Bruises
What are bruises?
Bruise symptoms
Causes of bruises
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for bruises
What are bruises?
Bruises are blue-black markings caused by blunt impact on some part of the body. The trauma causes capillaries to rupture, letting blood seep into the surrounding tissue.
Bruises are one of the most frequent trivial injuries. Minor bruises are harmless and only a cosmetic annoyance that normally heals in a few days. However extensive, painful and deep bruising where the trauma caused additional injury such as a fracture or internal bleeding, warrants medical examination because of the risk of a blood clot forming that can travel to other parts of the body and block a blood vessel (an embolism). Heart attack or stroke can be caused by an embolism.
Bruise symptoms
- Immediately after the blunt trauma, there may be inflammation and swelling. The initial colouring may be blood-red.
- Within hours or days, the bruise can turn blue-black-purple colour.
- Yellow colouring in the following days is a symptom of healing.
Causes of bruises
- Blunt impact.
- Repeated blows on the same point.
- Pressing too hard on one point.
- Ageing. Elderly people tend to have thin, delicate skin that bruises easily.
- Pharmaceutical drugs. Some medications can cause chronic bruising.
- Chronic bruising may indicate a problem with blood clotting, health degeneration or underlying tissue damage that warrants medical examination.
Prevention / remedies / cures / treatment for bruises
- Ice immediately. The most important thing with trauma injuries is to apply ice as soon as possible. The sooner you can do it, the less pain and bruising you will have, and the quicker it will heal. Gently apply an ice pack for 10 - 30 minutes to the injured area. Repeat every 2 - 3 hours during the first day (or two days if there is swelling) after the injury. During the first two days avoid activities that might increase swelling such as taking hot showers or using a heat pack.
The treatment changes after the first one or two days of using ice packs. If the swelling is reduced, you can apply a warm compress to dilate blood vessels, improve circulation, relieve pain and speed healing. - Bruising too easily? If your skin seems to be bruise with just a slight knock, there are two possible deficiencies that may be the cause.
Vitamin K1 deficiency. Vitamin K stimulates the production of elastin in the skin, making the skin stronger and more elastic. It also helps with wound healing and the production of healthy capilliaries. The main food source of vitamin K is dark green leafy vegetables. Various vitamin Ks are also made by bacteria in the digestive tract, so people who do not eat plants do not feed those good bacteria. A single course of antibiotics can also destroy the bacteria that make K vitamins.
Flavonoids (bioflavonoid) deficiency. After taking a flavonoid such as rutin people often find that their skin is noticeably more resilient after just a few weeks. Citrus fruits are a good source of flavonoids, other foods include black tea, blueberries, cocoa, parsley, red onion, thyme and wine. - Arnica. Apply as soon as possible after any trauma.
- Vitamin C.
- Bilberry extract.
- Apple cider vinegar.
- Rutin.
- DMSO.
- Aloe vera.
- Butter
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