Treatment for bruises

Whether or not you live an active lifestyle, at some point in your life you would have suffered a bruise. We know what it looks like and how it feels, but we’ll delve a little deeper and find out what exactly it is, why it happens, and how to manage bruises effectively.

What causes bruises?

Bruises, medically known as contusions or muscle contusions, happen when you experience a direct blow or repeated blows to a part of your body. This usually occurs when you suffer from a fall or you do strenuous activities and hit another hard surface. This results in damage to your muscle tissue fibers without breaking your skin

The discolouration on bruises is caused by the breaking of smaller blood vessels and capillaries beneath your skin when you experience a hard blow. This results in bluish or purple hues for people with fair skin, and more of a purple, brown or black color for darker skin².

Bruises can happen to anyone, but is most common among the active folk—those who do sports and children who play are most likely to get bruises every now and then. Older people are also more likely to bruise because their tissues have become more fragile.

Signs and symptoms

Discolouration is the most obvious sign of a bruise—this is a sign that blood vessels and capillaries have broken as a result of knocking or bumping that specific body part on a hard surface. The blood that seeps out of the broken vessels will sit under your soft tissue and appear as a bruise. Other signs are pain and swelling in its surrounding areas.

In more serious cases, a pool of blood can collect and clot within the damaged tissue, manifesting as a lump over your injury—this is hematoma. Bruising may also be a sign of more serious injuries if the blow is very strong, such as broken bones, dislocated joints, and sprains to name a few¹.

Bruises won’t appear immediately after trauma to the specific body part—it takes time before you see the discoloration on your skin. If you see any signs of bruising within 30 minutes of trauma to your body, that could be an indication of a more serious injury⁴.

How to manage bruises

If you experience a bump or trauma on any body part and you suspect that it will bruise, apply an ice pack to the affected area for 15 minutes as soon as you can. Repeat this several times a day for the next 48 hours to help reduce swelling³.

Generally, bruises can be managed using what is known as the R.I.C.E. protocol:

Rest the injured area and reduce further movement to decrease the likelihood of developing a more serious injury.
Ice the area with cold packs for 15-20 minutes several times a day for as long as you notice the bruising. Just remember not to place ice directly on the skin.
Compress the injured area using an ace wrap or a soft bandage.
Elevate the injured area so it’s always at a level above the heart to help reduce the swelling¹.

When to see a doctor about a bruise

In general, bruises are easy to treat at home and will resolve itself in several days. For example, you could opt to apply ointment containing eucalyptus oil and camphor which possess anti-inflammatory properties to help relieve light pains and swelling. But there are instances when bruising could be serious, and you may need to see your healthcare professional.

Watch out for the following symptoms to determine if you need to see a doctor:

If you experience intense pain in the bruised area
If you can’t move the bruised part at all
If the swelling and bruising are intense and develop rapidly
If the injured part isn’t functioning properly⁵

Additionally, if you observe bruises in children, watch out for black-and-blue spots that may indicate your child is bleeding more than normal³.

There are also medications that can increase your risk for bruising, such as anticoagulants/blood thinners, aspirin and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). If you’re taking any medication that makes you more prone to bruising, and you notice your bruising pattern change—such as if you bruise more frequently or if your bruises get bigger—then it’s time to visit the doctor⁶.

In conclusion, you should be able to pinpoint the cause of your bruises, and ones that aren’t serious should resolve themselves easily at home. Any bruise that appears and is not caused by an injury should be consulted with a healthcare professional if it persists after 14 days³.

References:

“Muscle Contusion (Bruise).” OrthoInfo – American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Accessed September 20, 2020. https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/muscle-contusion-bruise
“What are bruises?” NHS. Accessed September 20, 2020. https://www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/accidents-first-aid-and-treatments/what-are-bruises/
“Bruising in Children.” Health Hub—Ministry of Health Singapore. Accessed September 20, 2020. https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/206/bruises_HPB
“Bruises and Blood Spots Under the Skin.” MyHealth—Government of Alberta. Accessed September 20, 2020. https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/Pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=bruse
"Bumps, knocks and bruises.” Health Direct—Australian Government Department of Health. Accessed September 20, 2020. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/bumps-knocks-and-bruises
“Why do I bruise more easily as I age?” Harvard Health Publishing—Harvard Medical School. Accessed September 21, 2020. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/why-do-i-bruise-more-easily-as-i-age "