Bruises

A bruise is the result of a trauma to your tissue which causes the blood vessels in your skin to break allowing blood to leak out of the vessels and into the surrounding areas. When the blood leaks into the surrounding tissues, the area may turn red or purple. After a few days the blood is broken down and reabsorbed by the surrounding tissues. This process causes the area to turn a blue and sometimes yellowish colour.

Bruises are not normally serious injuries however they may be painful to touch and they occasionally result in swelling in the area. Some blood disorders affect the bloods ability to clot when it leaves a vessel. In these cases bruises may be larger than a bruise caused by the same trauma in a healthy individual. Unexplained bruising may also result from disorders of the blood vessels which cause weakening and damage to the blood vessel walls. Certain vitamin deficiencies, such as a vitamin C deficiency, may also cause a person to bleed easily and heal slowly.

If children present with regular, unexplained bruises then the possibility of abuse should be kept in mind. The tissues and structures around a bruise should be carefully examined in order to make sure that there are no underlying injuries such as broken bone. Please consult your healthcare practitioner if your bruises have not healed within ten days.

Treatment

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