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Bruises are purplish, red or black-blue spots on the skin that are caused due to an injury. When any of your body organs gets hurt hard, the small blood vessels under the skin in that area get damaged. Sudden blood leak from the blood vessels to the surrounding tissues usually cause the black-blue marks. Bruises are scientifically termed as contusion. It only takes minutes for your skin to turn dark with bruise after a hard hit, but the spot takes a couple of days to fade away. You may also feel pain and inflammation on the affected area. Bruises heal in around 12-15 days. However, if you follow the below listed remedies on how to get rid of bruises quickly, you can even chuck them out overnight.Often, what are thought to be unexplained bruises on the shin or the thigh, for example, actually result from bumps into a bedpost or other object and failing to recall the injury.Bruises in elderly people frequently occur because their skin has become thinner with age. The tissues that support the underlying blood vessels have become more fragile. Bruises are also more common in those taking treatments to thin the blood.
A bruise is termed as a contusion. Bruises are typically a result of some degree of injury to the blood vessels in the skin. Easy bruising may be a result of a seemingly insignificant compression of skin or there may be no skin injury recollected. Easy bruising can occur when the blood vessels are weakened by diseases (such as scurvy), treatments , and aging. Easy bruising can also occur because of absent or deficient blood-clotting elements. Local leakage of blood into the skin from the capillaries that occurs spontaneously, without injury, and results in a flat, purplish discolored area is referred to as ecchymosis. Ecchymosis is usually not associated with tenderness.
Symptoms of a Bruise
- Initially, a fresh bruise may actually be reddish. It will then turn blue or dark purple within a few hours, then yellow or green after a few days as it heals.
- A bruise is commonly tender, and sometimes even painful for the first few days, but the pain usually goes away as the color fades.
- Because the skin is not broken in a bruise, there is no risk of infection.
Getting Older
Do you bruise more easily now than you did when you were younger? Totally normal. As you age, your skin gets thinner and loses the protective layer of fat that acts as a cushion when you bump into something. Also, your blood vessels get more fragile. Both of these things mean you get more bruises.
Low Vitamin C
This nutrient is essential for healing, so if you don’t get enough, you may bruise easily. You may also notice it takes a long time for cuts or scrapes to get better.
It’s rare to have extremely low levels of vitamin C, but it’s more likely to happen if you’re older or you smoke.
It Runs in Your Family
If you, your mom, and your sister all turn black and blue from the tiniest bump, it may be a family thing. Some people (it’s usually women) just have more fragile blood vessels, and that makes them more likely to bruise, especially on their upper arms, thighs, or butt. It may seem scary, but if you feel fine and don’t have any other symptoms, it’s probably nothing to worry about.
Sun Damage
If you’ve been a sun worshipper all your life, you may notice your skin bruises more easily. That’s because over time, the sun slowly weakens your skin and the tiny blood vessels underneath it.
These bruises are a little different. They aren’t caused by bumping into something, they don’t usually feel tender when you touch them, and they take longer to heal. You’re most likely to see them on the backs of your hands and arms.
Blood Disorders
Some conditions can make it harder for your blood to clot. One you’ve probably heard of is hemophilia. These are rare, but they can be life-threatening if you don’t treat them.
Blood disorders usually cause symptoms other than bruising. If you’re having nosebleeds for no reason, if your gums bleed a lot after you brush or floss, or if small cuts or scrapes seem to bleed heavily, call your health care provider.
Intense Exercise
An extra-hard workout can sometimes cause bruises. That’s because you’re pushing your muscles with so much effort that it leads to tiny tears in your blood vessels.
A Zumba class or 30 minutes on the treadmill aren’t likely to cause a problem, but weightlifting or running a marathon can do it. If you notice marks on your arms or legs after an intense workout, try the “RICE” method:
- Rest
- Ice the area
- Compression (lightly wrap the muscles)
- Elevation (raise your arms or legs above your heart)
Heavy Drinking
We don’t mean you woke up with a black-and-blue mark because you bumped into something after one too many cocktails. But if you often drink a lot, and you tend to bruise easily, it may mean you’ve got liver problems.
The liver makes proteins that the blood needs for clotting, so if it’s not doing its job, you may bleed or bruise more easily. It could be a sign that you’ve got a condition called cirrhosis. It’s a serious illness, so see your health care provider.
Tips to Prevent and Treat Bruises
No matter how careful you are, you’ll probably still get them from time to time. To avoid bruises, crack down on clutter at home and always wear protective gear when you exercise or play sports.
Once you’ve got a bruise, you can help it heal faster. Raise the area where you’re injured and put ice on it. That will make you feel better and keep the bruise from getting bigger.
Most bruises aren’t much more than a nuisance, but if it’s very painful, or if you’ve had it for 2 weeks and it doesn’t show signs of getting better, call your health care provider.
Home Remedies for Bruises
Ice Therapy
Application of ice pack is the best first aid for bruises. Ice packs actually cool down the damaged blood vessels and control the blood leakage. Keep the ice cube on the bruise for 10 minutes for an immediate relief. Do not exceed the time to apply cold pack for more than 20 minutes
Elastic Bandage
You can use an elastic bandage to stop bruise from spreading. Whenever you find a bruise on your body, immediately wrap a plastic bandage to control the blood leakage in the tissues.
Hot Water Bottle
Take a bottle and fill hot water in it. Keep it on the injured area. Hot water will certainly reduce the blood clot and slow down the blood flow to the affected tissues. In case of swelling, first apply cold compress and then hot compress. Moist heat works better on bruised tissues in comparison to dry heat therapy, as it goes deeper and spreads quickly.
Vinegar
Vinegar has the efficiency to drive away the blood that has pooled in the affected area. Once bruises appear, mix vinegar with warm water and apply it on the affected area to treat blood clot instantly.
Pineapple
Pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain. This enzyme when consumed can reach the damaged blood vessels to digest the protein that causes bruise and skin inflammation. Taking at least 500 milligrams of bromelain each day can fade away bruise faster.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is an effective remedy to treat blood clotting and tissue damage in the body. To treat bruises quickly, eat vitamin K rich vegetables. Add Brussels sprouts, broccoli and leafy green vegetables to your meal.
