First aid for bruises is an important item that even ordinary people should know. Emergency first aid will be able to eliminate the risks of subsequent complications and side effects.
A bruise is a closed injury, as is often the case with dislocations. But in this case, we are talking about the deformation of tissues or an internal organ without significant destabilization of their structure. It is believed that bruises are the most common types of household injuries. And if it is not possible to manage with fractures on their own with help, then with such types of injuries, this is possible.
Basic classification
In order for the provision of assistance to give effective results, doctors recommend that you first deal with what served as the primary source of trauma. Often, medical assistance may be needed for those who have suffered as a result of a strong blow with a blunt object, but have not damaged the integrity of the skin.
This takes place in case of an accidental fall, ice and domestic injuries, when, for example, a heavy object falls on a finger. Despite the fact that the skin remains almost intact, as happens with sprains, this does not mean that the lesion can be ignored.
At the site of impact, swelling first appears, which is quickly replaced by a hematoma, and then it starts to hurt a lot, especially when pressing on the bruised area.
Most often, physicians fix bruises of soft tissues. The most dangerous of them is a blow to the head, since there is still a possibility of damage to stable brain activity. No less often, specialists working in the trampoint have to deal with injuries to the periosteum or joint.
In the latter case, you can feel the side effects of negligence in a couple of hours. When the articular part of the limbs is affected, this is expressed not only in the limitation of functionality. The victim has to suffer from an increase in the size of the joint itself, as well as an increase in pain, which is especially acute during even a slight movement.
If there was a pathology of the knee, then it will not be possible to fully straighten the sore leg at all, since this brings real suffering. In this case, it is necessary to correctly distinguish a bruise from a dislocation.
Among other areas of the body, the following are most often bruised:
- neck;
- back;
- rib cage;
- spine.
But if, with a mild degree of finger damage, it will be possible to neutralize all the unpleasant consequences on your own, having the proper skills, then when you hit your head, it is strictly forbidden to delay visiting a doctor. This even extends to situations where it seems to the victims that everything is fine with them. The latent development of side effects is a common thing, therefore, after a dangerous situation, you should immediately seek the advice of a doctor.
Outwardly, only a slight swelling, which is popularly called a “bump”, can give out discomfort. But an irreversible process can take place inside, which a little later will begin to signal itself:
- loss of consciousness;
- nausea with vomiting;
- weakness.
All of the above indicate more severe damage, which may even include a concussion. With injuries of this kind, only experienced specialists with appropriate diagnostic equipment in a hospital can provide qualified assistance.
No less dangerous in practice are neck bruises, which are often accompanied by disturbances in the stable activity of blood flow in nearby vessels, which slows down the habitual blood supply to brain cells.
Much the same goes for back bruises, which will put the blood supply to the spinal cord in question. It will be possible to identify this complication using a test for the sensitivity of the legs and upper limbs, as well as a functional test of muscle activity.
The severity of the bruise of the sternum depends on what was the area of the lesion and the applied pressure. Usually only the soft tissues are affected. But if there was a fall from a great height, then cardiac or respiratory arrest is a common thing. Often other internal organs are affected, which ideally describes the clinical situation with bleeding due to rupture of the spleen with the liver.
Features of bruises
Before helping the victim, you need to understand the principle of the impact of a bruise, so that in emergency situations you can quickly make only the right decisions.
A bruise involves a violation of integrity:
- skin and subcutaneous fat;
- muscle fibers;
- blood vessels;
- nerve endings.
Sometimes this happens all together, if there was an extensive burn injury followed by a fall out of the window, or separately. But in any case, the most clear characteristic sign of the presented injury is swelling, even with abrasions and internal hemorrhages.
If blood accumulates, it will saturate the surrounding healthy tissues, which will outwardly be expressed in the formation of a hematoma. But sometimes, depending on the physiological characteristics of the problem area, it is able to pour into neighboring cavities. Most often, the articular cavity undergoes this, which in medical terminology is called hemarthrosis.
Even the most experienced expert will not give a definite answer to the question of how quickly the bleeding can stop without outside help. The difficulty lies in the individual characteristics of the organism, since some people are characterized by poor blood clotting, which aggravates the overall clinical picture.
The average rate for a spontaneous stop of bleeding from capillaries, for example, a finger, is about 5-10 minutes. If we are talking about large vessels, then it is possible to prolong the process up to a day.
The color of the hematoma is also directly related to the statute of limitations of its formation:
- a fresh trace has a purple-cyanotic hue, which is especially visible in the abdomen;
- on day 3-4, the color changes to blue-yellow;
- on the 5th-6th day, the shade gradually turns yellow.
It has its own sequence for other typical symptoms. So, immediately a person will notice extensive swelling and begin to complain of pain. But after a few days, the swelling will subside. Although the pain will not go away immediately, but will be felt for about a week with pressure, its reduction indicates successful therapy.
Strong impacts may include destabilization of the activity of nearby organs. To eliminate such serious risks, you will have to use a number of diagnostic procedures. Checking the severity of the lesion is to provide imaging obtained through radiography, magnetic resonance therapy, computed tomography, ultrasound.
Hidden Danger
Regardless of which part of the body was bruised, the victim should be shown to a doctor who will conduct a detailed diagnosis of his condition. This is the only way to prevent the development of the saddest scenario.
A sign that the injury includes not only a bruise, but also a fracture is severe pain and limited mobility. If in the first minutes the pain was acute, and then gradually began to subside, then this indicates a classic manifestation of a bruise. In a couple of hours, she can return with renewed vigor.
The variability of the pain syndrome is explained by an increase in traumatic edema, which is caused by hemorrhage and the growth of a hematoma. The same picture can be traced in children and adults. The latter are often victims of joint impact.
It is all of the above that makes it possible to distinguish bruises at home from traditional fractures or classic dislocations.
If we talk briefly about why you should seek help immediately, then you need to recall the high probability of developing a pain shock due to a severe pain syndrome. Difficulties are added by hemorrhages, which are:
- point, which is characteristic of both the skin itself and the subcutaneous tissue;
- in the form of bruises;
- accumulation of blood in the underlying tissue, which forms a hematoma.
If medical care is not provided in time, then in the depths of the tissues, bleeding will provoke additional injury to still healthy cells due to their tight squeezing. The external manifestation of the process will be expressed in increased pain and impaired functionality.
If a person got off exclusively with a skin bruise, then a bruise will appear in the first few hours. But when the muscles with the periosteum are involved, the hematoma appears on the 2-3rd day, and even far from always right next to the lesion.
Late bruising suggests a more serious course of injury, when it is impossible to do without consulting a traumatologist. It is necessary to rush to him for an appointment even if you hit him in the eye.
First aid
Once you understand how the injury affects the health of the patient, you can begin to explore measures to provide pre-hospital support.
The first point of the basic rule is to ensure a state of complete rest. For this, the patient is laid or seated in a comfortable position, and then a pressure bandage is applied.
It is better to take care in advance that the injured part is slightly higher in relation to the rest of the body. It will be useful to look for ice cubes or something cold. Even water from the freezer in a bottle will do, only the container itself will need to be wrapped in a towel first to avoid excessive cooling that affects blood flow.
Care should be taken to maintain the interval between approaches with the application of cold. Every half an hour, you need to set aside a cold container for a while to give the sore spot a rest. But it is forbidden to independently lubricate the affected area with an anesthetic ointment, to take analgesics without prior consultation. It is better to immediately call an ambulance, and in case of urgent need, ask the doctor over the phone which medicines are best to take right now.
After examination by a surgeon or traumatologist, with a favorable outcome, the victim will be released immediately home, prescribing bed rest.
At the main recovery stage, specialized physiotherapy procedures and special ointments are of great help.
But the most important point in the treatment of a bruise is still a visit to the doctor in the early stages to prevent the development of complications. This will save you from a number of side effects and will keep you healthy in the future.