Natural Home Remedies for Bruises
Everyone suffers from minor or severe bruising. Accidents can occur no matter your whereabouts. When you get a bump or a blow to your body this will damage the blood vessels. After a while the surface of the skin where the bruise is found will begin to color and it can change to various hues over time. However some bruises will fade in a few days, without any local treatments.But why wait so much and be in pain when you can speed up the healing process?
You can simply add some ice which will cool down the blood vessels around the bruised spot. You can either buy ice packs from the store which are designed for these kinds of injuries, or you can keep a few ice bags in your home freezer instead. And even if you don’t have a pack of ice at hand, you can till wet a piece of cloth in cold water and lay it over the bruise for several minutes.
Bandages or compresses
If you managed to hurt your leg or arm, an elastic bandage will do the trick. This will help squeeze the tissues underneath and the blood vessels will not leak. You can also place your leg or arm on a pillow above the heart level. This will reduce some of the blood flow and the discoloration. Warm compresses can also be applied on the bruises or even an electric heating pad. Keep it on the bruise for at least 20 minutes and repeat this action several times a day.
Natural treatments
Herbs can also do wonders. Witch hazel or arnica are recommended in this case. You can find all kinds of arnica based ointments at specialized stores and all you have to do is apply the product on the bruise. This will help with the swelling. Parsley leaves can also be applied directly on the bruise. Use a bandage to wrap up it up and simply wait until the herb does its magic. Adding some vinegar in warm water will also help the healing of the bruise. The vinegar’s role is to increase the blood flow and the blood will dissipate slowly.
Dietary supplements also help. You can take bromelain( found in pineapples) between meals and this will help your bruise fade away for sure. Prevention is the key. If you noticed that you tend to bruise easily, you might be deficient in vitamin C. So make sure to get this vitamin by including citrus fruits in your diets or by taking some multivitamins. Eating more carrots and apricots will also help increase your flavonoids. Remember that vegetables are your bets friends, so Brussels sprouts and broccoli should be permanent in your diets because they provide your body with vitamin K.
Don’t reach for the painkillers next time, but for the natural solutions. They are a lot cheaper and safer. But be careful with bruises that don’t fade after a week and are accompanied by fever and pain, this means you should see a doctor. Sometimes bruises can be the symptom of other serious illnesses.
