If you bang your knee in the middle of a workout, get off your feet and rest. This will slow down blood flow to your bruise, making it less prevalent than it would be if you continue your workout. Instead, give yourself time for the pain and swelling to subside and apply ice immediately and as needed. Once the bruise has already formed, you can apply heat to help clear up the trapped blood under your skin. Applying heat will also boost circulation and increase blood flow.
Use a heating pad, a hot water bottle, or soak in a warm bath. This will also help loosen tight muscles and relieve any pain associated with your injury. Elevate the bruised injury above the level of your heart. Thanks to gravity, this helps relieve pain and drain fluid away from the bruise.
Elevation reduces pressure and compression. It also increases blood flow back to your heart and away from your injury. If possible, wrap the bruised area with an elastic bandage. This will squeeze the tissues around your injury, preventing the blood vessels from leaking any more. When your injury occurs, adding compression can lessen the severity of your bruise, reduce pain, and alleviate inflammation. The same is true when it comes to healing injuries and bruises. While bruises are common and not usually a cause for concern, there are some cases where you should see a doctor or visit an urgent care nearby.
You should also go to the nearest emergency room or urgent care facility if you think you have a broken bone along with your bruising. Our compassionate and qualified medical team is available seven days a week, from 10 AM to 8 PM. Give us a call at , book an appointment online, or simply stop in for immediate care for patients of all ages.
If you have signs and symptoms of leukemia or inflammatory breast cancer, see your doctor right away. An X-ray can confirm or rule this out. Be prepared to provide your personal and family health history as well as a list of medications and dietary supplements.
Blood tests can check platelet levels and measure blood-clotting time. Depending on your symptoms, you may also need an X-ray or other imaging tests to check for fractured bones. Initial tests plus a physical exam will inform the next steps.
Aspirin can cause more bleeding, so choose acetaminophen Tylenol for pain. You can also try a few home remedies :.
Damage to blood vessels can cause bruising and blood clots, but the two conditions have many differences. Learn more about them. Bruises are common and usually disappear with time.
Here are 10 easy treatments to lessen the pain and reduce the visibility. Learn about how to get…. Sporadic bruising usually isn't cause for worry. Oftentimes, you can reduce your risk for future bruising by making sure you're getting the right…. An injury is often followed by an unsightly and painful bruise, but can you do anything to prevent bruising? Cauterization is the process of destroying tissue with electricity or chemicals. How to help a bruise heal faster at home Mild to moderate bruises typically heal after 2 weeks, though some may heal more quickly.
If you have mild to moderate bruising and would like to speed the healing process or lessen any pain associated with it, here are a few things you can try at home: Cold compress One of the first steps to helping a bruise heal more quickly is icing the affected area. Wrap the ice pack with a clean, dry cloth and press it on the bruise. The compress should never be applied directly to the skin as it could lead to further injury.
Ice slows the bleeding because it shrinks the blood vessels and reduces inflammation, which can help reduce the overall size of the bruise as well. Topical creams Over-the-counter topical healing creams like arnica, quercetin, vitamin B3, or vitamin K offer anti-inflammatory benefits to help speed up healing times.
Talk to your doctor to find out which cream is right for you. Compression A soft elastic wrap for the first days, during waking hours, can help decrease pain and bruising. The wrap should be firm, but not too tight. If you notice any numbness, tingling or increased discomfort, it means the wrap needs to be loosened or removed.
Elevation Elevating the bruised area comfortably over the heart, if possible, offers similar healing benefits to applying a cold compress. It helps slow the bleeding and may reduce the size of the bruising. Another trick is to use a bag of frozen vegetables. It doesn't matter what kind — carrots, peas, lima beans, whatever — as long as they're frozen. A bag of frozen vegetables is easy to apply to the bruise because it can form to the shape of the injured area. Also, like a cold pack, it can be used and refrozen again and again just pick your least-favorite vegetables and label the bag — you don't want to keep thawing and freezing veggies that you plan to eat!
To reduce swelling and bruising, elevate the bruised area above the level of your heart. In other words, if the bruise is on your shin, lie down on a couch or bed and prop up your leg. This will help prevent blood from pooling in the area because more of the blood will flow back toward your heart. If you keep standing, more blood will flow to your bruised shin and the bruise will be larger. Bruises are kind of hard to avoid completely.
But if you're playing sports, riding your bike, inline skating, or doing anything where you might bump, bang, crash, or smash into something, it's smart to wear protective gear like pads, shin guards, and helmets.
Taking just a few extra seconds to put on that gear might save you from a couple of weeks of aches and pains.
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