Various kinds of injuries haunt a person throughout his life. In most cases, lower limbs suffer from bruises. When injured, it is important to differentiate small damage from fracture. If after receiving a bruised leg, the leg is swollen, what to do, the doctor will tell you. A visit to the emergency room is a prerequisite in the presence of even the slightest doubt about the harmlessness of the injury. An additional treatment of shin bruise can be done on your own at home. Symptoms of injury, methods for its diagnosis, therapy, and drugs that should be in every medicine cabinet are described below.
Clinical manifestations
Bruising of the soft tissues of the lower leg and bone structures is characterized by high-intensity pain. This is due to the fact that a huge number of nerve fibers are concentrated in this area. In addition, the periosteum is located very close to the surface. It also has a large number of nerve endings. That is why even weak strokes on the lower leg are accompanied by the appearance of severe pain. In some cases, shock develops with subsequent loss of consciousness.
Clinical manifestations of bruised bones of the leg or soft tissues:
- Painful sensations. Over time, their intensity decreases. The severity of pain is of clinical importance in differential diagnosis. This indicator allows you to confirm or exclude the presence of a fracture.
- Redness of the skin in the affected area. It is a sign of the development of the inflammatory process, the launch of which occurs in response to the injury. In the first seconds after a bruise, the skin, on the contrary, turns pale, a red tint appears a bit later (this is due to the occurrence of reflex spasm of blood vessels), at the same time, body temperature rises locally.
- Hematoma formation. A consequence of the violation of the integrity of blood vessels is the penetration of blood into nearby tissues. The hematoma on the lower leg is first blue, then it changes to pale yellow. As a rule, it resolves independently. But upon receipt of a severe bruise, the integrity of deeply located blood vessels is violated. Thus, fluid connective tissue enters not only the muscles, but also the joints. The difficulty lies in the fact that such hematomas seem harmless, but at the same time they often require surgical intervention.
- Edema. According to the degree of intensity of this symptom, doctors assess the severity of the condition of the victim. With a bruised shin, the edema can take the form of a slight swelling, which is not accompanied by severe pain, it can also be huge. In the latter case, it is customary to talk about extensive damage to both soft tissues and bone structures. Severe edema compresses nearby tissues, due to which any motor activity is accompanied by the occurrence of severe pain.
- The degree of impaired functioning of the lower limb. If you get a slight bruise, a person can only limp a little. After serious injuries, it’s almost impossible to step on the foot.
Strong bruises of the lower leg are also characterized by a general deterioration in well-being. In some cases, not only local, but also total body temperature rises.
Diagnostics
If after a bruised leg, the leg is swollen, what to do should be decided by the doctor. The specialist in the emergency room assesses the severity of the injury, and also conducts differential diagnosis with dislocation of the joint and fracture. This need is due to the fact that such damage requires a fundamentally different treatment.
In order to confirm the diagnosis, an X-ray examination is prescribed. Based on its results, the doctor can judge the degree of integrity of tendons and bone structures.
First aid
The effectiveness of the treatment of injury directly depends on what actions were taken shortly after its receipt.
First aid for bruised shin:
- The victim must be placed in a horizontal position. A damaged limb needs to be raised slightly. Due to this, the severity of edema somewhat decreases.
- A bandage should be applied to the bruised area. It should be tight. The limb can be fixed with an elastic or regular bandage. A bandage is necessary when a severe injury occurs. At the same time, it should not disturb the blood circulation process. In other words, you do not need to tighten it much. If within a few minutes the skin has not acquired a bluish tint, you do not need to loosen the dressing.
- In case of violation of the integrity of the skin, it is necessary to treat the affected areas with hydrogen peroxide or any other disinfectant, followed by the application of a bactericidal patch. This recommendation is relevant only for small abrasions and cuts.
- Apply a cold compress. If you do this in the first minutes after receiving an injury, a sharp spasm of the vessels will occur. Due to this, edema and hematoma do not spread to nearby tissues. The duration of the compress should not exceed 15 minutes.
- If the patient has unbearable pain, it is allowed to give him only one tablet of Ibuprofen, Paracetamol or Analgin. The decision on the advisability of taking or administering other medicines should be made by the doctor.
With timely first aid, treatment of a bruise takes much less time. In addition, the likelihood of developing negative consequences is significantly reduced.
Invalid actions
In many cases, people ignore the need to visit a doctor, preferring self-medication to competent therapy. However, they make a number of gross errors. You need to know about them and those who provide first aid to the victim.
If after a bruised leg, a leg is swollen, what should not be done:
- Rub the affected area. This helps to increase the area of hematoma and edema and significantly increases the risk of thrombophlebitis.
- Put on too tight a bandage. Against the background of a deterioration in the circulatory process, cell death can occur.
- Perform motor activity. The affected limb should be at rest. In addition, during the recovery period, it is recommended to apply a splint. This is a device with which you can minimize the reduction of injured muscle tissue.
In addition, do not uncontrollably take painkillers. Each of them has an impressive list of side effects, the signs of which inevitably appear when the dosing regimen is violated.
Features of traditional treatment
Medical intervention does not require only minor bruises that are not accompanied by severe clinical manifestations. In other cases, it is recommended to consult a traumatologist.
The treatment regimen for shin injury consists of the following items:
- Resting the limbs. The patient needs to minimize motor activity, while walking it is advisable to rely on a cane. With severe bruises, they immediately impose a lancet.
- Reception and local use of funds belonging to the NSAID group. The active components of the drugs stop pain and inflammation. As a rule, doctors prescribe the following drugs: Nise, Celebrex, Movalis, Arcoxia.
- Thermal treatments. Appointed 3 days after injury. Against the background of treatment with dry heat, the hematoma resolves faster and the healing process accelerates.
- Physiotherapy. Gymnastics must also be practiced from the 3rd day after the injury. At the initial stage, all exercises are gentle, gradually the intensity of the load needs to be increased.
- Physiotherapy. Against the background of the procedures, edema is eliminated and the hematoma resolves. As a rule, doctors recommend taking a course of laser and magnetotherapy, electrophoresis and UHF.
- Massotherapy. Appointed 7 days after injury. Massage is necessary if the swelling and hematoma do not resolve independently.
The duration of treatment is no more than 3 weeks. During this period, a complete restoration of the damaged area occurs. With the preservation of the hematoma and the presence of painful sensations, it is customary to talk about the development of complications.
Effects
In most cases, the prognosis is favorable. Improper treatment and non-compliance with doctor's recommendations can lead to the development of complications.
Adverse effects of bruised shin:
- Calcification of a hematoma. In place of the affected muscle tissue, bone structures form.
- Thrombophlebitis. This is an extremely dangerous complication that can result in death.
- Abscess. It is characterized by accumulation of purulent exudate in the tissues.
- Periostitis. This is an inflammatory process that affects the periosteum.
In addition, in the absence of treatment, painful sensations can persist for a very long time.
Folk methods
You can reduce the severity of discomfort or get rid of a bump on the lower leg after a bruise using unconventional means.
The most effective recipes:
- Grind 5 small or 2 large onion heads. Add to it 1 tbsp. l rock salt. Wrap the resulting mixture in a piece of cotton. Apply a compress to the affected area. Three times a day it must be changed. The course of treatment is 5 days.
- Take 0.5 tsp. apple cider vinegar (warmed up), 2 tsp. salt. Mix the components thoroughly, add 4 drops of iodine. Moisten a piece of cotton cloth in the resulting liquid. Apply on the shin to the site of the bruise.
- Take a few freshly picked leaves of plantain and yarrow. Grind and mix the raw materials. Apply the resulting slurry to the affected area.
It is not recommended to apply alcohol compresses to the hematoma. Despite the effectiveness, their use often leads to severe burns.
Gel "Badyaga 911"
This tool should be in every medicine cabinet. Its composition is represented by natural components that contribute to tissue regeneration, reducing the severity of edema and hematoma. In addition, the active substances improve blood circulation in the affected area, which significantly reduces the risk of post-traumatic thrombophlebitis.
Apply the gel only on clean skin. The product must be spread over it in a thick layer. Without rubbing, leave the gel on the skin for 20 minutes. After the specified time, the product must be washed off with warm water. Burning sensation may occur during use.
Ointment "Ambulance"
This tool is also recommended to purchase and put it in a medicine cabinet. An ambulance is an ointment for bruises, swelling, and bruising. In addition, the remedy in a short time eliminates pain and eliminates the inflammatory process. Also, the ointment has an antiseptic effect.
Apply the product to the affected area three times a day. Symptoms of bruising disappear, usually after 5-7 days.
Ointment "Rescuer"
According to reviews, it helps to get rid of hematomas in 4 days. This is also an ointment for bruises and bruises, and swelling. The mechanism of action of the “Rescuer” is based on the process of restoring the protective functions of subcutaneous structures. In addition, against the background of the application, the activation of the antibacterial properties of liquid connective tissue and lymph is activated.
Apply ointment is allowed up to 5 times a day. If necessary, it can be used as a compress.
Gel "Voltaren"
The active component of the drug is diclofenac. The active substance instantly begins to act in the lesion. Thanks to this, the development of the inflammatory process stops, and painful sensations disappear in a short time.
Method of application: apply a small amount of gel to cleansed skin up to 4 times a day.
Finally
A bruised shin is an injury that in all cases is accompanied by intense pain. If severe hematoma and edema occur, it is recommended to consult a traumatologist. If the leg is swollen against the background of a bruised shin, what to do can only be suggested by a specialist. A slight bruise does not require medical intervention.