A minor injury to the skin tissues which does not involve a cut can still lead to rupture of the blood vessels that run under the skin. This further causes the blood to seep out cause a discoloration of the skin in that area, accompanied by pain and swelling. This condition is known as ecchymosis, contusion or in lay-man's terms, a bruise. The main causes for bruising include hemophilia, anemia, blood vessel hemorrhage, immune disorders and bleeding disorders. People with deficiency of Vitamin C tend to bruise more easily than others. If you have a bruise you should immediately apply an ice pack to the affected area to reduce inflammation and stop the bleeding. You can also prepare an ice pack by mixing water and alcohol in the ratio of 2:1 and freezing it. The consequent ice pack will be flexible due to the alcohol content and thus mould easily to your body. You should also increase your intake of Vitamin C through your diet or by taking Vitamin supplements. This will help in healing the bruise faster. Vitamin K is also recommended for treating bruises. You can prepare an infusion with confrey root and soak a piece of cloth in it once it has cooled. Apply this wet cloth on the affected area to reduce the discoloration, swelling and pain.
Alternately you can prepare a plaster made with confrey leaves and apply it directly on the bruised skin. Similarly parsley leaves can be crushed and applied to the affected area till the bruises fade, since it is rich in Vitamins and thus helps to heal the bruises faster. Cabbage leaves are also very good for healing all kinds of cuts, scrapes and bruises and thus you can either bandage the area with cabbage leaves or increase the intake of cabbage in your diet. A traditional Chinese remedy for bruises involves mixing cayenne pepper and petroleum jelly in the ratio of 1:5 and applying it to the bruised skin once a day after the mixture has cooled. An infusion prepared with Chamomile, Arnica and Yarrow is also beneficial for the bruise and can be had several times a day to speed the healing process. You can add a few drops of witch hazel to a tub of water and have a soothing warm water bath with this water. The witch hazel helps to increase the circulation of blood in the body and thus speeds the healing process. However remember not to use very hot water for your bath since that increases inflammation.
answered by G M