Are you worried about the bruises caused by an injury? It makes your skin look unattractive, along with the pain and swelling it causes. If you have a sudden injury, it causes rupture of blood vessels resulting in bruises. Trying some home remedies for bruises can give you quick relief.

Some of the eminent signs of bruising are that the affected area has black and blue discoloration and pain and swelling. Try some of the best home remedies for bruises mentioned in this article without causing any side effects.

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Causes of Bruises:

Bruises are the result of physical injury, be it small or big. Here is the list of some of the causes of bruises.

  • Microscopic tears in blood vessels are the result of exercising vigorously, especially in athletes such as weight lifters resulting in bruises.
  • Bruises are a common symptom in people who use blood thinners.
  • There is an indication of a bleeding disorder if there are unexplained bruises.
  • An unexpected bump into the bedpost or any other object can cause bruises on thighs or shin.
  • The fragile tissues in the elderly cannot support the blood vessels of the elderly, which may result in bruising in people.

Effective Home Remedies for Bruises:

1. Aloe Vera:

The anti-inflammatory properties of Aloe Vera make it a natural treatment for bruises. It helps reduce the clotting of your blood that speeds up the healing process. Once applied topically in the bruised area, it reduces inflammation and pain. (1)

Ingredients:

  1. Fresh aloe vera leaf.

How to Prepare:

  • Squeeze the aloe vera leaf and collect the gel into a small bowl.
  • Apply the mixture on the bruise affected area for immediate relief.

Precaution: If you are using a store-bought aloe vera cream, make sure it is pure and has no additives.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar for Bruises:

One of the readily available ingredients in every home is apple cider vinegar. Apple cider vinegar helps break up the clots in the bruised area by increasing the blood flow, making it a perfect home remedies to heal bruises.

Ingredients:

  1. Two spoonfuls apple cider vinegar.
  2. One spoonful water.

How to Prepare:

  • Take a bowl and mix the apple cider vinegar and water in it.
  • Take a soft cloth and soak it in this liquid.
  • Put the cloth on the bruised area for about 10 to 15 minutes.

See More: How to Heal a Sprained Ankle

3. Coconut Oil:

There are several causes for bruises on your skin, and sometimes bug bites result in bruises too. The anti-fungal properties of coconut oil help reduce the intensity of bruises on your skin. It also helps reduce the inflammation caused by bug bites with the use of monolaurin in it. (2)

Ingredients:

  1. Two spoonful coconut oil.

How to Use:

  • Take two spoonfuls of coconut oil into a bowl.
  • Use your fingers to apply this oil to the bruised area.
  • Gently massage the affected area, as force may cause further pain.

4. Heat:

One of the practical and quick home remedies to heal bruises is to use heat. It helps boost blood circulation in the bruised area, relieving any tension in the muscles clearing away any trapped blood. To promote healing, you can either use a heating pad or hot water bottle. Place the heat pack on the bruised area for about 20 to 30 minutes. If you are applying heat on your legs, try to keep them elevated for significant results. (3)

5. Ice Pack Or Cold Compress:

Using a cold compress is one of the quick and effective home remedies for bruises. If you get hurt, applying an ice compress helps reduce the blood flow to the injured area, preventing blood loss. By doing so, you will be able to reduce bruising and subsequent swelling. Make sure you wrap ice in a soft cloth and apply it on the bruised area for about 10 minutes. Make sure you take a gap of 20 minutes before you reapply.

Precaution: Do not apply ice directly on the skin, as it may burn your skin more.

6. Toothpaste:

Be it a village or city; toothpaste has become an integral part of our lives. But did you know it helps heal bruises quickly? Yes, toothpaste helps increase blood flow in the bruised area by breaking up clots. It also helps reduce the swelling, and you will notice your bruise getting lighter after one single use.

Ingredients:

  1. Toothpaste.
  2. Gauze.

How to Prepare:

  • Apply a little bit of paste on the bruised area before you go to sleep.
  • Make sure you cover the area with bandage or gauze.
  • Keep it overnight and wash it off in the morning.
  • Repeat the process for three to four nights for significant results.

7. Epsom Salt Bath:

Epsom salt is a compound of magnesium sulfate are known to have healing properties that help you relax. The compounds of this salt enter quickly through your skin, reducing the swelling and pain associated with bruising. Draw a quick bath with Epsom salt and soak the injured area for significant results. (4)

Ingredients:

  1. Two cups of Epsom salt.
  2. Enough water to soak yourself.

How to Use:

  • Take a tub full of warm water enough to soak yourself.
  • Add two cups of Epsom salt to the water and mix it well.
  • Soak yourself, including the bruised area, to get relief.

8. Turmeric And Ginger:

Ginger and turmeric are the two most common ingredients you can find in any house. The anti-inflammatory properties of these two ingredients make them the best home remedies to make bruises heal faster. The combination of ginger and turmeric helps heal your bruised skin relieving the pain. (5)

Ingredients:

  1. Fresh ginger.
  2. Two spoonful turmeric.
  3. Few drops of water.

How to Prepare:

  • Crush the ginger and add turmeric to it.
  • Make a paste using some water.
  • Apply the mixture on the bruised area

9. Potato Slices:

Raw unpeeled potato seems to have the ability to heal bruises quickly by reducing the inflammation on your skin. Using unpeeled potato slices is an effective home remedy for bruises.

Ingredients:

  1. Potato slices(unpeeled)
  2. Bandage or gauze.

How to Prepare:

  • Wash the potatoes and cut them into slices without peeling them.
  • Place a potato slice on the bruised area and tie it gently with gauze.
  • Replace the dried slice with a fresh one.

10. Comfrey Root:

Although there is no sufficient evidence, initial research shows that the comfrey root has anti-inflammatory properties that help heal wounds, thereby decreasing bruises. (6)

Ingredients:

  1. Two spoonfuls dried comfrey root.
  2. A cup of water.

How to Prepare:

  • Take a cup of water in a bowl and boil it.
  • Add the two spoonfuls of comfrey root to it and let it steep.
  • Let it cool down and strain the liquid into a bowl.
  • Prepare a compress with the liquid and place it on the bruised area.

Precaution: Comfrey root also has toxic chemicals that may harm you, therefore consult your doctor before you use it.

11. Boiled Egg:

Although no proof rolling a boiled egg on the affected area shows a significant reduction of bruises, many people believe it acts as a hot compress.

Ingredients:

  1. One egg.
  2. Water to boil.

How to Prepare:

  • Take a bowl of water and boil the egg in it.
  • Peel the skin off the egg.
  • Cover the egg with a think and soft cloth.
  • Gently rub the bruised area with the egg.

Precaution: Make sure you don’t apply directly onto the bruised area.

12. Rubbing Alcohol:

Applying creams or gels with alcohol compounds in it tends to lessen the effect bruises have on your body. It also helps reduce muscle spasms, sprains along with bruises.

13. R.I.C.E:

Rest, ice, compression, and elevation is the full form of R.I.C.E. It is a tactic many people employ if they want to reduce bruising caused by surgery, injury. (7) By following these simple steps, you will be able to prevent bruising and to swell by lowering the blood flow to the injured area temporarily. It helps reduce inflammation that causes bruising by Trying to elevate and rest the injured or bruised area while you apply ice compression.

14. Essential Oils:

Essential oils can be an effective home remedy for bruises, providing relief, and making you feel relaxed. (8) The main precaution you need to take while using essential oils is that you need to dilute them with a carrier oil. Make sure you apply it on unbroken skin only.

1. Arnica Oil:

This is a kind of essential oil that helps restore normal skin tone, relieves your pain, and helps heal your broken skin swiftly. It is one of the best herbal remedies for bruising. Make sure you dilute arnica oil before you apply it topically.

2. Frankincense Oil:

Frankincense is an essential oil that helps heal the appearance of bruises with the help of anti-inflammatory properties. It helps reduce the pain and appearance of bruises quickly.

3. Lavender Oil:

One of the readily available essential oils is lavender oil. It helps reduce the appearance of bruising on your skin if you apply it quickly after an injury. It also eases pain caused by bruises or stitches. You can use a warm compress over your bruised skin if you feel uncomfortable using this oil directly.

4. Rosemary Oil:

If you want to reduce the pain caused by bruising and improve the healing process, then the anti-oxidants in the rosemary oil is beneficial.

5. St John’s wort Oil:

Many hospitals started using St john’s wort oil in helping decrease bruise pain by improving the recovery of your skin by including it in massage therapy. It is also useful for women recovering from pain and bruising caused by surgical labour.

6. Yarrow Oil:

Yarrow, with the combination of St John’s wort oil, helps speed up the recovery from any bruises by reducing the pain and its appearance.

See More: Tips to get Relief from Dust Allergy

Foods that Heal Bruises Faster:

A bruise is our body’s way of showing that the tinny blood vessels or capillaries are burst. They capillaries release blood into the surroundings once they are snapped, causing bruises. Blood clotting time increases when you consume foods filled with vitamins.

1. Vitamin K Foods:

Vitamin K plays an essential role in protecting the capillary walls so that there is no further damage. Spinach, lettuce, broccoli, soya beans, blueberries, and strawberries are some of the food sources rich in vitamin K.

2. Lean Protein:

Protein is necessary to strengthen the capillaries in your body. Adding lean protein into your diet helps provide the much-needed protein that helps heal bruises. Some of the best examples of lean protein are fish, poultry, lean meat, and tofu. Avoid foods such as fried meats or hamburgers that have high amounts of cholesterol and saturated fat.

3. Citrus Fruits:

By including fruits like oranges, lemons, and tangerines into your diet help reduce the pain caused by an ongoing bruising in your body. The flavonoids present in the citrus fruits improve the effects of bruising.

4. Fruits with Natural Quercetin

One of the plant pigments found in many food sources that help heal your bruises is quercetin. Apples, red onion, dark-colored berries, cherries, citrus fruits, and leafy green vegetables are some of the food sources of this pigment.

4. Pineapple:

Bromelain is an enzyme that has anti-inflammatory properties you can find abundantly in pineapple. (9) This is one of the best natural remedies for bruises, helping heal the wound quickly by reducing the swelling. You can either consume the fruit or apply it topically for optimal results.

5. Foods Rich in Zinc:

Crab, lobster, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and legumes are some of the best sources of Zinc. The tissues and wounds can be healed with the foods abundant with Zinc.

See More: How to Treat Minor Burns at Home

Bruising of your skin after an injury is not only painful; it is not pretty to look at too. With the best home remedies for bruises from this article at hand, you can effectively reduce the pain and swelling it causes and make your skin look.

Disclaimer: The opinions presented in this article are nothing more than suggestions and not to replace a doctor’s advice. It is always safe to consult your physician before trying anything new, especially if you have any pre-existing health issues.

FAQs:

1. What are the Symptoms of Bruises?

Ans: There are several stages of symptoms that occur when you are bruised, depending on the intensity of the injury. One of the first and common symptoms of bruising is discoloration of the skin.

  • 1st Stage: Your bruise is in the color of pink and red.
  • 2nd Stage: It changes to blue and dark purple.
  • 3rd Stage: Your bruise in the color of pale green.
  • 4th Stage: It changes to yellow and brown color.

It typically takes 10 to 14 days for a bruise to heal completely, and it goes through these four stages typically.

2. When is the Right Time to Visit a Doctor for a Bruise?

Ans: Sometimes a bruise isn’t showing any signs of healing and causes more pain and accumulation of blood under the bruised area, then visit the doctor immediately. Here is a list of things you need to have an eye on some of these things.

  • If you bruise doesn’t show improvement even after two weeks after your injury.
  • When the joint near the bruise is painful to move.
  • If there are bruises that appear on your body for no reason and often.
  • When there is leakage from the bruised site.
  • If you are not able to see clearly, due to the presence of the bruise near your eye.

3. What can be the Reasons for You to Bruise Easily?

Ans: Several reasons may cause bruises in one’s body. Some of the causes are:

  • If you have fair and thin skin.
  • If you are low on vitamin C.
  • Some medications or supplements.
  • If you lift heavyweights.
  • If you are anaemic.
  • Underlying illness.
Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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