Bruising
Bruising starts out as a red or black-and-blue skin
discoloration. Depending on the depth of the
bruise, it may change in color to yellow-green due
to chemical decomposition as the body works to
remove dead cells and replace tissue. Healing can
take days or weeks, depending on the severity of
the blow or bump that caused the bruise.
Bruises occur as a result of a blood vessel breaking
and leaking blood into the skin. Superficial
bruises are caused by bumps, pinches and suction,
and deeper-lying bruises are the result of sprains,
falls or broken bones. Some people are
particularly prone to bruising. Susceptibility increases
with anemia and obesity. Bruises also indicate
that the blood vessel walls are brittle or the
blood-clotting factors are inadequate. A sudden
tendency to bruising often indicates a more
serious illness such as leukemia. Easy bruising will
occur if the blood-platelet count is low because of
blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants).
With hemophilia, the soft tissue around the
joints bruises without an injury being apparent.
Fragile blood vessels are caused by a lack of vitamin C and bioflavonoids.
Eat dark green, leafy vegetables and alfalfa
sprouts to ensure adequate quantities of the
blood-clotting agent vitamin K. These foods also
contain iron, which is important
to combat anemia, a possible cause of bruising. Citrus fruits contain vitamin K
and are high in vitamin C and bioflavonoids, both of which are needed for strong
capillaries. Fatty fish such as salmon or mackerel promote blood clotting with
vitamin D, a nutrient which is also provided by
sunlight.
Supplements and herbs
Easy bruising with slow healing is often due to a lack of vitamin C.
Bioflavonoids should always be included in the vitamin C formula, as they exist
together in nature and work synergistically. Vitamin
E also helps prevent and heal bruises. Both vitamins C and E are
antioxidants, which prevent free-radical tissue damage. Bromelain also
accelerates healing.
Herbal teas, baths and compresses relieve the
pain of a bruise and speed healing.
- Twice a day, alternate rubbing the bruise
with thyme oil and
tea tree oil diluted in
olive oil.
- Add 15 drops comfrey tincture to warm bath
water. After bathing the area, apply arnica
salve to absorb the blood, or alternate with
St.
John's wort oil to relieve the pain and help
speed healing.
- Add an infusion of thyme, chamomile and
horsetail to your bath.
- Use any of the following herbs for compresses:
St. John's wort, comfrey, fennel, chamomile,
witch hazel,
calendula blossoms and
peppermint to soothe and heal the injury.
- Drink plenty of rose hip tea to help prevent
bruising caused by a lack of vitamin C.
Homeopathy
Take the remedy in the 6. 12 or 30th potency, every hour or less, as
needed. Arnica tincture works very well externally, if the skin is not broken.
- Arnica
Any injury, blow, fall, surgery; to prevent or heal bruises. Sore, aching
pain, "bruised," beaten sensations. Becomes weak, restless after injury.
Black eye. Effects of blunt instruments. Easy bruising, black and blue.
Externally use if skin not broken, nor an open wound.
Shock, fearful state.
Worse: touch, jarring, damp, motion. Better: cold compress, open air.
- Bellis
Injury to deep tissues, bruises after operations, sprains. Aching, throbbing.
Bruises of legs, breast, abdomen, joints, blood vessels (blood test. etc.).
Much swelling remains long after injury or bruise. Swelling of glands
and coldness of the limb. Dissolves hematoma. Tumors at site of injury.
Worse: cold bathing, touch. Better: motion, rubbing, cold compress.
- Hamamelis
Bruises with intense soreness, aching, bruised feeling, tender to touch.
Black eye or bleeding in eye. Bruise to testes. Injury to veins in general.
Varicose veins, phlebitis,
hemorrhoids. Bleeding of dark blood from
anywhere. Hemorrhage, poor clotting, nosebleed. Bruised look to
burns.
Worse: pressure, open air, jarring, motion, exertion, touch, cold, humid.
- Ledum
Bruised, purple, puffy area feels cold to touch, though better from cold.
Bloodshot or black eyes. Bruises at site of puncture wounds,
bites.
Large bruise or hematoma as in fractures. Injured areas become weak,
numb, cold. Discoloration remains long after pain or inflammation.
Worse: warm covers or air, motion, night. Better: from cold bathing, ice.
- Ruta
Bruises to areas where bones are covered thinly by skin (elbow, shins,
ankles), wrist, knee, spine. Bruises of bone coverings (periosteum).
Bruises during dislocations, sprains, fractures, joint or cartilage injury.
Sore, bruised, aching sensations, restless. Inflammation after bruise.
Worse: cold air, drafts, damp, pressure, lying. Better: warmth, motion.
What else you can do
- Initially, apply cold wraps or compresses with
healing clay, quark or cabbage leaves to soothe
and relieve the pain, and renew them every
half hour. In cases of severe swelling, use
icepacks in the beginning.
- Wrap a bag of frozen peas in a small towel and
hold it on the bruise for ten minutes to reduce
swelling and pain.
How much to take
- Vitamin C, with bioflavonoids, 1,000 mg three
times daily
- Vitamin E, with mixed tocopherols, 400 IU
- Bromelain, 500 mg three times daily between meals
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