Treatment of Bruises That Can Be Done at Home

Bruising or bruising is a common condition, especially in children. Usually bruises arise due to collision with hard objects, causing rupture of small blood vessels (capillaries). Not only visible discoloration of the skin, bruising also causes pain. Recognize how to treat bruises that you can do at home. In addition to hitting hard objects, bruising can also be caused by physical activity or strenuous sports, falls, or sprains. Generally, mild bruising from hitting hard objects can disappear within two to three weeks. But in some cases, bruising takes longer to heal.

Stages of Color Change in Bruises

The speed of slow healing of a bruise depends on how severe the collision is and where the wound is located. The following are the stages of discoloration of bruises, which can signal the healing process:

• Red

Shortly after colliding, the skin will look red. You will also notice that parts of the body that have been hit become slightly swollen and feel painful when touched.

• Bluish to dark purple

Usually, one or two days after the collision, the bruise will turn bluish or dark purple. This discoloration is caused by lack of oxygen intake and also swelling in the area around the bruise. As a result, the red hemoglobin will turn blue.

• Pale green

Entering the sixth day, the color of the bruises will turn greenish. This indicates that the hemoglobin in the blood begins to break down and the healing process is ongoing.

• Brownish yellow

After a week, the bruises will turn lighter, ie pale yellow or light brown. This stage is the final stage of the process of healing bruises. The bruise will not change color again, but disappear slowly and return to the original color of the skin.

Keep in mind, bruises that hurt when touched, get bigger, feel painful and do not heal, bruises that arise after taking blood-thinning medication, bruises that appear without physical injury, or often appear without apparent cause, are conditions that need watch out for. Therefore, you are advised to consult a doctor immediately if you experience it.

How to treat bruises

Although bruises or bruises will go away on their own, you can speed up the healing process of bruises by doing the following:

• Compress with ice

Compress body parts that have been hit with ice. Cold temperatures will relieve the process of swelling and inflammation. In addition, ice also helps minimize the amount of blood that comes out of small blood vessels into the surrounding tissue. Avoid applying ice directly to the skin, it is recommended to wrap the ice in a towel first. Then, compress the bruise for 20 to 30 minutes.

• Lift the bruised body parts

After a bruise occurs, try to position the bruised body higher than the chest. For example, if bruising occurs on the legs, sit or sleep by supporting the bruise area with a pillow. This is intended to reduce blood flow to the bruised area so as to relieve swelling.

• Warm water compress

After about two days compressing the bruise with ice, replace it with warm water compresses. Hot temperatures can accelerate blood flow, while speeding up the recurrence of skin color as before. Use a cloth that has been soaked in warm water. Then, compress the part of the body that has a bruise for 10 minutes. Do this two to three times a day regularly.

• Heparin sodium

In addition to these methods, you can also speed up the process of healing bruises or bruises by using topical medication in the form of ointments or gels that contain heparin. Heparin sodium is extracted from two sources of animal protein, namely porcine and bovine, where bovine is a protein made from cows. Heparin works by dissolving blood clots that are under the surface of the skin due to bruising, helps reduce inflammation, and blood circulation to accelerate healing. Side effects of the use of these drugs are generally minimal and rare, but sometimes can cause allergies. Keep in mind, heparin gel is not recommended for use in open wounds and in children under 5 years old. Do not underestimate deep wounds, be sure to prepare heparin gel in your first aid kit and choose one that is BPOM certified. You also need to know, halal heparin is extracted from bovine protein.

In general, bruises will disappear by themselves. However, if you feel uncomfortable with the condition, you can use the methods above to speed up the process of healing and bruising. If the condition of the bruise does not disappear within a few weeks, immediately consult a doctor to get the right treatment.