Bruise: symptoms and consequences. Treating a bruise at home

What happens when there is a bruise? What are the symptoms and consequences of bruises? What is the most effective way to treat bruises?

A bruise is a closed injury to tissues and organs without significant disruption of their structure. This is the most common type of injury. Bruises the skin. The integrity of the upper layers of the skin is not damaged during a bruise, but a swelling and hematoma (bruise) quickly appear at the site of the impact, and pain is felt.

There are bruises of soft tissues , periosteum, joints, bruises of the neck, back, spine, chest, head. When a joint (for example, a knee) is bruised, its volume increases several hours after the injury, function is impaired, and pain intensifies (especially when moving). In this case, the leg is slightly bent, its extension is sharply painful. The difference between a joint bruise and a dislocation is the preservation of movement in it.

With bruises , there may be only a slight swelling (“bump”), which does not cause much trouble. However, if the injury was accompanied by loss of consciousness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, etc., then this may be a sign of a more serious injury - a concussion or even a brain contusion .

With bruises , in addition to damage to soft tissues, blood flow in the vessels passing here may be secondarily disrupted, which disrupts the blood supply to the brain.

With bruises of the back (spine), the blood circulation of the spinal cord may be impaired (there is a decrease in sensitivity in the limbs, muscle function, etc.).

With bruises of the chest, only local changes in the superficial soft tissues may be noted, but with a strong blow, for example, as a result of a fall, breathing may be impaired, and with blows to the heart area it may stop. Abdominal bruise is sometimes accompanied by damage to internal organs (for example, rupture of the liver, spleen, accompanied by internal bleeding).

What happens when you get hurt

When a bruise occurs, damage to the skin, subcutaneous fat and muscles occurs, and the blood vessels and nerves passing through them can also be damaged. Blood leaks from injured vessels. With soft tissue bruises, hemorrhage increases at the site of injury and a more or less pronounced swelling forms. Blood gradually permeates the tissues and can accumulate (hematoma) or flow into nearby cavities, such as a joint (hemarthrosis).

Bleeding from small vessels stops spontaneously in about 5-10 minutes. Of the large ones, it can last more than a day. The color of the bruise depends on the age of the injury: a fresh one has a purple-bluish color, after 3-4 days it becomes blue-yellow, and on the 5-6th day it turns yellow. At the site of the bruise , a swelling - edema - always appears, pain occurs, which passes over time, but unpleasant sensations when moving or palpating persist for a long time. With severe bruises , disruption of the functioning of nearby organs is possible.

As a result of a bruise of the lower leg in places where the skin and subcutaneous tissue are adjacent to the bone, necrosis of the skin and its subsequent rejection are possible. When hitting bones that are poorly protected by soft tissue, not only very painful bruises of the periosteum with its detachment occur, but also bone damage (cracks and fractures). A blow in an oblique direction relative to the surface of the skin can cause its detachment along with subcutaneous tissue, followed by filling of the resulting cavity with lymph and blood.

Traditional methods

To resolve the hematoma, unconventional methods of treatment are suitable:

In order to apply a compress, brew black tea (take a couple of teaspoons per ½ cup of boiling water) and let it steep for half an hour. Moisten a cotton swab and apply to the damaged area for 18-20 minutes. The manipulation is repeated 3 times a day. Bagged tea will also work.
With the help of an aloe leaf, the inflammatory process is relieved. Cut lengthwise and apply half to the damaged area for 30 minutes.
A cabbage leaf will do. Apply it to the bruised area, but before using it, it must be mashed to release the juice.
Mix chili pepper and 5 tablespoons of Vaseline. This ointment is applied to the hematoma and kept for 9-10 minutes.

Bruises: symptoms and consequences. Why is a bruise dangerous?

The main symptoms of a bruise are: pain in the damaged area, hemorrhages as a result of rupture of blood vessels, the formation of hematoma and edema. Very severe pain after a bruise may mean that the bones are damaged. Pain, the first symptom of a bruise , appears immediately at the time of injury and can be significant. Then the pain decreases somewhat or is moderate in nature, and 1-3 hours after the injury it resumes or significantly intensifies. A change in the nature of pain and an increase in their intensity are caused by increased traumatic swelling, hemorrhage or an increase in hematoma.

When is bruised , movements in the joints are initially preserved, but they become impossible as hemorrhage and swelling increase, especially with hemarthrosis. This bruises from fractures and dislocations, in which active and passive movements become impossible immediately after the injury.

The pain is especially sharp when is bruised , for example when the anterior surface of the leg or ulnar nerve is bruised. Due to severe pain, pain shock may occur. Hemorrhages at the site of a bruise can be pinpoint, both in the skin and subcutaneous tissue, in the form of bruises, as well as in the form of significant accumulations of blood in the underlying tissues (hematomas). Bleeding that continues deep into the tissue often leads to additional trauma to adjacent tissues as a result of their compression, which is accompanied by a gradual increase in pain and dysfunction.

The time of bruising depends on the depth of the hemorrhage. When are bruised , it appears immediately, in the first minutes or hours. When a muscle or periosteum is bruised, bruises appear on the 2-3rd day and sometimes far from the site of the bruise. The appearance of late bruises, especially far from the site of injury , is a serious symptom and requires additional examination, for example, x-ray, to exclude a fracture or crack of the bone. The color of the bruise undergoes certain changes due to the breakdown of hemoglobin. A fresh bruise is red, then it turns purple, turns blue, after 5-6 days it turns green and then yellow. The color of the bruise can indicate how long ago the injury was.

Types of bruises

Depending on the location of the injury, there is the following classification of back bruises and their consequences:

If the upper back , the cervical vertebrae may be affected. Sometimes this entails respiratory failure, paralysis, decreased muscle tone and paresis, and impaired sensitivity.
A contusion to the mid-back can cause loss of coordination and sensation in the limbs. The victim may feel pain in the heart and experience discomfort while breathing.
Injuries to the lower back can lead to problems with urination and decreased sensation in the legs.

The greatest danger comes from bruises affecting the spinal cord. The consequences of such an injury can be varied: from impaired circulation to rupture of nerve endings and paralysis.

Treatment of bruises

First aid for bruise

It is very important in the first hours after a bruise to understand whether the bones, joints and internal organs are damaged, whether there are any fractures, so it is better to consult a traumatologist. Immediately after an injury, it is recommended to apply a pressure bandage to the site of the bruise and create rest; for example, if a hand is bruised, its rest can be ensured with the help of a scarf bandage. If there are abrasions or scratches at the site of the injury , you must first use disinfectants. If the leg is bruised, it is given an elevated position, a gentle load regime is observed for several days, and then, as the pain and swelling decrease, it is gradually expanded. Under no circumstances should you steam your leg or arm - this may aggravate the injury. On the first day, bruises are treated exclusively with cold; its effect causes vasoconstriction, which stops bleeding, and in addition, has an analgesic effect.

Treatment of bruises in the acute period

After 24 hours, refrigeration is no longer necessary. Then you need to use another tactic - warming: warm baths, compresses, lotions help reduce swelling and resolve the hematoma. At this stage of treatment of bruises, NANOPLAST forte, a therapeutic pain-relieving anti-inflammatory plaster, can be used very effectively. Read more >>>

Thanks to its unique properties, the NANOPLAST forte medical plaster not only has an analgesic effect, but also improves blood circulation in the injured area and accelerates the resorption of hematomas. The course of treatment usually ranges from 3 to 9 days.

Treatment of bruises: rehabilitation therapy for bruises

You cannot rub the bruised area yourself - this can lead to a serious complication - thrombophlebitis (blockage of a vein with a blood clot). If swelling and bruising do not disappear for a long time, you should consult a doctor. In case of moderate and severe bruises, a course of physiotherapy using UHF devices, a magnet, and electrophoresis with medicinal solutions will be recommended.

What medications will help?

Medical advice is required before using any medicine. As a rule, subcutaneous hemorrhages are treated with:

Troxevasin ointment. Thanks to her, the bruise will quickly resolve. When applied to the bruised area, the increase in subcutaneous hemorrhage will immediately stop. It is recommended to use 2 times a day.
Lyoton gel. It restores tissue, resolves hematoma well, and improves blood flow. Apply it for 7 days two to three times a day.
Badyagi (lat. Spongilla). This product has an irritating effect, as a result of which local microcirculatory processes improve. The product acts as an antiseptic and also has a regenerative effect. Apply 4-5 times per day for no more than 20 minutes.

Injuries on ice. First aid, prevention, treatment

Cold winter with ice is traditionally a “hot” time for traumatologists. In today’s article we will talk about reducing the risk of falling due to slipping on ice, and we will also teach you how to fall correctly and treat bruises received from a fall.

Let's start with prevention. How to walk and not fall if the asphalt around has turned into slippery glass? The main and most obvious rule is that you need to move on ice with extreme caution, trying to avoid the most icy areas. The gait should be leisurely, and the legs should be relaxed at the knees, and the entire foot should serve as support.

to avoid shoes with high heels during icy conditions - in these conditions they are inappropriate, and the most severe ankle injuries occur precisely due to the fault of stiletto heels and their other unstable counterparts. For some of these injuries, especially if they require surgery, walking without crutches may take at least six months.

So:

choose shoes with flat soles or low wide heels . In this case, the surface should be corrugated, and if this is not the case, you can stick strips of adhesive tape or sandpaper on it;
walk in the “cow on ice” style - without lifting your heels, but moving as if on skis, gliding in short steps;
Buy warm gloves to keep your hands out of your pockets . You may not have time to take them out at the moment of the fall in order to group correctly;
do not walk on ice while drunk . Of course, the “drunk sea is knee-deep”, but alcohol partially acts on the body as anesthesia, increasing the pain threshold. Therefore, there is a danger of simply not feeling the full severity of the injury when falling, which in the future is fraught with serious complications;
do not run after a departing bus on ice - if you slip, you risk falling under the wheels. In general, during icy conditions you should drive extremely carefully on the roadway - on a “glass” road the braking distance of cars increases, so the risks increase.\
hold the floors if you wear long outerwear - it’s easy to get tangled in them and fall, especially when getting out of a vehicle and going down stairs.

Unfortunately, there are situations when all the listed rules do not work - and now you already feel like you are flying. Down, of course. What to do in this case? Fly correctly.

How to fall correctly

If you lose your balance and fall, try:

squat down as low as possible to reduce the height of the fall;
group - thanks to this, the force of impact during a fall will decrease. Moreover, it will be better to group if you let go of the bag and other objects in them from your hands - the objects can then be collected, and at the moment of falling you need to save yourself, not them. Remember that any “protruding” limb will take on all the kinetic energy of the impact on the ice - and this greatly increases the risk of fractures;
tense your muscles . Recommendations to relax the body at the moment of falling are wrong, since in this case the bones will take the entire blow, which can lead to fractures. But with tense muscles, the chance of getting away with only bruises increases significantly.

Yes, at the moment of the actual “flight” onto bare ice, it is quite difficult to follow all these recommendations, since such a moment lasts a fraction of a second. But it’s still worth remembering these rules - perhaps in a critical situation the brain will send the body a signal of the correct action.

The safest fall is on your side . In this case, most likely, the bones will not be damaged - especially if you have time to group and tense your muscles.

But if you fall prone (face forward), first, try not to land on outstretched arms, but group yourself by pressing your elbows to your sides. Ideally, your head will be pulled into your shoulders, your back will be straight, and your legs will be bent in a semi-squat.

If you fall on your back , it is good if your chin is pressed to your chest and your arms are spread out to the sides. In general, falling on your back and hitting the back of the head are the most dangerous, as they are fraught with damage to the spine and traumatic brain injuries.

What to do after a fall

Let's start with the main thing: if you do fall, do not rush to get up cheerfully right away. A sudden rise can lead to serious consequences if the injury received from the fall is severe. But even if it is really severe, you may not feel any sharp pain in the first seconds, since the body is still in some state of shock from the “sharp landing.”

Remember that even if a fallen person immediately got up and walked, it is not at all a fact that he does not, for example, have a spinal injury or a broken leg. Adrenaline, which is released at the moment of stress (fall), can “mask” pain and work other miracles with the human body.

Therefore, after a fall, first raise your head, move your limbs, listen to your feelings . Only get up if you really don't feel any pain. Although in this case, the pain may come much later, so the ideal solution after a fall would be to visit the emergency room.

The main types of injuries when falling on ice are bruises, dislocations, sprains and fractures . Now we will figure out how to immediately and with a high degree of probability distinguish them from each other.

Definition of injury

A fracture is the most serious possible injury from a fall on ice. When it breaks the integrity of a particular bone, it is accompanied by a fracture:

a specific crunch at the time of injury;
acute pain (which, as we have already said, may come with some delay);
“marbling” of the skin in the injured area;
swelling and numbness.

If, having fallen on ice, you heard a characteristic crunch and felt a sharp pain - do not get up and do not move. Call an ambulance on your mobile phone or ask passers-by to do so.

Sprains by pain when trying to move the injured limb and limited mobility. Soon, swelling and hematoma (bruise) form at the stretched area.
When a dislocation occurs , the articular surfaces shift relative to each other. Dislocations are divided into two types:

complete dislocation, when the surfaces of the joints are not completely in contact;
incomplete dislocation (subluxation), in which they continue to partially touch.

Visually, a dislocation can be determined by how unnaturally the limb is twisted, and trying to move it or even touching it causes severe pain.

IMPORTANT! Reduction of a dislocation can only be entrusted to a doctor; never try to do this at home.

A closed injury to soft tissues and/or organs is called a contusion . In this case, the structure of the bruised tissues and/or organs is not significantly disturbed. In addition to pain, bruises are characterized by swelling or swelling, which increases with each passing hour, as well as bruises. You can distinguish a bruise from a fracture or dislocation by the range of movements of the limb - it practically does not suffer, remaining almost the same.

IMPORTANT! Remember that bruise is different from bruise. For example, a slight bruise of the leg (most often a knee bruise when falling on ice) does not require special medical care, but if you bruise your head, you need to see a doctor - there is a risk of a concussion, even if you do not yet feel symptoms.

Also, consultation with a specialist is required if the blow falls on the face . Trauma (including closed trauma) to the areas of the eyes, ears, bridge of the nose, and upper jaw can be fraught with serious “delayed” consequences. Such consequences often appear only after the bruise disappears. But a traumatologist will be able to determine the risk of complications, even if you yourself think that there are no problems other than the bruise itself.

Seal

Tests and diagnostics

For mild bruises there is no need for additional examinations. They are necessary for trauma to the tissues of the abdomen, lumbar region, head, chest and spine.

In case of abdominal bruise, ultrasound examination and sometimes magnetic resonance imaging are prescribed to exclude damage to internal organs. A clinical blood test is performed if bleeding is suspected and to assess the severity of blood loss.
If there is a bruise in the lumbar region, a urine test is prescribed to rule out kidney damage.
Bruises of the skull, spine, chest, bones and joints require an x-ray examination.

Causes

Tissue bruises occur as a result of mechanical impact from a fall, impact, or compression. This damage can occur in various situations: at home, at rest and work, while traveling. The severity of the injury is determined by the force of impact. Sometimes, with a severe bruise, the subcutaneous fat tissue is peeled off from the muscle fascia, and the periosteum is also damaged. The consequences depend on the degree of damage.

The risk group for this injury includes:

Children in connection with an active lifestyle.
Elderly people who experience dizziness and, as a result, frequent falls.
Athletes.
Persons engaged in heavy physical labor - bruises in adults are most common among workers.

Children are the most vulnerable part of the population. In the summer, due to spending most of the day outdoors, the risk of injury increases and bruises in children are the most common type of injury. If the damage is superficial, then the injury can be considered minor. But at the same time, small vessels are still injured, blood slowly enters the tissue and a hematoma (bruise) is formed. It is important to distinguish bruises from serious injuries: dislocations , ligament ruptures and fractures . At home, you need to provide first aid and, if in doubt, you should definitely consult a doctor who will rule out more serious injuries. Head contusion and brain damage take first place at this age and this condition requires hospitalization. When a joint is bruised, blood can gradually accumulate in the joint cavity; when a back injury occurs, blood circulation in the spinal cord is disrupted. A chest bruise causes breathing problems, and abdominal bruises are dangerous because they are often accompanied by damage to internal organs (the most common is rupture of the spleen).

Bruises in older people are most often associated with a fall. Falling is considered a major geriatric syndrome, but in our society it is regarded as a normal occurrence in the elderly. The consequence is not only superficial bruises, but also possible death due to head injury. A third of patients over 65 years of age fall and suffer serious injuries every year, and 15% suffer from falls twice a year. Geriatricians recommend endurance and balance exercises in older adults, and that patients with poor mobility should use wheelchairs and functional beds. In the first place at this age are knee and shin injuries, and among fractures is a hip fracture. Hip fracture, intra-abdominal and intra-pelvic injuries are the main cause of blood loss. Older age is a risk factor for poor injury outcomes. For example, a hip fracture causes disability and even death from associated diseases ( pneumonia , bedsores with suppuration and sepsis ). Peculiarities of age and the presence of concomitant diseases dictate the prescription of more gentle drugs even for the treatment of superficial injuries, as will be discussed below.

Forecast

The prognosis for soft tissue injury depends on the severity of the injury, the volume of injured tissue and location. In the presence of minor injuries, the prognosis is favorable - complete recovery occurs and often without special medical care. It is difficult to say how long a bruise will take to heal - this also depends on the severity of the bruise and location. If the bruise does not damage the skin, muscles and tendons, it heals in 4-5 days. For more complex tissue injuries, it takes 2 weeks to recover; for bruises with dislocation or fracture, treatment is delayed. On average, pain disappears within a week (usually intensive treatment with NSAIDs is prescribed during this time), and as the pain decreases, there is no need to prescribe medications. The bruise completely disappears in 2-2.5 weeks.

For a head injury with a mild concussion, the headache and dizziness disappear within days or weeks. The development of more serious consequences (for example, seizures) is not typical for mild brain injury.