Hard Lump Under Skin After Bad Bruise

If you've suffered a hard lump under the skin after a bad bruise, you may be concerned. Fortunately, there is a name for this condition. Read on to learn more about it, what to expect as you heal and whether you need to seek medical attention.

Severe bruises can result in a hematoma.

Basic bruises heal quickly. They occur when the soft tissue underneath the skin is injured, typically as the result of a strong, forceful impact with an object or a person. When the tissue is damaged, blood begins to collect, forming a discoloration that may follow a red to blue to yellow path as it evolves and eventually heals. This type of bruise will normally heal within two to four weeks.

For every common, schoolyard bruise suffered on the soccer field or while running around the neighborhood, there is a far more painful, serious bruise to consider. Severe bruises can occur for a number of reasons. If the impact is quite forceful and traumatic, an underlying fracture or very severe sprain may occur. This, in turn, may result in a significant amount of pain, swelling and bruising. Typically, this will occur within the hour the injury takes place.

Most basic bruises are spread out and do not present any remarkable symptoms – that is, anything beyond the expected amount of pain and the telltale skin discoloration. Severe bruises may, from time to time, result in an uncomfortable, hard lump under the skin after a bad bruise. This is known as a hematoma.

As anyone who has suffered from them knows, hematomas may feel sponge-like, rubbery, hard or lumpy (or some combination of these characteristics). Despite how they feel, hematomas are not typically cause for concern – unless they occur on the head following a head injury (it's important to note that a head hematoma may not occur for several weeks following the head injury, so be mindful of its potential to appear). In this case, it's crucial to seek medical attention immediately.

As mentioned, hematomas usually only occur with more severe bruises. They occur when blood collects and pools beneath the skin after an injury. When this excess fluid accumulates, it creates the hard swelling known as the hematoma.

Under normal circumstances, hematomas are not cause for concern. They will usually be reabsorbed into the body (much like a bruise itself). In some cases, though, these hard lumps can persist and cause problems. If you suffer a bruise and notice extreme pressure in the area, you may be dealing with a condition called compartment syndrome. This occurs when the pressure imposed on the tissue and structures beneath the skin causes a decrease in blood and oxygen to the area – both vital and absolutely essential. Compartment syndrome is potentially life threatening and should be treated as such.

In addition to a rise in pressure, some telltale signs of compartment syndrome include increasing pain, skin pallor (or a noticeable loss of color to the area), numbness and inability to detect a pulse in the arteries of the bruised extremities. A tingling sensation that develops in the toes and fingers and does not respond to ice treatment and compression may suggest a loss of circulation. If any of these symptoms cannot be controlled with normal treatment methods, it is best to have the bruised area checked out by a medical professional. Compartment syndrome requires aggressive treatment. The area is opened up surgically to relieve the pressure and allow the area to return back to normal.

It should be noted that individuals who take high dosages of anti-inflammatory pain medications (such as Advil, Midol or aspirin) are at greater risk of suffering compartment syndrome. This is because the medications cause the platelets that coagulate the blood to become less sticky, resulting in an inevitable buildup of blood in bruised areas of the body.

• How to Do a Pedicure
• Homemade Acne Treatments
• Black Nail Designs
• Acne Myths Quiz
• Nail Care Quiz

• Pictures of Skin Rashes
• Skin Rashes
• Gel Nails Acrylic Nails
• Pictures of Skin Disorders
• Pictures of Simple Nail Art

• Childhood Rashes
• Candida Skin Moles
• How to Get Rid of Bruises
• Treating Bruises
• Common Rashes