Natural Remedies for Bruises

Bruises are discoloration and tenderness of the skin or mucous membranes due to the leakage of blood from an injured blood vessel into the tissues. When you fall or suffer a blow, a blood vessel breaks, blood escapes, and some of that blood seeps into the surrounding tissue. The quicker a broken blood vessel clots the less blood and the smaller the bruise. A very small bruise is called a petechia. These often appear as many tiny red dots clustered together, and could indicate a serious problem. Most minor bruises will go away on their own with time, but many home remedies may help speed up the healing process.

Factors that affect healing of bruise:

• A healthy body heals a bruise in about 10 to 14 days. As the body ages, healing may take longer.
• Medicines can also affect the healing of bruise because it interferes with the body's clotting mechanisms. When you take aspirin or ibupropen, you bleed more easily. That means your bruises may take longer to heal.

Natural Remedies:

• If you close a door or drawer on your finger, prepare a poultice of grated onion and salt and apply it to the bruised area. The pain will disappear within seconds.
• Apply an ice pack to the injured area this will help reduce the size of the bruise by slowing down the blood that's flowing to the area, which decreases the amount of blood that ends up leaking into the tissues. Do the ice massage for no more than 30 minutes. Repeat two to four times a day. If ice is not available, immediately press a knife (flat side only) or a spoon on the bruise for five to 10 minutes.

• You can also treat bruises using potatoes.Potatoes contain an enzyme called catecholase which is found in most cosmetic products. It is used to lighten the skin. Peel a potato and run it through your processor. Put the processed on a piece of cheesecloth and place it over the bruise.
• Grate a piece of radish and apply to the bruise and leave it there for 15 to 30 minutes. Radish has been known to help clean up the internal bleeding of the bruise, preventing it from turning black and blue.
• Peel a banana and apply the inside of the peel to the bruise. It will lessen the pain, reduce the discoloration and speed healing. Bind the peel in place with a bandage.
• Elevate the injured part above the level of the heart, elevation helps reduce internal bleeding and swelling. It may also reduce the throbbing pain that may be present.

Prevention

• Vitamin K promotes normal clotting in the blood, and therefore may help reduce the tendency to bruise easily. Green leafy vegetables, alfalfa, broccoli, seaweed, and fish liver oils are dietary sources of vitamin K. Other good foods to eat would be those containing bioflavonoids, such as reddish-blue berries. These can assist in strengthening the connective tissue, which will decrease the spread of blood and bruising.
• Take enough vitamin C.People who lack vitamin C in their diets tend to bruise more easily and their wounds heal more slowly. Vitamin C helps build protective collagen tissue around blood vessels in the skin. If you tend to bruise easily, it is suggested you take 500mg of vitamin C each day.