What is a contusion injury?
Contusion is the medical term for a bruise. It is the result of a direct blow or an impact, such as a fall. Contusions are common sports injuries. Most people think of a bruise as a black-and-blue spot.
How do you treat a contusion?
How are contusions treated?
- Rest. Rest the area whenever possible.
- Ice. Apply a cold compress to the area to reduce swelling.
- Compress. Compress the bruised area with a wrap or bandage to reduce swelling.
- Elevate. If possible, raise the affected area above your heart.
What is an example of contusion?
Takeaway. A contusion is an injury that causes bleeding and tissue damage underneath the skin, usually without breaking the skin. Any injury that puts pressure on an area repetitively can cause a contusion. Falls, blows sustained during fights or from falling objects, and car accidents may also cause bruises.
Are contusions serious?
A contusion can be minor or severe, and may result in heavy swelling or significant swelling. Generally, contusion is considered a more serious injury compared to a concussion, because it involves structural damage to the brain’s blood vessels.
What does a contusion feel like?
Contusions cause swelling and pain and can limit joint range of motion near the injury. Torn blood vessels may cause bluish discoloration. The injured muscle may feel weak and stiff. Sometimes a pool of blood collects within damaged tissue, forming a lump over the injury (hematoma).
Can a contusion cause a blood clot?
The bruise itself won’t cause a blood clot. In very rare circumstances, the hit that caused the bruise can. If a deep-seated vein is damaged during the collision, it could lead to a deep-vein clot. This is called deep-vein thrombosis (DVT).
How long does contusion take to heal?
Moderate-to-severe contusions take an average of 4-6 weeks to heal. Minor contusions take considerably less time. If your child puts too much stress on the injured area before it is healed, excessive scar tissue may develop.
How long does it take for a blood clot to go away?
A DVT or pulmonary embolism can take weeks or months to totally dissolve. Even a surface clot, which is a very minor issue, can take weeks to go away.
Is hematoma a blood clot?
When blood vessels under your skin are damaged and leak, the blood pools and results in a bruise. A hematoma forms as your blood clots, resulting in swelling and pain. Hematomas can occur anywhere in your body, including your leg.
How do you treat a hematoma at home?
Can I care for a hematoma myself?
- Rest.
- Ice (Apply the ice or cold pack for 20 minutes at a time, 4 to 8 times a day.)
- Compress (Compression can be achieved by using elastic bandages.)
- Elevate (Elevation of the injured area above the level of the heart is recommended.)
How do you treat a blood clot at home?
To ease the pain and swelling of a DVT, you can try the following at home:
- Wear graduated compression stockings. These specially fitted stockings are tight at the feet and become gradually looser up on the leg, creating gentle pressure that keeps blood from pooling and clotting.
- Elevate the affected leg.
- Take walks.
Is hematoma a tumor?
Chronic expanding hematoma is a rare persistent hematoma that can sometimes be misdiagnosed as a malignant tumor due to its clinical and radiological features.
How do you treat a big hematoma?
In some cases, a hematoma will not require treatment. The body will usually reabsorb the blood from the hematoma over time. To manage a hematoma under the skin, nail, or other soft tissue, a person should rest the injured area and apply an ice pack wrapped in a towel to reduce any pain or swelling.
Will a hematoma lump go away?
Sometimes, hematomas can go away on their own. If you have a muscular hematoma, doctors generally recommend the RICE method — rest, ice, compression, and elevation to reduce the swelling and give it time to heal.
Is a hematoma a hard lump?
A hematoma may form in a muscle or in the tissues just under the skin. A hematoma that forms under the skin will feel like a bump or hard mass. Hematomas can happen anywhere in your body, including in your brain.
How long does a hematoma lump last?
The swelling and pain of the hematoma will go away. This takes from 1 to 4 weeks, depending on the size of the hematoma. The skin over the hematoma may turn bluish then brown and yellow as the blood is dissolved and absorbed. Usually, this only takes a couple of weeks but can last months.
How many days should you ice a hematoma?
Put ice or a cold pack on the area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Prop up the bruised area on a pillow when you ice it or anytime you sit or lie down during the next 3 days. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling.
What happens if you don’t drain a hematoma?
If blood is spontaneously draining from the hematoma, drainage of subungual hematoma is generally not required. You should not try draining your subungual hematoma at home as improper drainage may result in infections or permanent damage to the nail bed.
How do you treat a deep bruise?
Advertisement
- Rest the bruised area, if possible.
- Ice the bruise with an ice pack wrapped in a towel. Leave it in place for 10 to 20 minutes. Repeat several times a day for a day or two as needed.
- Compress the bruised area if it is swelling, using an elastic bandage. Don’t make it too tight.
- Elevate the injured area.
How do you heal a deep bruise fast?
The following treatments can be done at home:
- Ice therapy. Apply ice immediately after the injury to reduce blood flow around the area.
- Heat. You can apply heat to boost circulation and increase blood flow.
- Compression. Wrap the bruised area in an elastic bandage.
- Elevation.
- Arnica.
- Vitamin K cream.
- Aloe vera.
- Vitamin C.
Is a contusion a bruise?
Contusions are one of the most common types of injuries occurring in active children. A contusion, or bruise, is caused by a direct blow to the body that can cause damage to the surface of the skin and to deeper tissues as well depending on the severity of the blow.
Is a contusion the same as a hematoma?
A bruise, also known as a contusion, typically appears on the skin after trauma such as a blow to the body. It occurs when the small veins and capillaries under the skin break. A hematoma is a collection (or pooling) of blood outside the blood vessel.
What cream is good for bruises?
Arnica. Arnica is a homeopathic herb that is said to reduce inflammation and swelling, thus making it an ideal treatment for bruising. A 2010 study found that topical arnica ointment effectively reduced laser-induced bruising. You can use an arnica ointment or gel on the bruise a few times per day.
How many days should you ice an injury?
Rules to Remember: If an injury has occurred to any body part within three days, ice is preferred — 20 minutes on and 30 to 40 minutes off. Pain to the back, neck and large muscle groups like quads, hamstrings and calves will respond well to heat after three days of injury.
Should you ice an injury after 48 hours?
Ice Treatment If you have had a recent injury (within the last 48 hours) where swelling is a problem, you should be using ice. Ice packs can help minimize swelling around the injury, reduce bleeding into the tissues, and reduce muscle spasm and pain.