Everyone has an unfortunate fall or bump from time to time. The consequence of such awkwardness can be a slight bruise, which will pass in a few days without special treatment, or a serious fracture. What should everyone know about providing first aid for such domestic injuries? Let's try to figure out what are the common signs of a bruise, dislocation and fracture, and how to make the correct diagnosis at home.
A bruise is…
A bruise is a closed injury resulting from mechanical impact. Damage can extend to soft tissues, internal organs, joints, and bones. It is widely believed that a bruise is a minor injury that does not require complex treatment. This is a big misconception. In modern medicine, there is a classification of injuries in this category. Sometimes a bruise can pose a significant danger to the life and he alth of the patient. The danger of injuries in this category lies in the fact that a non-specialist can sometimes confuse them with more serious injuries, such as a dislocation or a fracture. What are the symptoms and signs of a bruise? Before answering this question,Let's try to figure out what kind of incidents you can get a similar injury. In everyday life, bruises are most often earned from falls, collisions with hard objects, and in fights. Also, damage of this category can be obtained in case of serious transport and industrial accidents.
Symptoms and signs of injury
The main sign of any bruise is the soreness of the affected area. Depending on the degree of damage, swelling can also be observed, and sometimes hematomas appear. Often, bruises disrupt the function of a limb or organ. With minor injuries, this symptom may disappear without a trace in a few hours. If the damage is serious enough, medical assistance and the appointment of specific therapy according to the individual indications of the patient are required. Sometimes the first signs of a bruise are not only soreness and swelling, but also superficial damage to the skin. Abrasions and scratches can occur when dropped on uneven, rough surfaces.
Classification of bruises
In official medicine, such an injury as a bruise has four degrees of severity. The first category is the smallest. It includes injuries characterized by mild pain. Puffiness and hematomas are not observed with such injuries. Usually after 1-2 days the victim completely forgets about the unpleasant incident, without any special treatment.
Other has signs of second-degree bruising. Damage in this category is characterized by pronouncedpain for at least the first 24 hours. The affected area swells, bruises or abrasions may appear.
Third-degree contusion damages muscles and tendons. The injury is accompanied by the appearance of edema, bruising and acute pain. Such damage requires serious treatment, and sometimes quite a long rehabilitation.
A fourth-degree bruise is a very serious injury that requires urgent hospitalization. These injuries are diagnosed when falling from a great height, accidents. Most often, not only soft tissues are damaged, but also internal organs and bones.
What parts of the body are bruised?
At the word "bruise" the majority recalls their own childhood and their knees forever torn off in the process of active games. In fact, you can bruise not only the limbs. Injuries of this type are also characteristic of the head, back, coccyx, chest, abdomen, brain and internal organs. And yet, the hands most often suffer: bruises of the fingers, hand, elbow, shoulder, forearm are common. Often there are injuries of the lower extremities - feet, lower legs, hips, knees. How can you prevent such damage? The most important thing is not to rush and try to do everything as carefully as possible. Follow basic safety rules at home and at work. Wear comfortable shoes and don't forget to watch your steps.
Bruised or dislocated joint?
Often, a bruise is confused with an injury such as a dislocation. Indeed, the symptoms of both injuriessimilar enough. A dislocation is a joint injury characterized by a violation of the articular surfaces of the bones and sometimes a change in their natural position relative to each other. There are some common signs of bruising, fracture, and dislocation. This is, first of all, severe soreness of the affected joint upon injury and immediately after it. With a dislocation, the function of the affected limb is impaired. In this case, as well as with a normal bruise, swelling, swelling and redness are observed. How can a non-specialist recognize a dislocation in a timely manner? With this injury, you can notice the external deformation of the joint, as well as the shortening of the affected limb, sometimes it takes an unnatural position.
Fracture and contusion: common symptoms and differences
Fracture is another injury that can result from a strong blow or fall. This damage is characterized by a violation of the integrity of the bone. With such an injury, the pain is very strong, and the swelling in the area of \u200b\u200bdamage is significant. And yet the signs of bruising, fracture and dislocation are similar. With all these injuries, subcutaneous hemorrhage is observed, bruises appear. The fracture requires treatment under the supervision of specialists, and in some cases - the patient's stay in the hospital. How to distinguish this injury from a dislocation or bruise?
Visually, the easiest way to determine a broken limb. The arm or leg looks unnatural, and may bend where there are no joints. When pressed in the area of the fracture, bone fragments can be felt, and their crunch can also be heard. Attention! Upon detectionsimilar symptoms of the victim must be urgently taken to the hospital or call an ambulance.
First aid for minor bruises
What to do if an injury occurs? This is a fairly common injury, for which everyone should be able to provide first aid. The first step is to apply a cool compress to the affected area. It can be an ice pack or a cloth soaked in cold water. Cooling treatments slow down tissue response and help reduce pain. It is important to prevent hypothermia. If you use ice, apply it for no more than 10 minutes. When providing first aid, it is important to understand what signs of a bruise have in this particular case. Assessing the symptoms, you can understand whether medical attention is required. If the injury is accompanied by superficial skin lesions, they must be treated with an antiseptic and then bandaged.
Serious injury: signs and first aid
When an injury is accompanied by severe pain and extensive swelling, it is necessary first of all to provide the victim with rest. The first aid algorithm is the same as for minor damage. Common signs of bruising, fracture, and dislocation are soreness, swelling, and bruising. To improve the well-being of the victim and stop subcutaneous hemorrhage, a cold compress is used. If possible, a tight bandage should be applied to the damaged area. With severe pain, it is permissible to take any general anesthetic orally.actions. If the injury is serious, for example, there are signs of a brain contusion, an ambulance should be called immediately. Remember: if you want to help the victim, the main thing is not to harm. For any bruises, thermal effects on the injured area are unacceptable. It is also strictly forbidden to massage and rub the affected area. In the first days after an injury, such procedures can only aggravate the patient's condition.
How are bruises treated?
When diagnosing a bruise, it is important to determine its degree, the nature of the damage, and also to exclude the possibility of more serious injuries. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis. Signs of bruise, fracture and dislocation are similar. In case of serious damage, additional studies are carried out to exclude the possibility of injuries to the joints and bones. Most often, with bruises, special ointments and rubbing are prescribed, accelerating the healing process and relieving pain. These are means such as Fastum Gel, Bystrum Gel, Finalgon, Espola and their analogues. When using ointments in these categories, follow the manufacturer's recommendations. On the 2-3rd day after the injury, the patient can be prescribed thermal procedures. For serious injuries, hospitalization is prescribed, in some cases surgical treatment may be indicated.
Folk remedies
For minor bruises, home treatment can be done using traditional recipes. To prepare a healing lotion, mix lemon juice with honey in equal proportions. In the receivedthe mixture must be moistened with a cotton-gauze swab and applied to the site of injury. This lotion is done up to three times a day. It is believed that cabbage has healing properties. Salads from this vegetable are supposed to be eaten with serious injuries and injuries. For wounds and bruises, the cabbage leaf is pierced in several places, and then applied to the affected area. A regular bandage is made on top.
Common signs of bruising are swelling and bruising. To cope with them, ordinary beans can help. Boil it and grind it, and then apply the gruel to the sore spot. To cope with the soreness of a bruise, any remedy containing menthol can help. To alleviate the condition of the victim, it is allowed to apply toothpaste or shaving gel to minor injuries. Be careful when using this folk recipe and any pharmacy ointments. With too much and frequent application, such a composition can damage the skin and cause irritation.
