Bruises

Also called: Contusion, Ecchymoses, Hematoma
A bruise is a mark on your skin caused by blood trapped under the surface. It happens when an injury crushes small blood vessels but does not break the skin. Those vessels break open and leak blood under the skin.
Bruises are often painful and swollen. You can get skin, muscle and bone bruises. Bone bruises are the most serious.
It can take months for a bruise to fade, but most last about two weeks. They start off a reddish color, and then turn bluish-purple and greenish-yellow before returning to normal. To reduce bruising, ice the injured area and elevate it above your heart. See your healthcare provider if you seem to bruise for no reason, or if the bruise appears to be infected.
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Overviews
Bruises(Nemours Foundation)
Treatment
Bruise: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Specific Conditions
Black Eye: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Bruising Hands and Arms(American Osteopathic College of Dermatology)
Muscle Contusion (Bruise)(American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons)
Related Issues
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute) Return to top
Health Check Tools
Easy Bruising(DSHI Systems) Return to top
Clinical Trials
ClinicalTrials.gov: Contusions(National Institutes of Health) Return to top
Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
Article: Characterization of crash-induced thoracic loading resulting in pulmonary contusion.
Article: Recurrent dorsal compartment syndrome of the upper arm after blunt...
Article: Managing the femoral artery in coronary angiography.
Bruises -- see more articles Return to top
Medical Encyclopedia
Bruises Return to top
Organizations
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Return to top
Children
Bruises(Virtual Pediatric Hospital)
What's a Bruise?(Nemours Foundation) Return to top
Seniors
Easy Bruising: Common As You Age(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Return to top
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Date last updated: 26 February 2009 Topic last reviewed: 29 December 2008