Preventing Bruises: The Benefits of Using Ice and Medication

[cube137]

If you hit your feet or arms on hard object like corner of furniture.. you know it would form bruishes that turn bluish color days later.. but is there any advantage if you can avoid its formation by using ice or any med that can avoid the formation of the bluish colors later?

 

[BillTre]

Bruises are due to damage to local vasculature in an area, resulting in blood cells leaking out of the blood vessels into tissue spaces (wikipedia-link). They leave the circulation and don't return. Then, they and any damaged tissue components breakdown colorfully. Eventually, the debris is removed by things like macrophages (kinda like cellular garage collectors of the body).
Reducing local circulation until the damage is repaired (with cold perhaps) may reduce the amount of local blood loss and thus bruising.

 

[cube137]

Bruises are due to damage to local vasculature in an area, resulting in blood cells leaking out of the blood vessels into tissue spaces (wikipedia-link). They leave the circulation and don't return. Then, they and any damaged tissue components breakdown colorfully. Eventually, the debris is removed by things like macrophages (kinda like cellular garage collectors of the body).
Reducing local circulation until the damage is repaired (with cold perhaps) may reduce the amount of local blood loss and thus bruising.

What are the official medical ways to hasten the process so the mark would be gone faster?

 

[Fervent Freyja]

What are the official medical ways to hasten the process so the mark would be gone faster?

Not aware of any 'official' ways to hasten the process. I do know that gently swiping a love bite (also a bruise) for a few hours with the convex side of a cold metal spoon will help speed up the process.

 

[Laroxe]

Because bruising is caused by bleeding into the tissues, The standard advice is for the first 24 to 48 hours after an injury is to control any further bleeding, the use R.I.C.E. which stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation. These all reduce blood flow and prevent further damage. After that there may be advantages in improving the blood flow with heat, this gets more white cells to the area, activates them and heat also speeds up enzyme activity but this only works for shallow bruising. Physiotherapists might use things like ultrasound which works at a deeper level and gentle massage might be useful. There is a lot written about using proteolytic enzymes and at one time there was a drug available but this seems to have disappeared, people use Bromelian now but I haven't seen any evidence supporting its efficacy.