Definition
A bruise is medically called a contusion. It is an injury caused by blunt force, usually without any skin damage. A contusion is characterized by a dull pain that can worsen depending on movement.
The bruising of the tissue causes damage to smaller vessels, lymphatic fluid and blood occur, and bruising and swelling often occur. Back bruises are usually due to a fall. Here, any movement of the trunk can be painfully restricted, even walking and breathing.
Symptoms of back bruising
A contusion is usually characterized by local swelling and redness with pain in the affected area. The crushing of the tissue causes injury to vessels from which lymphatic fluid and blood can leak. In the case of a back contusion after a fall, extensive bruising often occurs depending on whether the patient has fallen to the ground or onto an object and from what height.
Pain occurs, which can increase when the patient is moving or lying on the back. The pain in the area of the back is usually dull and cannot be localized precisely. Usually a larger area is affected.
Causes of the back bruise
Bruises in the area of the back are often caused by falls. These can be sports injuries of jump-intensive sports such as handball, basketball, long jump and others. Such fall injuries are particularly common in equestrian sports. Accidents are just as much a cause of back bruises as the violent impact of blunt forces such as in a duel or in the context of maltreatment. Hitting the ground and falling on unyielding blunt objects, such as steps, are usually responsible for back bruises after falls.
Diagnosis of the back bruise
A back bruise can usually be diagnosed after careful physical examination and description of the accident by the patient. The patient should be undressed to assess possible hematomas and other injuries in the back area. The contusion is usually accompanied by swelling and pain, especially in the affected area.
The patient’s medical history should clarify which event led to the bruise. Already after the causal fall or other violent impact the patient feels pain. The size of the bruise usually correlates with the extent of the violence, sometimes even contours or edges can be traced.
In order to rule out bone fractures or other injuries, especially to the spine, X-rays of the patient’s trunk should be taken if there is any doubt about the diagnosis bruising. Bruises are very painful injuries. Not only the areas that were bruised during the fall are affected, but possibly the entire back.
This pain can make walking, lying or even sitting impossible. Even when breathing, some of the back muscles are moved. The pain increases as the swelling spreads after the impact.
More fluid and blood penetrate the tissue and the back becomes very sensitive to pain due to inflammatory processes. In case of severe pain, any kind of strain such as through sports activities or even walking should be avoided; the patient should lie upholstered. If necessary, pain-relieving medication can be taken, especially ibuprofen, Voltaren or Diclofenac, which also have an anti-inflammatory effect. Aspirin should not be taken if possible, the blood-thinning effect can increase the extent of hematomas.
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