Soft tissue injuries - prevention and treatment methods

MINOR INJURIES. WHAT IT IS?

Trauma refers to a disruption in the functionality or integrity of a specific area of ​​the body or organs.
The main reason for their occurrence is external influence (impact, cut, puncture) on the skin. Children, men aged 20–49 years and women aged 30–59 years are most susceptible to injuries (receiving various types of injuries). All injuries vary in severity. Lungs, as you already understood, mean minimal damage to an area of ​​the body/organ that does not limit the victim’s ability to work. This category mainly includes the following types of damage:

• abrasions (damage to the integrity of the skin, which may be accompanied by the release of a small amount of blood);
• minor wounds, scratches (small injuries that do not limit the physical abilities of the victim and do not have a detrimental effect on general well-being);
• bruises (closed injury received as a result of external physical impact and affecting mainly soft tissues).
• preventive and curative.

You can get minor injuries both at home (a shallow cut while cooking, falling from a small height) and at work.

MORE ABOUT Abrasions AND WOUNDS

The main cause of abrasions is an unsuccessful fall. Such wounds are accompanied by a minimal amount of blood released or not at all. They represent a defect in the skin in which its top layer is slightly erased.

The main danger of abrasions is the possibility of infection. To eliminate it, it is imperative to disinfect the wound (with antiseptic and chlorohexidine) and apply a sterile bandage.

The key cause of minor injuries, in turn, is simple carelessness. Scratches occur due to careless use of a knife, attempts to pick up glass fragments with your hands, and other everyday actions. In this case, the wound may be accompanied by a relatively large amount of blood (if there is a large amount of blood, the injury is of the deep type and requires more serious treatment). The main step in the treatment of minor wounds is proper disinfection of the affected area and application of a bandage.

Abrasions and wounds classified as minor injuries are characterized by rapid healing. If timely disinfection of the affected area is carried out, the damaged area will be covered with a protective crust within 1–2 days, and after 10–15 days it will heal completely.

FEATURES AND DESCRIPTION OF BRUISES

A bruise is a type of minor injury characterized by damage to soft tissue. The main causes of its occurrence are a fall or a blow with a blunt object. You can get such an injury when trying to ride a bicycle unsuccessfully, while walking in the park, or even while cleaning your apartment.

THE MAIN SIGNS OF A CONSUMPTION ARE:

• severe pain in the area of ​​impact (can be throbbing or even);
• swelling of the affected area of ​​the body;
• the formation of a bruise in the affected area (does not apply to people with fragile blood vessels, due to which bruises appear at the slightest touch).

A bruise in the head area may also be accompanied by the formation of a lump. If the blow is strong, you may get a concussion, which, in addition to pain, causes dizziness and nausea.

It is generally accepted that the absence of a bruise or hematoma and bruising is a sure sign that the injury is minor and should not be treated. This belief is incorrect. For serious injuries, bruising may not appear for 2-3 days. Therefore, if you hit yourself hard, the affected area hurts, but the bruise does not appear outwardly, seek help from a specialist.

Possible consequences of a bruise

The usual pain, hematoma and swelling may hide damage to the brain and facial skeleton. Ignoring a visit to a traumatologist and lack of timely treatment leads to serious consequences and complicates the life of the injured person in the future.

Possible consequences:

• traumatic brain injury;
• deformation of nasal structures;
• development of chronic rhinitis, sinusitis, sinusitis;
• violation of the breathing process;
• concussions of various degrees;
• fractures of the bones of the facial skeleton;
• perforation of the eardrum;
• infectious inflammation of the hematoma.

With an oblique blow, detachment of the subcutaneous tissue often occurs, contributing to the formation of a large and deeply located hematoma. As they harden, they form traumatic cysts. Such pathological formations can only be cured surgically.

FIRST AID IN CASE OF A BRUISED

Unlike wounds and abrasions, a bruise does not imply damage to the skin tissue, and therefore does not pose a threat of blood poisoning. This fact slightly simplifies the process of treating injury - there is no need for thorough disinfection. But due to its closed nature, the damage poses a great threat to human health.

Due to external signs and pain, bruises are often confused with a serious fracture. At the same time, the hope that it will “heal on its own” can lead to disastrous consequences: the bone will not heal properly, or its particles will injure soft tissue, which will lead to necrosis of the skin. In the most dire situations, ignoring the need to treat a “simple” bruise (under which the fracture was hidden) leads to amputation of the limb. This is why you should not rely on personal medical knowledge. Only a qualified specialist can determine the exact nature of the damage (bruise or fracture) after examination and X-ray examination.

Minor bruises confirmed by a doctor are treated with cold and rest. In the first hours after injury, something cold should be applied to the affected area. This will reduce pain and speed up the process of cell restoration. After cooling, the bruise must be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs. An important stage of treatment is the application of a pressure bandage.

As for more serious bruises, to eliminate them you may need compresses, taking enzyme preparations, treating the affected area with non-steroidal agents and more. The exact measures that are necessary for the full restoration of the skin can only be determined by a professional doctor.

The type of treatment is selected in accordance with the nature of the injury, its severity, location and individual characteristics of the victim (sensitivity, intolerance to certain drugs, etc.).

Treatment complex

To treat bruises, external medications, light massage and heat therapy are used. During this period, avoid the use of alcohol, which dilates blood vessels, and medications that thin the blood.

Medications

In pharmacies you can purchase medicines in the form of ointment, cream or gel with cooling, absorbable, regenerating and analgesic properties. Therefore, it is not difficult to cure a bruise and quickly get rid of a hematoma on the face. This review selects the most effective drugs.

Coolants

Medicines in this group contain menthol, essential oils, analgesics and other active substances. The drugs eliminate pain, reduce blood flow to the affected area, and prevent the formation of a bruise.

Preparations:

• Menovazin;
• Venoruton.
• Sanitas.

It is advisable to use medications within 48 hours after injury.

Absorbable and painkillers

The active substances of these drugs prevent thrombus formation, improve tissue trophism, help eliminate edema and resolve hematomas. Additionally, medications relieve pain, relieve itching, disinfect the affected surface and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

Preparations:

• heparin (heparin ointment, Lyoton, Flenox, Hepavenol plus, Dolobene, Panthevenol);
• badyaga (Badyaga forte, Doctor, Express Bruise);
• troxerutin (Venolan, Troxegel, Troxevasin, Febaton, Indovazin);
• Sinyakov-OFF;
• Rescuer;
• Traumeel S.

Before using the medicine, you need to study the instructions; some of them have specific contraindications.

The preparations are applied in a thin layer to cleansed skin using massaging movements. The number of repetitions depends on the activity of the drug, so you need to follow the instructions.

Preparations in gel form have some advantages over ointments. After using them, there is no oily shine on the face, clothes and bed linen get dirty relatively little. The active substances of these drugs are dissolved in a water base, so they penetrate the skin faster.

It is advisable to use ointments for very dry skin and crust formation on the wound surface. In these cases, the oily base softens the outer layers of the skin, allowing active components to reach the site of action.

INDEPENDENT TREATMENT OR VISITING A QUALIFIED DOCTOR?

It is not necessary to call an ambulance because of an abrasion or bruise caused by a fall on a hard surface. Minor injuries require the ability to provide first aid yourself. If we are talking about wounds and abrasions, treat them with a disinfectant and apply a bandage. In the case of a bruise, apply something cold to the affected area.

After providing independent medical assistance, you should contact a qualified specialist as soon as possible. This is especially true for bruises. The doctor will be able to accurately determine the severity of the lesion, identify possible consequences and select the most effective treatment.

For professional help, you can contact qualified traumatologist R. S. Karavay at our rehabilitation medicine clinic. He works with patients of any age, eliminating injuries of all categories and types. You can find out the cost of the appointment and free time for making an appointment by calling +7 (8552) 78-09-35, +7 (953) 482-66-62. You can also check the prices in the price list of the rehabilitation medicine clinic.

How to disguise a hematoma?

Not all injured people are able to take time off from work or avoid going out to public places. Therefore, a bruise on the face often becomes a cause of acute distress and discomfort. In these cases, a few simple steps to mask the hematoma and relieve swelling can help.

Salt compress

This is the fastest way to eliminate post-traumatic swelling, but it is very harmful to the skin. Therefore, it is used only in extreme cases, when the appearance of the face needs to be put in order in a short time.

To prepare the product, salt (3 tbsp) is dissolved in warm boiled water (1 l). Dip a gauze cloth into the solution for 5 minutes so that it becomes saturated with salt crystals. The compress is applied to the bruise for 20 minutes, the skin is washed with warm water.

Concealers

These concealers are designed to hide skin imperfections. The main thing is to choose the right concealer color:

• with a fresh blue-purple bruise - orange;
• for green hematoma - yellow;
• with a yellow bruise - purple, lavender.

It is better to mask large hematomas with a coverstick, and small bruises can be treated well with creams or pencils.

Many people are accustomed to treating facial bruises as a minor injury. Often, treatment comes down to applying cold and taking painkillers. The face is part of the craniofacial skeleton, inextricably linked with the brain, respiratory and hearing organs. Therefore, it is important to be attentive to facial injuries and bruises, including minor ones.

Symptoms

A bruise is manifested by sharp pain at the site of injury, redness and swelling. With a minor bruise, the pain disappears after a few minutes, and a hematoma forms at the site of the injury (due to rupture of small capillaries). Not in all cases, the size of the hematoma depends on the severity of the bruise. Capillary permeability and the site of injury have an influence. With increased capillary permeability, even a minor bruise or careless touch can cause a significant hematoma. It sometimes happens that with a severe bruise, an external hematoma may not occur, but significant internal bleeding is possible.

The pain syndrome is persistent after a severe bruise. Over time, its character may change: at first sharp, then aching. If pain after a bruise persists for a long time, you should definitely seek medical help. This may indicate that internal structures are damaged (ruptured ligaments, fracture, concussion, bruise of an internal organ with bleeding into it, etc.). Often, distant pain that occurs after a bruise is associated with the formation of a hematoma, which compresses the nerve endings. It intensifies when touching the damaged part of the body.

When different parts of the body are bruised, a variety of symptoms can occur. When a joint is bruised, it becomes severely swollen. A severe headache occurs as a result of a head injury. If, with a head injury, the patient loses consciousness, even briefly, or he is unable to remember the moment of injury, this may indicate a concussion. In this case, the victim definitely needs medical intervention and diagnostic examinations for the presence of an intracranial hematoma.

If there is a contusion of the abdominal cavity or chest, the symptoms can be very serious. For example, symptoms such as decreased breathing, clouding of consciousness, blood in the urine, increased pain and other increasing symptoms are a reason to seek immediate medical help.

Possibilities of an infrared lamp in the treatment of bruises

An infrared lamp can be used to treat bruises. Such devices allow you to carry out physical therapy at home, avoid visiting the clinic to perform prescribed procedures and provide rest to the injured area of ​​the body.

The principle of operation of the lamp is intense radiation of the infrared spectrum, penetrating deep into the skin and tissue. By directing a powerful beam of energy to the damaged area, the following types of positive effects are immediately achieved:

• Pain is relieved;
• The process of tissue healing starts;
• Local immunity is activated, protection against inflammation and other negative influences is provided;
• Blood circulation improves;
• Metabolism accelerates;
• Muscle hypertonicity decreases.

At the same time, infrared radiation reduces stress levels. Thanks to the use of an infrared lamp, it becomes possible to reduce the consumption of painkillers, many of which have serious side effects, and sometimes to completely abandon such drugs.

In addition, the recovery period is shortened, and a person can quickly return to normal life even after a severe injury. Infrared radiation relieves muscle spasms and promotes their relaxation. Activating blood flow improves the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to cells, which also speeds up recovery.

Kinds

Depending on the location of the damage, bruises are distinguished:

• brushes;
• finger;
• elbow;
• shoulder;
• forearms;
• brain;
• heads;
• backs;
• chest;
• abdominal cavity;
• coccyx;
• knee;
• hips;
• shins;
• feet.

Depending on the nature of the damage, bruises are:

1st degree – minor bruise – manifested by scratches and abrasions, practically painless; heals within a few days without care;

2nd degree - a rather painful bruise in which muscle tissue is damaged, accompanied by hematomas and swelling;

3rd degree – ligaments and tendons are damaged;

4th degree - severe injury that can threaten health; the functioning of damaged organs may be disrupted.