BRUISES

A bruise , also called a contusion or an ecchymosis, is an injury appearing as an area of

discoloured skin on the body, caused by a blow or impact rupturing underlying blood vessels.
Happens when a part of the body is struck and the muscle fibers and connective tissue underneath are
crushed but the skin doesn't break. When this occurs, blood from the ruptured capillaries (small blood
vessels) near the skin's surface escapes by leaking out under the skin. With no place to go, the blood gets
trapped, forming a red or purplish mark that's tender when you touch it a bruise.

Causes of a Bruise
People typically get bruises when they bump into something or when something bumps into them.

Bruises can occur in some people who exercise vigorously, such as athletes and weight lifters.

These bruises result from microscopic tears in blood vessels under the skin.
Unexplained bruises that occur easily or for no apparent reason may indicate a bleeding

disorder, especially if the bruising is accompanied by frequent nose bleeds or bleeding gums.
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 medicine to thin the blood.

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.

Bruises Treatment -- Home Remedies

The treatment for a bruise is most effective right after the injury, while the bruise is still reddish.

A cold compress such as an ice pack or a bag of frozen vegetables should be applied to the

affected area for 20-30 minutes in order to speed healing and reduce swelling. Do not apply ice
directly to the skin. Wrap the ice pack in a towel.
If the bruise takes up a large area of the leg or foot, the leg should be kept elevated as much

as possible during the first 24 hours after the injury.

Acetaminophen may be taken for pain as instructed on the bottle. Avoid aspirin or
ibuprofen because they slow the blood from clotting and may, in fact, prolong the bleeding.

After about 48 hours, heat in the form of a warm washcloth applied to the bruise for 10 minutes
or so two to three times a day may increase blood flow to the bruised area, allowing the skin to
reabsorb the blood more quickly. Ultimately, the bruise will fade in color.

How Long Do Bruises Last?

You can pretty much guess the age of a bruise just by looking at its color:
1. When you first get a bruise, it's kind of reddish as the blood appears under the skin.
2. Within 1 or 2 days, the hemoglobin (an iron-containing substance that carries oxygen) in the
blood changes and your bruise turns bluish-purple or even blackish.
3. After 5 to 10 days, the bruise turns greenish or yellowish.
4. Then, after 10 or 14 days, it turns yellowish-brown or light brown.
5. Finally, after about 2 weeks, your bruise fades away

Who Gets Bruises?

Anyone can get a bruise. Some people bruise easily, whereas others don't. Why? Bruising
depends on several things, such as:

how tough the skin tissue is

whether someone has certain diseases or conditions
whether a person's taking certain medications

Also, blood vessels tend to become fragile as people get older, which is why elderly people
tend to bruise more easily.

Types:
There are three common types of bruises that can occur based on the severity of an
injury: contusions, hematomas and purpura.
Contusions
Contusions are the most common type of bruises and are typically caused by blunt-force trauma. If the trauma
damages the blood vessels under the skin, a bruise known as a contusion may appear.
A contusion is typically identified by the color shifting of the skin as the injury transitions through the healing
process. A contusion will initially turn redthen black, blue, or purpleuntil eventually transitioning to green or
yellow as the leaked blood under the tissue breaks down and is resorbed by the body.
Hematomas
Hematomas are a type of bruising where a massive collection of blood has pooled at the injury site.
Hematomas are often the result of the same type of trauma that causing contusions, but they are typically
accompanied by more severe pain and additional swelling in the injured area.

A hematoma may also be caused by a blood vessel spontaneously rupturing or as a result of undergoing a
surgical procedure. Hematomas are particularly dangerous when they occur in vital organs of the body, and in
such cases a consultation with your physician is highly advised.
Purpura
Purpura is bruising indicated by purple-colored patches and spotting that occur on the skin, often in the lining
of the mouth. Purpura occurs when small blood vessels rupture and leak blood beneath the skin.
Purpura is not caused by traumatic injury, but instead by a variety of conditions or diseases such as fragile
blood vessels in the elderly, congenital rubella, or even drugs that may reduce your platelet count.