by Virginia Gaces

Created on: November 18, 2008   Last Updated: January 12, 2009

Bruises could be treated making use of home remedies. You just have to know when to treat and when not to. Even if you do not belong to any of the allied medical professions, you should be able to determine whether bruises are serious enough to merit treatment in a hospital or whether home remedies could do. This will save you considerable time and money. Here are some pointers to consider when deciding on the mode of treatment.

When can a bruise be given home remedies?

Bruises can be classified into three:

1. Subcutaneous

This is a bruise which is a result of a mild, physical applied pressure by someone or something. It is superficial because only the skin is affected. This may come from mild bumps, contusions or short falls. The affected area may have a bluish (we also call this in the medical field -hematoma) or reddish discoloration of the skin and some swelling (inflammation).

These are the type of bruises that could be treated with home remedies.

2. Intramuscular

This is a more serious type of the condition because it goes deeper than the skin because the muscles are now affected. The same bluish or reddish discoloration of the skin is present but the pain is more intense and pus formation may develop. When this happens medical assistance should be sought. Some intramuscular bruises can be treated at home if there is no pus formed and the patient does not experience nausea or vomiting.

3. Periosteal

This goes deeper than the skin and the muscle because it involves the bones. This is the most serious type and definitely needs medical assistance because surgery might be in order. This could be caused by vehicular accidents or an intentional hitting of a blunt object. The pain, swelling and discoloration are more pronounced than the two types and the bruise would be more prone to pus formation.

For the subcutaneous bruise and a non pus-forming intramuscular bruise, home remedies could be used. These are some of the home remedies that I myself used at home and during my first aid classes:

1. For swelling, the bruise can be subjected to an ice pack for 10-15 minutes 3 times a day. The ice pack should be wrapped in a cloth to avoid direct contact as this would cause more pain afterwards. There are dry ice packs available which could be bought commercially. Do not hold the ice pack steady over the bruise as it would "freeze' the vein and may render it dysfunctional (just like in frostbite). Move the ice pack over the bruised area in a manner that does not concentrate in

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