Contusion of the hand

A bruised hand is one type of injury that falls into the category of mild or moderate severity. Under the injury it is supposed to damage the subcutaneous layers of the epidermis and soft tissues, not accompanied by cracks, dislocations, sprains or fractures. However, a bruised hand is often difficult to distinguish from more serious injuries, since the primary symptomatology is very similar to them.

A bruised hand that is classified as light or of medium severity is a trauma that does not break the skin and is accompanied by mild pain, swelling and bruising at the site of the stroke. In motion, the upper limb may be slightly ached, but its basic functions are not violated and do not cause difficulties.

The basic rules of first aid are as follows: 

• Try to ensure peace of the injured place; 
• Apply a moderately tight bandage of elastic or any improvised material; 
• Top cold - cold compress, ice wrapped in cloth, cooled object.

A bruised arm is often accompanied by additional, rather serious injuries - stretching, dislocation, fracture. How can they be distinguished from each other?

[1]

Bruised hands with stretching

Stretching of the ligaments, which often accompanies bruises, occurs mainly in the fall. To the person who falls, it is peculiar to instinctively put forward hands, as if being protected from the general trauma.

And, as a rule, hands are injured, most often brushes. In such cases, a trauma is not limited to a single injury, as a rule, the ligamentous apparatus suffers.

Symptoms typical for sprain: 

• Intense sharp pain; 
• Rapidly developing edema at the site of injury; 
• Painful sensations when touching the injured zone; 
• Hyperemia, bruises under the skin.

[2]

Bruised hand with ligament rupture

If the joint looks unusual, it hurts, then, most likely, it is at least a stretch, as a maximum is possible and a fracture. If the pain sensations are tolerant, and begin to increase the next day, after the hand began to function, then, most likely, it is a typical stretching. If the tendon is broken, and this can be in case of severe trauma, then the symptomatology is very obvious - severe pain, characteristic sound of the tearing tendon, inability to move the hand, severe puffiness, lymphostasis at the site of injury.

First aid in cases where a bruised hand is accompanied by sprains is in such actions: 

• To provide stillness; 
• Apply a tight bandage, bandage it in any accessible way; 
• Provide external cold to the site of injury; 
• Raise the limb slightly to provide peripheral blood outflow; 
• You should not try to fix the damaged joint yourself or rub the ligament; 
• If possible, seek medical help (do x-rays).

A little information about the methods of bandaging, which will be useful both in treatment and in helping with stretching and ligament ruptures.

The simplest method is the spiral method, when the dressing is applied in the same way as the circular dressing, but several turns are made at the same place to fix the bandage. It is necessary to bandage, beginning with the narrowest point, to lay a coil a little obliquely to ensure density.

If the bruise of the hand fell on the joint, the bandage should be banded by the G-8 method, applying coils, as if drawing a band-number of 8.

[3]

Bruised hand with a dislocation

Also a bruised hand can be fraught with a dislocation. Most often dislocated elbows are affected, more precisely the bones of the forearm. Since the elbow joint consists of a number of structural elements, injuries can occur in case of injury such parts: 

• The radius of the head, its head; 
• Both forearm bones; 
• Elbow bone (isolated dislocation); 
• Bones of the forearm in combination with a fracture or fracture of the cervical portion of the radius; 
• The ulnar process.

Such a bruise of the hand due to anatomical features of the ulnar structure is accompanied by hemarthrosis - hemorrhage into the joint cavity, deformation of the joint itself, severe swelling. A particularly disturbing symptom may be a violation of the movement of the fingers, which indicates damage to the nerve endings in the elbow joint. The help in such a trauma is similar to the rules for helping with bruises, but after applying bandages and ice, you need to seek help from a doctor.

[4], [5]

Bruised hand with fracture

Fracture is usually closed type, rarely with a shift.

Symptoms of a hand injury with a fracture: 

• Intense, increasing pain immediately after stroke; 
• Rapid spread of edema; 
• There may be bruising; 
• Sharp pain in flexion, extension.

First aid, if there was a bruised hand with a fracture, is as follows: 

• Ensure fixation and its immobility (the application of a tire from an improvised hard material to the site of a fracture, previously tied with a cloth); 
• Provide cold in the place of damage - compress, ice, cold object; 
• If possible, give the patient an anesthetic. 
• As soon as possible, deliver the victim to a medical facility.

If you do not have any means at your fingertips that could play the role of a tire, your arm should be gently applied to the trunk and fixed with a bandage.

A bruised hand can be a really simple, easy trauma that takes place within one to two weeks. Indicative is the first day, when both pain and swelling should gradually subside. If the second and third days are accompanied by constant pain, swelling and limb immobility, independent treatment of such injury is unacceptable - the help of a qualified specialist, traumatologist is necessary.

[6]