10 Home Remedies for Bruising

10 Home Remedies for Bruising

We’re all familiar with what a bruise is. It’s certainly something most of us have experienced a few times in our lives, especially during our childhoods. A bruise is an injury of the skin that causes a discolouration. The discolouration is caused by damaged blood vessels under the skin, resulting in that black or blue mark that we identify as a bruise.

The most common type of bruising is caused by bumping into a hard object, but there are a few other types of bruising as well:

• Athletic over-exertion can result in bruising from tiny tears in the blood vessels
• Bruising that can’t be explained may be the result of a bleeding disorder. Other symptoms of a bleeding disorder to look out for are regular bleeding gums and nosebleeds
• People taking blood thinner medication also experience more frequent bruising
• The elderly frequently have bruises due to the fact that the skin becomes thinner and more fragile with age

Bruises can look different depending on the stage of injury, so it’s good to know which symptoms to look out for:

• Fresh bruises may start of as red/reddish, then turn purple, blue or dark purple within a few hours after the contusion.
• It’s common to see a yellow and/or green ‘halo’ around the bruise as it starts to heal, this usually appears a few days after the contusion that had caused the bruise.
• It’s also good to note, that bruises generally do not have any broken surface skin, therefore there is no risk of infection

When to see a doctor?

• If you regularly experience unexplained bruising, this might mean that you have some sort of bleeding disorder. In this case it’s a wise idea to see your doctor about this.
• If your bruise does not appear to be getting better after two weeks, or hasn’t disappeared after three to four weeks
• If you think you may have done more damage than just a bruise
• If you have bruised your head strongly

Like with any ailment, bruises are best avoided. But when people do get a bruise, most of rely on time to heal it, but there are a few things that can be done. Here are 10 home remedies for bruising:

10 Home Remedies for Bruising

#1 – Ice One of the most effective treatments for reducing bruising is to apply an icepack or a cold compress to the area of injury. This helps reduce blood flow, and reduces the amount of blood that can leak into the injured tissue. This helps reduce the appearance of the bruise as well as reducing swelling.

Apply a cold compress or icepack to the injured area, and keep it on for around fifteen minutes. Repeat this three to four times per day. It’s important to note to never directly apply ice or an icepack to your skin. Always make sure it’s wrapped in a clean cloth.

#2 – Heat It may seem a little odd that applying heat to a bruise is an effective treatment, but it works. Make sure to follow step one first, and then a day or two after the injury, you can start treating your bruise with heat. Applying heat helps increase circulation and blood flow to the area, and will help clear away trapped blood after the formation of the bruise.

Apply a hot water bottle to the injury, and gently move it around the area of the bruise for about fifteen minutes. You can also use a hot water compress. You should repeat this three times per day, and can alternate this with cold treatment.

#3 – Compression Compression is an effective treatment, it helps stop blood vessels from leaking and lessens the size and severity of the bruise. Just take an elastic bandage and wrap it tight around the injured area, and keep it on for the day. Make sure to let the area rest, take off the bandage and let the skin rest on every few hours.

#4 – Elevate Elevate the bruised part of your body higher than the level of your heart. This will help to relieve some pain, and it will help drain fluids away from the bruised area, reducing the size and severity of the bruise.

#5 – Lavender oil Lavender oil has soothing, healing and analgesic properties, and will help speed up the healing of your bruise. Just take a few drops of lavender oil mixed with coconut oil, and gently massage it into the bruise. You can repeat this three times per day until your bruise goes away.

10 Home Remedies for Bruising

#6 – Vinegar When you mix vinegar with water, it helps increase blood flow and effectively speeds up the healing process. This will help prevent blood spots and will decrease the severity of the bruise.

Mix equal parts vinegar and warm water, and massage the solution into the injured area of your skin. You can also do a vinegar and water compress, leaving it on for fifteen minutes at a time. You can repeat this three times per day.

#7 – Epsom salt This helps relax the muscle tissue and is an effective way in reducing swelling. Epsom salt is easily absorbed by your body, and it helps relieve pain and soreness as well.

You can add epsom salt to your bath, or dissolve some epsom salt in a mug of warm water and apply it to the bruise using a cotton ball.

#8 – Vitamin C Consuming a diet rich in vitamin C is an integral part of having a well functioning recovery system. Vitamin C helps build tissue and speeds up recovery when it comes to bruising.

Make sure that you’re consuming plenty of vitamin C rich foods, or supplementing vitamin C every day.

#9 – Arnica oil This is a very popular and widely used remedy for bruising and cuts. Arnica is well known for its medicinal properties, helps prevent infections, helps stop and reduce swelling, and helps effectively speed up healing.

Rub arnica oil gently into the bruises, or apply a warm compress with arnica oil. You can repeat this two to three times per day until your bruise goes away.

#10 –  Toothpaste This may seem like an unlikely candidate for healing a bruise, but it helps break up blood clots, increase blood flow, and it’s something that every household always has on hand. Most people report that it only takes a day or two of applying toothpaste to a bruise before clear and visible improvements can be seen. It also helps reduce swelling.

Related Home Remedy Searches:

10 Home Remedies for Bruising, Natural Bruising Treatment, Bruising, Bruising remedy,

Bruising References and Bruising Information

• Web MD: https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/bruises-article#1
• Medeline Plus: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000033.htm
• Herbal Remedies and Home Comforts (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=1sMt7DD6FZcC&pg=PA23&dq=warm+compress+bruise&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj_6r3yqdHLAhWDUY4KHVDCA6kQ6AEIJjAC#v=onepage&q=warm%20compress%20bruise&f=false
• Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-bruise/basics/art-20056663
• Lavender Oil (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=SECBBwAAQBAJ&pg=PT12&dq=lavender+oil+for+bruises&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwilxe7wrdHLAhWOv44KHZooBiIQ6AEIRjAG#v=onepage&q=lavender%20oil%20for%20bruises&f=false
• Home Remedies (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ExFziuyaXWcC&pg=PA89&dq=vinegar+for+bruises&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj1wqrDsNHLAhWKC44KHUxOA6IQ6AEIOzAE#v=onepage&q=vinegar%20for%20bruises&f=false
• Modern Hydrotherapy for the Massage Therapist (Book):https://books.google.co.in/books?id=fE3YnfgAE_0C&pg=PA149&dq=epsom+salt+for+bruises&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiv-7TwstHLAhXNj44KHVHwAIwQ6AEIJDAA#v=onepage&q=epsom%20salt%20for%20bruises&f=false
• Home Remedies (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=ExFziuyaXWcC&pg=PA89&dq=vinegar+for+bruises&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj1wqrDsNHLAhWKC44KHUxOA6IQ6AEIOzAE#v=onepage&q=vinegar%20for%20bruises&f=false
• Herbal Remedies (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=BjL2ddms5hYC&pg=PT95&dq=arnica+healing+properties&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjazquazdHLAhVGCI4KHS5jAR0Q6AEIIDAB#v=onepage&q=arnica%20healing%20properties&f=false
• Naturopathy – Nature’s Way of Healing Life (Book): https://books.google.co.in/books?id=jj3Fw0-L6SsC&pg=PA50&dq=toothpaste+for+bruises&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjcj5_Dz9HLAhVIBI4KHe_oC6MQ6AEISTAG#v=onepage&q=toothpaste%20for%20bruises&f=false
• Read Also: https://homeremediesapp.com/10-home-remedies-for-burns/