by Audrey-Anastasia Alleyne

Created on: May 15, 2009   Last Updated: May 17, 2009

Are you one of those people who snicker with a colleague when another co-worker comes in to work with a hickey on her neck? As a matter of fact, you may be the one who turns up with that visible amorous bruise.

Yes, some people do tend to bruise easily, and a hickey can be quite embarrassing. Some people bruise and they do not even have an idea of what caused the bruise; but however you take it almost everyone, if not all of us, has had a bruise on some part of our bodies, at some time in our lives.

What do we do when we have a bruise? First we must understand that easy bruising and/or bleeding can serve as early warning signs of more serious health problems. If you are a victim of easy bruising, it is wise to consult your doctor.

If on the other hand, you get the occasional bruise (which is a normal reaction to an injury) by falling down or being struck by a blunt object, being bitten or even kicked while playing football, self-care measures with home remedies are usually the way to treat them.

The first thing to do is to cool the affected area with ice. Wrap the ice in a cloth; do not apply it directly to the skin. If the bruise is on an arm or leg, elevate and rest the limb. The ever-powerful Aloe Vera gel can be applied to the spot to relieve swelling and help the bruise to fade.

There is also a plant called bryophyllum pinnatum. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is known as wonder of the world. In Puerto Rico, it is known as hoja milagra or miracle leaf. This leaf has many medicinal properties, one of which is to heal bruises. Simply heat the leaf through over a hot burner on your stove, and apply it to the bruise. Cover with a cloth and leave on overnight if possible. The properties in the leaf have the power to reduce the blueness of the bruise and encourage healing.

There are several other home remedies, you can employ, such as:

*Applying honey to the affected area. Combine about three parts of mustard to one part of honey and apply to the area, then cover it with a cloth or bandage.

*Dipping a cotton ball in white vinegar and applying to the bruise for about an hour also has a positive effect. You can quickly apply some olive oil on the spot that received injury, in order to prevent the bruise from appearing.

*Immediately rubbing Vaseline Petroleum Jelly on the spot is also a great aid towards minimizing the swelling and preventing discoloration.

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