A bruise happens when an area on the body of soft tissue has a sudden impact that causes the small blood vessels beneath the skin to break and bleed to pool under the skin. Bruises can either be painful or you might not even notice you have them until you see them. Bruise treatment is a natural way to make them heal and disappear quickly and to ease the pain of the ones that do feel uncomfortable.

The best way to treat a bruise is to apply ice to the area for about 20 to 30 minutes right after the injury occurs. Use an icepack or a package of frozen peas. The frozen peas will conform to the shape of the body and the cold will get right up against the bruise. You may want to wrap the package in a towel and if you are using ice, make sure to put it in a plastic sandwich bag and then in a towel.

The application of a cold substance does wonders for a bruise and makes it not as noticeable or as painful. It stops the whole area that was impacted from any swelling that may take place. It also stops blood from escaping the capillaries so the bruise will not be as dark or as large as it would be without it.

If the bruise occurs in the lower extremities such as the leg or foot, it is good to get the extremity elevated for at least 12 to 24 hours after the injury. This will stop the blood from escaping the blood vessels and the bruise will not be as bad. You can take ibuprofen or acetaminophen if you have a great deal of pain but never take aspirin because it will slow down the clotting process and the bruise may become worse.

After 48 hours has elapsed soak a wash cloth in warm water and apply for about ten minutes and do this three to four times a day. Applying warmth enabled the skin to absorb the blood and the bruise will not be as noticeable. Just bare in mind that this does not always work.

There are a few products on the market that treat bruises and you can usually find them in drug stores and on the Internet. Most of them contain vitamin A and vitamin K because these vitamins will reduce the discoloration of the skin and bring on natural healing from the body. Arnica is also a substance that is in bruise treatments and can be found in ointments, pills, and the most common gel form. It should be applied about 4 times a day.

A great herbal remedy is to use comfrey which has been used to treat bruises for a very long time. Grow it in a garden or find the crushed leaves. It is most often sold just like other herbs and spices but never use it internally as there is suspicion that it can be a cause of cancer. Using it on the body in a topical manner has been proven to be safe. Take the crushed leaves and steep a tablespoon of them in a cup of boiling water for about 15 minutes, covered. When it is cool enough to touch dab a cotton ball in and dab it on the bruise and let it air dry. Do this several times a day. If you have the leaves from the garden take a heavy object and pound the leaf to extract its juices then cover it with the cup of boiling water and steep covered for 15 minutes. Dab the infusion on the bruise but then take the leaf and lay it over the bruise. Using a cloth bandage attach it to the area and leave it on for 2 to 3 hours.

The healing process of a bruise is very colorful. It goes from red to purple then gets a greenish color and right when it is ready to heal it turns yellow. You can not heal a bruise you can only try to make things better and wait for it to heal. Use the above substances and it may bet better much faster. If you have a bruise that lasts and lasts for 3 weeks you should consult a physician as it could be an indication of a clotting problem in the body.

About the author: 

Carolyn Cooper is recognized as a well known expert on bruising causes through a combination of her educational experience in nutrition and her real life expertise with nutritional supplements for athletes, ranging from children to the professional ranks. You can get a free Special Report on bruising causes and see what she’s done to get you beyond the nightmares of easy bruising and help you prevent bruising altogether.