Bruise

Bruise is a type of injury that is commonly caused by a blunt impact, like a fall or trauma, result in damage of the soft tissues, including small blood vessels (capillaries). When these small blood vessels break, blood leaks into the tissues underneath the skin, and the skin becomes discoloured, hence producing a bruise. Bruise start as pink to red in color which turns bluish, and finally changes to greenish yellow. Bruises are not that serious and may heal by themselves after about 2 to 3 weeks as the blood is absorbed by the tissues and carried away. However, head blows require immediate attention, as these may result in a broken skull, hence may cause serious internal injury. In old people, a bruise may occur spontaneously. This is normal since blood vessels become weaker through age and should not because for alarm. Similarly, individuals with vitamin C deficiency are more prone to developing bruises because Vitamin C plays a major role in preventing the blood vessels from becoming leaky.

PATIENT ADVICE:
• If the bruise is accompanied by swelling, elevate the bruised area for 48 hours to minimize blood circulation at the affected tissues.
• Apply a cold compress or ice pack for at least 15 to 20 minutes each hour to reduce the swelling. Application of cold compress will cause narrowing of the blood vessels resulting in less leakage of the blood vessels into the nearby tissues. However, do not put ice in direct contact wit skin. To help ease the pain, the ice pack may be alternated with a heat pack for the next 48 hours.
• If you are talking any medicines, checked your medicines as some medicines may cause bruising. Examples include aspirin, steroids, antidepressnts, and anticoagulants.
• Topical analgesics may also be applied in cases where pain accompanies the condition.