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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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| Research | Reference Shelf | For You |
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Overviews
- Bruises(Nemours Foundation)
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Treatment
- Bruise: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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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)
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Related Issues
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Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
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Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Contusions(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Contusions
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Intoxication with three different superwarfarin compounds in an adult woman.
- Article: Chest injury while wearing a bullet-proof vest.
- Article: Bruises, blood coagulation tests and the battered child syndrome.
- Bruises -- see more articles
- Medical Encyclopedia Return to top
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Organizations
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
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Children
- Bruises(Virtual Pediatric Hospital)
- What's a Bruise?(Nemours Foundation)
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Seniors
- Easy Bruising: Common as You Age(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Date last updated: 07 September 2008 Topic last reviewed: 23 July 2008 |