How Do You Heal a Bruise

What is a Bruise

Most everyone has experienced a bruise at one time or another. Bruises are painful reminders of blunt force to the body. Whether it be a sudden fall from a bicycle, a trip while running at full speed, or a whack from a baseball out on the field, bruises are a common medical condition requiring minimal, if any, medical treatment.

What exactly is a bruise? When the body experiences extreme impact, muscle fibers and connective tissues are immediately crushed, causing blood to seep from small blood vessels to the area of injury. In the case of a bruise, although skin tissue may not be broken, blood, nevertheless, will travel from the blood vessels and remain visible under the skin tissue. The lump found under the skin and dark purple coloring make bruises distinguishable within minutes of impact.

Treating bruises quickly after injury may help prevent the prolonged tenderness and pain that accompany the bruise. As bruises heal, the body breaks down and reabsorbs the blood gathering under the surface of the skin. Within a few days, bruises will lighten from their dark blue or purple state and gradually turn light brown or yellow prior to healing thoroughly. The timeline from initial impact to complete healing may be as long as two weeks.

Symptoms of a Bruise

Most bruises appear immediately after injury. While it is true that some people bruise easier than others and can expect a bruise from the slightest impact, in most cases moderate injury is to blame. Once injury has occurred, you'll feel tenderness and perhaps swelling in the injured region.

Blood will immediately travel to the site of the wound and the bruise will gradually deepen in color. From there, healing is a waiting game requiring patience and pain relief.

How Do You Heal a Bruise Quickly

Although there is no way to get rid of a bruise after sudden impact or injury has occurred, there are several ways to treat the condition and help the bruise heal as quickly as possible.

How do you heal a bruise? Most bruises will not need special treatment or medication to heal. Pain relievers such as Ibuprofen may be administered as directed in adults to reduce pain and swelling. In addition to pain relievers, implement the RICE method of healing:

• Rest: Rest the body, especially if in pain
• Ice: Apply ice or a cool wet cloth to the injury as often as possible
• Compression: Apply a compression bandage around the injury, not too tight that it hinders the blood flow
• Elevation: Elevate the injured body part above the heart if possible.

Seeking Medical Treatment

Important Tip: If you are treating an injury on a small child, it is always recommended that you seek professional medical care immediately.

For all other injuries, implement at-home care and seek professional treatment under the following conditions:

• If bruise does not heal within a few weeks or worsens
• If bruises are occurring without injury
• You are experiencing blurred vision or have an eye injury
• Vomiting, dizziness or headaches accompany impact
• Two black eyes appear after head trauma