What are Bruises?
( Ecchymoses, Petechiae )

A health article about Bruises from Your Health Online the A to Z directory of dealing with Health Problems & nutritional Self Care Strategies

Bruises occur on your skin surface when the tissues underlying the skin become injured.

The skin is not broken, but the delicate capillaries (small blood vessels) below the skin's surface rupture, and blood drains out into the surrounding area.

The blood seeps into the layers of the skin, resulting in pain, swelling, and "black-and-blue marks" discoloration that starts out red, then turns dark and bluish, and finally may become a yellowish color as the blood under the skin is absorbed.

Bruising is also referred to by terms such as Ecchymoses, Skin spots - red, Pinpoint red spots on the skin, Petechiae.

Signs & Symptoms of Bruises

Symptoms of bruising vary depending on the cause of the bruising.

Bruises look like areas of blue to purple-colored skin that may turn yellow to dark brown over the course of a few days.

The bruise may be very small and may blend in with the texture of the skin, or it may be large, swollen, and painful.

What Causes Bruising?

Body parts often become bruised after banging into hard objects; this is normal.

However, there are other factors that do not involve a trauma to the skin that can cause bruising.

People who do not eat enough fresh, uncooked foods to supply the body with needed nutrients are prone to easy bruising.

Nutritional deficiencies, especially in vitamin C, or blood-clotting disorders can make the blood-vessel walls very thin and delicate, causing them to rupture with even the slightest amount of pressure, such as leaning against a table or having someone grab you firmly with his or her hand.

Unexplained or easy bruising can be related to heavy smoking or menstruation.

But it can also be an indication of an underlying health condition, including:

• AIDS (AlDS-related bruises do not go away),

• allergies,

• anemia,

• cancer,

• hemophilia,

• infections,

• obesity,

• myelocytic leukemia, and

• abnormal platelet function caused by a liver or kidney disorder.

Some of the common causes are :-

• Injury or trauma.

• Bruise (ecchymosis).

• Antiplatelet medications such as clopidogrel (Plavix).

• Aging skin (ecchymosis).

• Leukemia (purpura and ecchymosis).

When to seek Medical Advice:

No treatment by a general physician is usually required, unless you suspect that the bruise may be affected by a form of skin infection that can cause death of cells.

If you have concerns about the appearance or tenderness of the bruised areas, or you can see skin lesions that are weeping or infected, seek professional medical help.

To minimize bruising, as soon as possible after an injury, place an ice pack on the bruised area and keep it in place for twenty to thirty minutes.

This stops the bleeding by constricting the blood vessels.

If the bruise is severe, you may wish to further treat the injured area with an ice pack every two to three waking hours for twenty-four to forty¬eight hours, and then switch to fifteen minutes of heat, three times daily.

The injured area should also be elevated above heart level, if possible, to allow blood to flow away from the injured area and minimize the bruise.

Self Care & Natural Home Therapy:

Most bruises are minor and are easily treated with herbal methods.

Herbs can help reduce the swelling associated with the bruise as well as provide pain relief.

Alfalfa supplies beneficial minerals and vitamin K which is needed for healing. Take it in tablet form as directed on the product label.

An ointment made by adding one part ground cayenne pepper to five parts melted Vaseline has been used successfully in China and Taiwan for treating bruises. Mix the combination well and cool. Apply it once every one or two days.

Fresh parsley leaves, crushed and applied directly to the bruise, are known to ease discoloration within a few days.

Vitamin C with bioflavonoid of 3,000-10,000 mg daily, in divided doses it helps to prevent bruising by supplying oxygen to the injured cells and strengthening capillary walls.

Wild pansy can be applied externally to treat a bruise.

To reduce the pain, swelling, and discoloration of a black eye, immediately apply cold compresses and an ice pack to the injury. Unfortunately, if the discoloration has set in before the ice bag has been applied, there will be hope of lightening the bruise.

Rub a sterile cotton ball soaked with distilled witch hazel on an injury to stop the swelling.

Vitamin K - helps strengthen blood vessel walls. Alfalfa tablets are a good source of vitamin K.

Arnica –

Arnica is known for its pain relieving properties as well as its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. It can help speed up the healing of a bruise.

It is most often used topically, and you can find it as a main ingredient in many herbal salves and ointments. You can also make your own compress using dried arnica flowers.

First, steep the dried arnica in hot water for ten minutes. Strain and cool the mixture, and then soak a clean towel in the mixture and apply it to the bruise for about half an hour. Repeat three times per day.

Calendula –

Used as a topical anti-inflammatory, calendula also works as an astringent and is antiseptic. It can be applied to a bruise as a cream, gel, salve or compress.

To use the dried herb, take the dried flowers and steep them in hot water for 10 minutes. Allow the water to cool and use as a compress on the bruise with a clean towel.

Comfrey –

Comfrey contains allantoin, which helps renew skin cells. It is used topically. It is also considered an anti-inflammatory, and is often an ingredient in herbal creams and salves.

You may make a compress by steeping the dry herbs in hot water for 10 minutes. Allow to cool, and then soak a clean towel in the mixture and place on the bruise. Keep the compress on for an hour at a time. You may repeat as often as needed.

St.-John’s-Wort –

This is used as an inflammatory and is used topically to speed the healing process. As oil, it can be applied as needed.

You may also find it as an ingredient in some crèmes or salves. Do not use St.-John’s-Wort if you are going out in the sun as skin reactions can occur when exposed to sunlight.

Vitamin & Nutrient Associations

Even when we try to eat well, we're disadvantaged. The nutritional content of most food has been compromised over the years, not only by deficient soils and modern production, transportation, storage and processing methods, but also by the enormous amounts of chemical and artificial substances added to promote growth, storage life, taste and appearance.

It's for this reason that more and more medical authorities are advocating the use of vitamin and mineral supplements. However, finding them in the right combination can be both confusing and costly.

The nutrition products I am going to recommend you make use of knowledge gained from the botanical world's 6,000 year history. They incorporated health building nutritional herbs with the best modern technology to help our bodies cleanse and detoxify so that the cells - the tiniest living units - can be as fully nourished as possible.

This allows the cells to grow, repair and to perform their functions with the best possible efficiency so that we feel and look better and are more able to prevent and fight disease. Once the body begins to clear itself of toxins it can more efficiently absorb nutrition.

You may find benefit from our information on detoxification as well as a bit about detoxing because of change of diet

It may be due to difficulties with your digestive system that is causing your body to be starved of key nutrients, vitamins or minerals. In this case you may find useful answers by reviewing our article on Nutrition For Your Cells. There is also more information here about why is nutrition such an issue nowadays?

It may be that your metabolism has slowed due to pressures that have been placed on your system through life in general or through specific “challenges” you have faced in the last few months or last few years. Review this by looking at our article about balancing your Metabolic Rate.

Further reading through our articles on Bruises health issues will give you a body of information that will help you decide what options you have to deal with the underlying causes of your problem through giving your body the nutrition products that will assist you body to heal from the inside out.

We wish you well in your search for solutions to this Bruises problem and your movement towards better health in all areas.

More Resources available about Bruises:

We also feature new health articles & self care solutions every month in “Your Health Success” our FREE Health Magazine, so subscribe today to stay up-to-date!

BACK TO Your Health Online
the A to Z directory of dealing with Health Problems & Self Care Strategies for natural remedies to your health issues.

If you are interested in products mentioned on this site and want to check pricing and availability in your country, then please click back to the home page of the person who referred you here.

If you surfed in off the web then just drop us a note about what products you would like assistance with, on this Contact Us form and we will answer your questions & process your order for you.

*** GENERAL RELEASE AND ASSIGNMENT

For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and legal sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, I ("I", "me", "my") hereby agree as follows:

1) I hereby grant to Warren Tattersall, his successors, assignees and licensees the unlimited right, but not the obligation, to use any statements made by or attributed to me (my "Statements") as well as my name, voice, and likeness, performance, personal characteristics and other identifying information (jointly and severally with the Statements and the photographs referenced in Paragraph 2 below, my "Personal Characteristics") in and in connection with the advertising, promotion, marketing and other exploitation of Herbalife products or Warren Tattersall’s services in any and all languages and media, now known or hereafter devised, throughout the universe in perpetuity.

2) If I supply Warren Tattersall with photographs of myself on this date or any date subsequent, I agree that Warren Tattersall may use such photographs to the full extent provided above, I warrant and represent that I am the person depicted in the photograph, I am the owner of the photograph, I have the authority to grant the permission and rights granted herein, and no one else’s permission is required to grant such rights, and I understand that the copy of the photograph(s) I supply to Warren Tattersall will not be returned.

3) I understand that Warren Tattersall is not obligated to use my Personal Characteristics as permitted herein or, if commenced, to continue with such use in any territory. I acknowledge and agree that Warren Tattersall may make my Personal Characteristics available to Warren Tattersall’s independent distributors to use as permitted above.

4) In undertaking the act of submitting my words and images through www.TheHealthSuccessSite.com I understand that I am agreeing the terms and conditions of this agreement

I have read this entire General Release and Assignment and fully understand his contents. I likewise understand that this document shall remain in full force and effect unless/until I request that it be terminated, and that any such request must be made in a signed writing. By signing below, I hereby acknowledge and agree to the foregoing.

I understand that in submitting my material for publication I am granting the rights to reproduce this material on the internet or in other form and I have read the conditions above

============================================================
SITE DISCLAIMER: Do these products “cure” anything? Of course not… but it stands to reason that if you cleanse your body and feed it the finest nutrition available, giving it everything it needs in balance, on a daily basis, that your body will do what nature intended, and give you the best possible chance to fend off sickness and disease. This Bruises your health online information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any Bruises questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read. Any natural and/or dietary supplements that are not FDA approved or evaluated must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease”.
The Bruises resources on this your health online site are not intended to be a substitute for professional advice. While all attempts have been made to verify information provided in this publication, neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the web site bruising subject matter herein. The what is Bruises your health online site Bruising health contents are solely the opinion of the authors and should not be considered as a form of advice, direction and/or recommendation of any kind. If expert advice or counseling is needed, services of a competent professional should be sought. The what is bruising author and the Publisher assume no responsibility or liability and specifically disclaim any warranty, express or implied for any products or services mentioned, or any techniques or Bruises practices described.
The purchaser or reader of this publication assumes responsibility for the use of these Bruises materials and your health online information. Neither the author nor the Publisher assumes any responsibility or liability whatsoever on the behalf of any purchaser or reader of these Bruises materials. There is no guarantee of validity of accuracy. This your health online website and its creators are not responsible for the content of any sites linked to
===========================================================