruise? How Long Do Bruises Last?
The color of the bruise can give you an idea how old it is: When you first get a bruise, it's kind of reddish as the blood appears under the skin.
Within 1 or 2 days, the hemoglobin an iron-containing substance that carries oxygen in the blood changes and your bruise turns bluish-purple or even blackish.
After 5 to 10 days, the bruise turns greenish or yellowish. Then, after 10 or 14 days, it turns yellowish-brown or light brown. Finally, after about 2 weeks, your bruise fades away. Who Gets Bruises? Bruising depends on several things, such as: how tough the skin tissue is whether someone has certain diseases or conditions whether a person's taking certain medications Also, blood vessels tend to become fragile as people get older, which is why elderly people tend to bruise more easily.
Take acetaminophen for pain, if needed. When Should I Call the Doctor? Minor bruises are easily treated, but it's probably best to talk to a doctor if: A bruise isn't improving after 2 weeks. You bruise often and bruises seem to develop for no known reasons. Your bruise is swelling and very painful. You can't move a joint or you think you may have a broken bone.
Most bruises will disappear without treatment within about 2 weeks. Bruises are not typically something to cause undue worry. Often, they are a surface injury that requires no medical attention, and people can treat them at home. One common issue is a hematoma. A hematoma is a large collection of blood that becomes trapped within tissues.
It is often related to more significant trauma. When a hematoma occurs, the body cannot heal the bruise as easily or quickly as a minor injury. As a result, a hematoma stays the same color, firmness, and causes the same level of pain even after several days.
People may want to try to speed healing or lessen any pain associated with bruising. There are some potential at-home methods they can try, as described here:. One of the first steps to helping a bruise heal is to apply ice to the area. People can ice the area with anything frozen, such as a freezer pack or a bag of frozen vegetables.
Wrap the cold object in a towel or cloth and apply to the affected area. Do not apply a cold pack directly to the skin, as this can cause further injury. When a person applies ice to a new bruise, it helps to slow bleeding down and lessen the swelling.
This can reduce the overall size of the bruise, as it prevents blood from leaking further and reduces inflammation. Many people use arnica, quercetin, vitamin B-3, or vitamin K creams to help speed up bruise healing times. People can also use over-the-counter pain medicine, such as acetaminophen Tylenol and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs to reduce pain and inflammation around the bruise.
Avoid aspirin , as it can increase bleeding. Avoiding NSAIDs may also be necessary when bruising occurs after surgery or with extensive bruises, as these drugs risk worsening the bleeding. The use of a soft elastic wrap, during waking hours, for the first 1—2 days can help decrease bruising and discomfort after an injury. The wrap should be firm but not tight. Numbness, tingling or increased discomfort means the wrap should be loosened or removed. Elevating the bruised area has a similar effect to icing the bruise.
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