Soft tissue bruises are common injuries. After all, no one is safe from bumps on sharp corners of furniture, falls, pinching fingers in doors and other things. In this case, persistent bruises can occur on the hands, lower extremities, subcutaneous bruising can develop. Let's find out how to eliminate pain from bruises, what to do to restore normal blood circulation in the damaged area.
Bruise mechanism
Soft tissue injuries are mechanical injuries that occur as a result of a sharp contact of a certain part of the body with a hard, blunt object. In this case, there is no significant or visible damage to the skin. Soft tissue bruises can also occur with falls.
Symptoms
A typical symptom with a severe soft tissue injury is aching, increasing pain with a gradual bruising. Frozen blood can interfere with the functioning of blood vessels, accumulate in the deep tissues, creating complications.
If there is a bruise of the soft tissues of the head, where the vessels are extremely small, subcutaneous hemorrhage usually stops after a few minutes. In the most serious cases, without first aid, bleeding can last up to a day.
The hue of the formed hematoma depends on how long the injury was received. Crimson colors are painted fresh damage. At about 3-4 days, the place where the tissues hit hard surfaces acquires yellowish tones.
In what cases is it advisable to self-medicate?
Doctors ’interventions require, first of all, severe soft tissue bruises with heavy hemorrhages, swelling of tissues, and difficulty in motor functions. Even a normal fall out of the blue can lead to accumulation of blood in the articular cavities, which leads to the need to contact a medical authority. An immediate visit to the traumatologist also deserves a strong bruise of the soft tissues of the head with the formation of deep hematomas. Serious damage can be eliminated by performing a puncture.
At the same time, contacting a specialist is considered optional in cases where, at the site of a bruise, the following are observed:
- the formation of a slight swelling, which does not interfere with the free movement of the limb;
- not pronounced pain sensations that arise only when touching the damaged area;
- maintaining normal skin color, without bluish and bright red areas;
- in cases where the hematoma gradually decreases in volume over the course of a week.
First aid
What to do if soft tissue bruises occur? Treatment primarily involves applying a cold compress to the affected area. Exposure to low temperature tissues not only helps relieve the growing pain syndrome, but also avoids severe hemorrhages.
How to remove a bruise? A piece of tissue moistened in ice water can be applied to the affected area, a bottle or any accessible metal object, cooled in the freezer, an ice bubble.
A few hours after injuries, soft tissue bruises require a pressure bandage. The latter should not be excessively tight. Otherwise, natural blood circulation can be disturbed. Wear this dressing for the next few days.
Soft tissue injuries: treatment
After a few days after getting a bruise, applying cold compresses will no longer have the same effect. Treatment during this recovery period after an injury consists in warming up the damaged area. This solution allows you to reduce swelling and contributes to the gradual resorption of the hematoma.
Quite often, to remove bruises on the hands, patients are prescribed warm baths, dry and alcohol compresses. UHF-therapy, magnetic therapy, electrophoresis proved to be excellent in recovering from soft tissue injuries.
If the pain syndrome does not stop for several days, the victims are prescribed medications with an anesthetic effect, for example, Baralgin or Ketanov. The use of ointments that restore normal blood circulation allows you to remove the bruise of the soft tissues of the face, limbs, and other parts of the body.
A good help in recovering from bruises received can be massage, traditional medicine. We will talk about rehabilitation using these and other methods in more detail below.
Medical preparations
Among the pharmaceutical agents that allow you to remove the bruise of the soft tissues of the thigh, head, upper limbs, it is worth highlighting the following drugs:
- Ointment "Troxevasin" - the composition includes antioxidants that strengthen blood vessels and have a tonic effect on tissues. To obtain the greatest effect, it is recommended to apply the indicated product to the skin as soon as possible after receiving a bruise.
- Gel "Lyoton" - contains components that stabilize the operation of capillaries. The use of the drug contributes to the rapid removal of severe puffiness.
- Ointment "Traumeel" - is designed to restore muscle after stretching. At the same time, the tool copes with bruises. To relieve pain, it is enough just to lubricate the damaged areas several times a day.
- Ointment "Dolobene" - has an anti-inflammatory effect on tissues. Extremely effective relieves puffiness. Therefore, it makes no sense to use it in combination with other drugs against bruises.
- Ointment "Ambulance" is one of the cheapest means to recover from bruises. It turns out to be effective only in the presence of simple, superficial damage. The tool accelerates skin regeneration, prevents the development of infections and suppurations.
Massage
Regular massage procedures during recovery after injuries allow you to remove the bruise of the soft tissues of the legs, upper limbs. The timing when you can start moving on to massage is determined by the vastness and depth of tissue damage. With fresh damage, it is worth performing only a slight effect on the areas around the damaged area. This allows you to significantly reduce recovery time, quickly restore limb mobility, reduce pain, accelerate resorption of the hematoma.
As the main massage technique, first light strokes are applied in the area of the bruise. Perform them several times a day for 5-10 minutes. It is recommended to alternate such actions with rubbing the tissues around the zone of impact and squeezing the tissues in the direction from the site of the injury. As puffiness and pain subside, these massage techniques are performed closer to the injured area.
In the absence of negative manifestations in the form of increasing pain, fever, other unpleasant consequences, from the 5-6th massage session they go directly to the impact on the epicenter of the bruise. In this case, they resort to rubbing and stroking tissues, and then - kneading areas above the site of formation of edema and hematoma. The intensity and strength of the effect on the tissue increases from session to session.
At first, massage is recommended to alternate with cold compresses. After 2-3 days, they resort to its combination with thermal measures: applying hot paraffin to damaged areas, warming the tissues with a stream of warm air, and water baths.
Alternative methods of treatment
An excellent remedy for traditional medicine in the treatment of bruises is bitter wormwood. How to remove a bruise with such a remedy and relieve swelling? To begin with, fresh grass is pounded in a mortar or ground in a meat grinder. Then the slurry is applied to the affected area. In this case, drying of wormwood juice on the surface of the skin is not allowed. Therefore, the composition should be periodically updated or wetted with water.
Among the traditional medicine for treating bruises, ordinary garden onions have proven themselves well. Its flesh is rubbed into the pulp, after which it is superimposed on the site of damage in the form of a compress. After a while, the volume of puffiness gradually decreases, normal blood circulation in the problem area is restored.
As a lotion when receiving abrasions, tincture of arnica is often used. To prepare the product, about 30-40 drops of herbal balm are diluted in a small amount of water. Compresses with tincture have a soothing and soothing effect on the tissue.
As an anti-inflammatory, fresh leaves of plantain are valuable. They are laid in a mashed form directly on the affected areas. The leaves of the plant can be replaced by its juice, which is sold in pharmacies.
How to remove bruises with a bruised face?
Bruises on the face formed as a result of a bruise should be treated with methods that are somewhat different from tissue repair after damage to the arm or thigh. Due to the presence of thin, delicate skin, the use of most folk remedies will cause irritation here, and some gels and ointments can lead to a burning sensation in the eyes.
To eliminate hematomas and remove bluish areas on the face, it is first recommended to treat the bruise area with drugs such as Levomekol, Salicylic Ointment, and Bepanten. Edematous areas are lubricated with non-steroidal drugs.
Finally
So we examined the main methods of treating bruises. Which of them should be resorted to in a particular case depends on the nature and severity of the damage. Whatever tool is used at the stage of recovery after an injury, it is worthwhile to study its properties in advance. Choosing a method of treatment on your own, you must take into account possible complications. This concerns primarily drugs that are planned to be applied nearby mucous membranes and open wounds.