How to Get Rid of Bruises
A bruise, or a contusion, is an injury in which the capillaries underneath your skin become ruptured. This rupture allows blood to flood the surrounding tissue and becomes contained within the tissues directly underneath the skin thereby giving your skin the reddish-purple appearance common to most bruises. If you seem to bruise at even the slightest nudge, it may be due a platelet or blood coagulation disorder or due to a deficiency in vitamin C. Both of these can cause a person to be more susceptible to bruising. While there is no surefire way to prevent bruising altogether, there are a few handy precautions you can take to speed healing.
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Instructions
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Immediately apply an ice pack to the injured area. A cold ice compress serves two purposes. First, it helps reduce the swelling. Second, it causes the capillaries near the skin’s surface to constrict thereby reducing blood flow and the amount of blood released to the broken capillaries. Do not place ice directly upon your skin. Wrap ice in a thin towel and apply for 20 to 30 minutes to reduce swelling. Ice packs should be used on the bruised area within the first 24 hours after the injury. Before applying the ice compress, wash the area with soap and water. If you have bruised an area on your arm or leg, immediately wrap the area with an elastic bandage to squeeze the tissues underneath. This helps prevent the injured blood vessels from leaking and will help minimize discoloration.
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Taking acetaminophen and elevating the injured area, especially if on the leg or foot, will also minimize the swelling. Acetaminophen can also be taken to alleviate any feelings of pain. However, do not take aspirin as it thins the blood, inhibiting your body’s ability to clot the blood that’s leaking into your broken capillaries. This will only cause more discoloration to your skin.Elevating the injured area, especially if below the waist line, eases some of the pressure and reduces blood flow which also assists in minimizing discoloration.
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After approximately 48 hours, begin applying heat compresses to the bruised area three to four times per day to help speed the recovery process. By this point, the blood flow to the broken capillaries should have ceased, allowing the capillaries to start the healing process. Help open the healthy capillaries to increase blood flow with the warm compress. Apply the compress for 15 to 20 minutes to speed up your body’s natural healing process.
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Consider herbal remedies. Apply melted chocolate directly to the bruised area by wrapping it in a gauze overnight. Or, apply Vitamin E and/or K cream directly on the bruise.Hasten the healing process with Arnica cream, which is an herb that assists the body with flushing out trapped blood.Soak the bruised area in warm water mixed with vinegar to increase blood flow near the skin’s surface.Crush up fresh parsley leaves and then spreading them over the bruise and wrapping the area with an elastic bandage to decrease inflammation and pain and help the bruise fade quicker. Traditionally, in herbal medicine a compress or ointment of sweet clovers is applied to bruises several times per day to improve healing.
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Offset the severity of bruising is by eating a diet high in bioflavonoids. Primarily, bioflavonoids are responsible for protecting the capillaries by keeping them strong and preventing bleeding when injuries do occur. Bioflavonoids are also inflammatories and can be found in lemons, green peppers, broccoli and rose hips. Supplements are also available but should be taken with Vitamin C for maximum absorption. Ingesting daily requirements of Vitamin C will also aide in minimizing bruising since it increases capillary strength as well.
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Tips & Warnings
if your bruise lasts more than 2 to 3 weeks or is accompanied by severe pain, headaches, nausea or disorientation, consult your doctor immediately.
