Associated symptoms
A typical symptom of bruising is skin discoloration when the bruise is superficial. At the beginning the skin is discoloured red, but this colour changes quite quickly to a dark blue or purple. This is due to the biochemical breakdown of the blood.
After about seven days the bruise takes on a greenish to yellowish colour before it disappears again. Another symptom is swelling. Aqueous fluids, in this case blood, collect in the body tissue and can only be removed or broken down again gradually.
It is possible that the bruise is deep so that you can hardly see any discoloration, but you can feel a swelling on this part of the body. The pressure exerted by the blood from the injured vessel on the surrounding tissue can cause pain. Accordingly, pain is also one of the symptoms of a bruise.
Swelling occurs when an aqueous body fluid accumulates in body tissue, either because too much fluid is released into the tissue or because the removal of fluid is prevented. In the case of a bruise, blood collects in the tissue through an injured vessel and causes swelling. The swelling in a bruise is usually localised to the area of the bruise.
In one joint, including the temporomandibular joint, swelling can lead to a reduction in movement. A haematoma in the face can cause pain just as in other parts of the body. It is possible that pain is caused by pressure or even exists without touching.
This depends on the swelling, as the leaking blood exerts pressure on the surrounding tissue (e.g. muscles, bones or nerves). The swelling in turn depends on the strength of the force. The pain is strongest on the first day after the violence and decreases over time, as the leaked blood is broken down and the pressure on the tissue decreases.
Treatment
In the case of a small haematoma, where no large vessel is injured, no medical therapy is required. The affected person can treat himself or herself and thus influence the size of the bruise by cooling the area immediately after the bruise has developed. If ice is used, a layer of fabric should be placed between the skin and the ice to prevent chills.
By cooling the blood vessels contract and it is prevented that the bruise spreads very far. The principle of elevating the affected body part works in a similar way, because elevating it also prevents the increased leakage of blood from the injured vessel. For example, the head can be raised by an additional pillow when sleeping.
In addition, after a few days one can try to stimulate the blood circulation in the area of the bruise with warm compresses and thus accelerate the breakdown of the leaked blood. Gels and creams that have a decongestant or anti-inflammatory effect can also help. Herparin is normally used to prevent blood clots, accordingly heparin promotes superficial blood circulation and prevents the liquid blood from being converted into a solid state by the body.
As a result, the breakdown of the leaked blood can be promoted and the bruise disappears more quickly. However, this effect does not occur in every patient and is also controversially discussed by medical experts. A heparin ointment is used especially for patients with a coagulation disorder.
