If you are wondering how to get rid of a bruise, you are in the right place to find the best remedies for bruises.
Most of us get a bruise from time to time, which can be very painful, swollen, or red. For example, a bruised toenail or muscle contusion is very common.
This article explores the simple ways you can get relief from injuries fast.
What Are Bruises
A bruise occurs when blood leaks from tiny blood vessels called capillaries and collects under the skin.
Depending on the location of occurrence in your body, there are three types of bruises:
- Subcutaneous bruises happen just beneath the skin.
- Periosteal bruises occur on the bones.
- Intramuscular bruises arise in the underlying muscles.
A contusion happens when the soft tissues of your body have been bumped or injured. It is the result of trauma to small veins under the skin.
Some people have delicate skin, which makes them get injured easily, whereas others may have tougher skin tissues. Few others suffer from “easy bruise” syndrome: bruising that occurs without any obvious injuries on the skin.
“Easy bruising may be due to abnormalities or weaknesses in the blood vessel walls, the skin, the subcutaneous fat (that sits under the skin), or the platelets (cells vital for blood clotting),” says Dr. Martin Scurr, a writer for good health at the Daily Mail, UK.
A bruise causes the red blood cells to ooze out of the injured veins.
The platelets in the oozing blood collect at the site of the injury to form a plug. The platelets combine with certain proteins called clotting factors to form a fibrin clot.
The blood clot in the affected area may change its color to purplish, blue, black, or red. These color changes in the affected area occur as the internal curing of the bruise reaches different stages.
What Causes Bruises
Here are some of the common reasons that cause bruises:
- minor mishaps such as falling, colliding with objects, or objects falling on the body,
- thinning of veins due to old age,
- anti-coagulant medication and pills like aspirin,
- certain bleeding disorders, such as hemophilia and Von Willebrand’s disease,
- vitamin deficiency (vitamins B12, C, and K, or folic acid),
- a sign of domestic, child, or elder abuse.
Way To Get Rid Of Bruises Fast
How fast you can get relief from contusions depends on the severity of the injuries.
In most cases, bruises are usually quickly salved with simple first aid and natural remedies.
The overnight curing of contusions is about the stoppage of bleeding, pain, and swelling. A few days of treatment will be required for complete bruise healing and recovery.
Severe and critical bruises caused by high-impact injuries are complicated and require one to two weeks of treatment to get rid of them completely.
Now let us look at some simple DIY remedies and first-aid measures to speed up the healing process.
1. Ice treatment
A cold compress will reduce the inflammation caused by the bruise. It is best to administer first aid immediately after the injury. This also reduces the amount of blood that leaks out of the wound.
You should apply the ice pack for 10–20 minutes at least three times daily. Ice treatment will make the swelling and pain subside within 48 hours.
Do not apply the ice directly to the skin. Place a towel or pack on the skin before applying it.
If you have run out of ice cubes in your freezer, reach for a bag of frozen peas or milk instead.
2. Take acetaminophen or ibuprofen
You can take OTC pills like acetaminophen or ibuprofen to get fast relief from inflammation caused by trapped blood in the injured capillaries.
To be on the safe side, taking oral medication like pain relief pills is better after consulting a physician.
You should avoid taking aspirin, as this pill further thins the blood and worsens the bruise.
3. Elevate the bruised area
Immediately after getting bruises on your legs, hands, or face, you can lift the affected area above your heart. This helps reduce the blood flow from the ruptured veins and stops blood pooling in the affected area.
You can’t use this option if you have a bruise on your torso. Instead, focusing on icing the area and resting would be best.
4. Massage
You can gently massage the surrounding area of the affected area a few times a day. Only after 12 hours of bruising should you begin massaging.
Massaging helps to improve the lymphatic process in the affected area, which was disturbed by the black eye and the clotting of blood.
Do not massage if the affected area is swollen and painful.
5. Rest
Working in or frequently moving the affected area increases the flow and leaking of blood through the ruptured veins.
Restriction from active work and exercises may be required depending on the severity of the bruise. It may be a good time to watch a movie, read a book, or enjoy a long sleep.
6. Hot compress
After 24 hours, you should put a heating pad or apply hot compresses to the affected areas thrice daily. It boosts circulation and increases blood flow.
It is better to apply an ice pack to the bruised area for 5 minutes before you apply heat.
A warm, water-filled heat pack is ideal for treating the affected skin area.
For some people, applying ice pack therapy might hurt and cause pain; if so, avoid icing the injury.
7. Sunbathing in the contusion
Ultraviolet light breaks down bilirubin, a yellow compound in the normal catabolic pathway. This catabolism is an important process in the body’s clearance of waste products that arise from the destruction of red blood cells.
Putting the black eye in direct sunlight for about 10 minutes helps the remaining bilirubin change into its other form faster.
8. Elastic bandage
Wrap the bruised place with an elastic bandage. This will squeeze the tissues and help prevent blood vessels from leaking.
4 Simple Natural Treatments
Most prescription medicines for contusions are meant to treat the symptoms of vein injuries, like painful swelling.
In mainstream treatment, you mostly get painkillers and anti-inflammatory lotions to alleviate the injuries.
Natural remedies are a better option for the fast healing of contusions.
Several natural remedies work well to treat trauma-related skin changes and vein breaks.
Natural remedies are as effective as prescription medicines, minus the side effects of consuming OTC pain relief pills.
Some of these natural remedies can give overnight relief from the main symptoms of wound-like internal bleeding, pain, and swelling.
Here are a few easy-to-use natural remedies for contusions that work fast and effectively:
1. Vinegar treatment
Vinegar is a powerful remedy that helps heal bruises fast.
Add 15 ml of vinegar to 30 ml of warm water, and with a cotton ball soaked in the vinegar solution, gently rub the affected area for a few minutes. This treatment should be started 12 hours after the injury has occurred.
Vinegar activates the veins in the affected area and increases the blood flow near the skin’s surface.
Alternatively, you can also use witch hazel extract instead of vinegar.
2. Arnica treatment
Arnica extract and oil are traditionally used as natural solutions for contusions.
It works very well to stop inflammation because it has anti-inflammatory and astringent properties.
Do not apply the arnica ointment or oil to the skin if you have open cuts or wounds.
Get arnica ointment and use it for gently massaging the bruised area of the skin.
2. Eat pineapple
Pineapple contains an enzyme known as “bromelain,” which is beneficial for breaking down the protein that traps fluids in the tissues in the injured body area.
Eat a few large slices of pineapple daily to increase the bromelain enzyme supply to the body.
3. Apply parsley
Parsley leaves contain therapeutic properties that can quickly reduce pain and inflammation. It is also effective for faster healing of punctured or ruptured veins.
Grind the parsley leaves into a thick paste and apply it over the wounded area. It is better to wrap the application with a cotton strap; let it stay there overnight.
4. Apply a live leech
An effective Chinese holistic treatment method is to use live leech bites on wounds and injured areas.
Apply a live leech to the injured skin area and allow the leech to bite and suck blood for 2 minutes. It will suck out the clogged blood pool under the skin, which is very beneficial for faster healing of contusions.
You can remove the sponge by applying petroleum jelly or table salt.
How To Heal Bruises On Face
It is a cosmetic concern to have a bruise on the face. Everyone will be eager to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Fortunately, you can easily and quickly remove the minor contusion on your face within a matter of a few days without even consulting a doctor. Medical attention is necessary only if the discoloration is severe and large.
Here are a few of the best DIY remedies for discolorations on the face:
- Apply the ice bag to the affected area; repeatedly do it a few times a day. Overnight, ice cube compression relieves the majority of the symptoms of the injury.
- Apply a warm compress to the injured area to reduce swelling and pain; this should only be done after 24 hours.
- Use makeup concealer to hide the visible symptoms of the injury. It is best for hiding skin discoloration. Choose the concealer that matches your skin tone.
- Do an apple cider vinegar soak on the affected area of the facial skin; this is beneficial for removing the contusion marks on the skin. ACVheals the injury and gently exfoliates the skin to lighten the discoloration on the skin.
Tips For Effectively Managing Bruises
Here are a few tips and simple remedies that can help you quickly heal the bruises on the skin and get rid of the scars caused by a contusion.
- Do not touch, pick, or scratch the injured area.
- Apply Aloe Vera gel to the skin. It is soothing and comforting and helps remove discoloration from the skin.
- Placing a banana peel on the bruise for 10 minutes can help lighten the discoloration.
- Do not exercise or do laborious works that exert pressure on the injured area.
- If you have an “easy bruise” problem, you need to seek medical help to diagnose the cause and remedy the same.
- If you leave an ice pack on an injury for more than 10 minutes, the skin will become inflamed.
- Do not massage directly on the bruise, but you can massage the unaffected areas surrounding the bruise.
- Vitamin K and E can help correct scars and repair skin damage.
- Vitamin K cream may help in healing wounds and prevent scars
- Do not take painkillers that lead to blood thinning.
- Avoid smoking and alcoholic drinks, which slow down the healing process.
- Do not bandage the bruised area of the skin.
When Do You Need To Consult A Doctor
All minor injuries are not serious medical conditions. They can be treated and cured at home with natural and OTC medicines.
However, you need to visit the doctor after the injury only if the following conditions or situations arise:
- If you feel extreme pressure around the bruise, it may be compartment syndrome(lack of oxygen supply to the affected area), which needs to be immediately treated;
- easy bruising occurring without bumping, falling, or accidental injuries;
- High fever or headachesaccompanying the bruise, which is a sign of infection.
- If the pain worsens after 24 hours, consult a doctor.
- If a lump (hematoma) forms over the affected location.
- If you have a family history of easy bruising or bleeding.
- If you are already taking medication for other diseases.
Warnings on DIY remedies for bruises
It is possible to get complete relief from minor bruises through DIY home remedies. However, you should know certain nuances when treating contusions at home with natural remedies.
- Do not use natural remedies to treat the bruises that suddenly appear on the skin without any apparent reasons known to you.
- It is safe to consult a doctor before you start a new medication, especially if you have delicate health.
- If you do not see any reduction in symptoms of bruises after 24 hours, you should stop the self-treatments and consult a doctor.
- Before using a natural remedy for contusions, you should check for allergic reactions on your skin.
- Self-remedies used to heal contusions are not medically proven treatment solutions and may have unknown risks to your health.
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