Do you know that your bruises could be treated making use of home remedies? You just have to know when to treat and when not to. Even if you do not belong to any of the allied medical professions, you should be able to determine whether bruises are serious enough to merit treatment in a hospital or whether home remedies could do. This will save you considerable time and money. Here are some pointers to consider when deciding on the mode of treatment.
When can a bruise be given home remedies?
Bruises can be classified into three:
1. Subcutaneous
This is a bruise which is a result of a mild, physical applied pressure by someone or something. It is superficial because only the skin is affected. This may come from mild bumps, contusions or short falls. The affected area may have a bluish (we also call this in the medical field -hematoma) or reddish discoloration of the skin and some swelling (inflammation).
These are the type of bruises that could be treated with home remedies.
2. Intramuscular
This is a more serious type of the condition because it goes deeper than the skin because the muscles are now affected. The same bluish or reddish discoloration of the skin is present but the pain is more intense and pus formation may develop. When this happens medical assistance should be sought. Some intramuscular bruises can be treated at home if there is no pus formed and the patient does not experience nausea or vomiting.
3. Periosteal
This goes deeper than the skin and the muscle because it involves the bones. This is the most serious type and definitely needs medical assistance because surgery might be in order. This could be caused by vehicular accidents or an intentional hitting of a blunt object. The pain, swelling and discoloration are more pronounced than the two types and the bruise would be more prone to pus formation.
For the subcutaneous bruise and a non pus-forming intramuscular bruise, home remedies could be used. These are some of the home remedies that I myself used at home and during my first aid classes:
1. For swelling, the bruise can be subjected to an ice pack for 10-15 minutes 3 times a day. The ice pack should be wrapped in a cloth to avoid direct contact as this would cause more pain afterward. There are dry ice packs available which could be bought commercially. Do not hold the ice pack steady over the bruise as it would “freeze’ the vein and may render it dysfunctional (just like in frostbite). Move the ice pack over the bruised area in a manner that does not concentrate in one area alone.
2. After the swelling has subsided, you can now apply warm compress. This would hasten the healing of the bruise by encouraging blood flow into the bruised area. In the same manner that you have applied the cold compress, the same manner is also true for the warm compress. Do not hold it steady but move it over the entire area.
3. If the bruise feels hot, then raw egg could be placed over the bruised area to make it cooler. The egg yolk is cleaner and is the cooler portion of the egg and is therefore preferable.
4. Crushed parsley could also be applied into the area until the bruise gets better. This would be evident by the color of the skin returning to its normal color.
5. Crushed ginger could also reduce swelling in the bruised area by applying it overnight. The ginger should be washed thoroughly, (do not peel the skin) and then crushed and applied to the area with a gauze pad (or soft cloth) and micropore (plaster) to hold it in place. This could be done until the swelling subsides. The ice pack could be applied during the day and the crushed ginger during the night.
These are all applicable if you do not have pre-existing debilitating diseases, like diabetes, congenital heart disease or renal dysfunction.
Even if it is only a subcutaneous bruise, if the swelling and skin discoloration is persistent even after the home remedies, then you have to consult your physician. There maybe other underlying pathologic conditions than just the presence of the bruises. Bruises could occur also because of Leukemia and other serious blood dyscrasia, so be wise in deciding when to use home remedies and when not to.
There are still many home cure remedies for bruises but the above-mentioned are the methods I had personally used, hence the recommendation.
