Treating bruises

Providing assistance for bruises is a set of rules that everyone should know, because bruises are constant companions of our lives, regardless of the degree of our caution. It is especially important for parents to know the algorithm of actions for providing assistance for bruises, since a child, due to his natural activity, will inevitably encounter falls, and therefore bruises. Depending on the area of damage, the severity of the injury, the rules for providing assistance may be different. However, there are also uniform standards that help minimize damage from blows.

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Standard of care for bruises

• Ensure rest - horizontal body position, immobilization of the limb, etc.;
• Fixation – application of a moderately tight bandage, bandaging with elastic material;
• Cold therapy – on the first day, apply cold compresses, ice, cold objects, periodically replacing them to avoid heating (for children, apply cold for 15-20 minutes, no more, then take a break);
• Applying external anti-inflammatory agents for a week, starting from the second day after the injury (ointments cannot be used if the skin is damaged). All ointments containing diclofenac, ibuprofen and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory components are suitable as ointments;
• Thermal procedures are possible starting from the second day after the injury. Dry warming bandages are applied, possibly alcohol ones (for no more than 30 minutes);
• Absorbent preparations are used together with thermal procedures, alternating them. Ointments containing heparin, leech extract, chestnut extract, arnica, etc. are suitable as preparations;

At the slightest alarming symptoms (dizziness, nausea, severe, increasing swelling, pain that does not go away within 24 hours), you should consult a doctor.

The main task that is solved by providing assistance with bruises is to reduce pain symptoms, localize swelling and exclude more serious injuries. In order to learn to differentiate bruises, dislocations and fractures, you should remember the basic signs that help to distinguish them from each other.

A bruise is a mild injury that involves the preservation of the skin or its slight damage (abrasions, scratches). With a bruise, the upper layer of the epidermis is not damaged, taking the initial blow on itself, but the inner, deep layers of the skin, which are looser and more porous in structure, are injured, the integrity of the capillaries and small vessels is damaged. A small, localized hemorrhage occurs in the subcutaneous fat, where exudate accumulates, and a slight lymphatic edema develops. Mild bruises are limited to this, unlike more severe ones, which can threaten ruptures of internal tissues and organs. A head bruise is fraught with complications, and bruises of the neck and spine are also dangerous.

It is also necessary to learn to differentiate bruises from fractures. Fractures are characterized by much more intense pain, in addition, the damaged area loses its properties (motor). So, with a bruise of the leg there may be both pain and swelling, but it retains the ability to bend, the person can move. With a fracture, this is impossible, and the swelling develops much faster. A fracture of the limbs, unlike bruises, is accompanied by visual deformation, an atypical position of the joints.

More threatening injuries, such as a basal skull fracture, are accompanied by loss of consciousness, cyanosis (blue skin of the face), a typical symptom - "spectacle syndrome", when bruises appear around the eyes. Spinal injuries often begin with bruises, and pain shock sometimes does not allow for immediate diagnosis of a fracture. Therefore, the main rules that eliminate the risk of errors and additional injury are:

• Rest, immobilization of the injured body part;
• After following the rules that involve providing assistance for bruises, carefully monitor the patient during the first day;
• At the slightest doubt or alarming signs, it is necessary to contact a medical institution.

In clinical traumatology practice, the decisive period is either the first hours in the case of severe trauma, or the first day in situations involving moderate injuries.

You should also contact your doctor if:

• There was no contusion, but a hematoma or bruises appeared;
• The phalanx of the finger and nail were bruised, but there is no hematoma or bruise;
• Symptoms of the bruise do not go away within 10-14 days (swelling and pain persist);
• After a bruise, after some time, an extensive hematoma with clear contours develops.

Providing assistance for bruises is a fairly simple procedure that should not only be known, but also applied in practice. Such skills are necessary for providing assistance to oneself, and they also allow one to help other victims in extreme situations.