Edemas and hematomas

In sport and in everyday life it can happen to take a beating. The first rule, in case of bruises, is to intervene immediately. Here’s what to do.

A fall, an inappropriate movement, a simple distraction: it is very common to take a blow, a more or less serious trauma that, by compressing the parts below the affected one, can damage blood and lymphatic vessels.

Everyone knows the consequences: swelling and dark spots. Which in medicine are called ecchymosis and hematomas. To cause them is the leakage of blood and the passage of liquids from the vessels into the surrounding tissues.

Edema may appear a few hours after the contusion. The tissues first become soft and the skin pale, cold, shiny and, sometimes, cyanotic, until the real swelling appears.

With time the area becomes sore and harder and harder. Even when the pain disappears, muscle weakness and stiff joints make it difficult to recover normal activities.

Eliminating liquids that accumulate in the tissues is important to avoid complications such as inflammation, fibrotization or even ossifications.

Few precautions, the use of drugs and, possibly, rehabilitation therapies prevent the situation from degenerating, especially if you run for cover in the shortest possible time.

Countering the enemy on all fronts

Normally in the tissues there is a balance between the liquids that come out of the blood vessels and those reabsorbed by them and the lymphatic system.

Trauma, even small ones, can disrupt this balance, slowing venous and lymphatic circulation and causing proteins to pass from the blood into the tissues. This causes the recall of water that is at the base of the swelling.

Staying at rest, using anti-inflammatory creams or gels, cooling the bruised part with ice and protecting it with a bandage hinders the formation of edema and promotes its resorption.

In particular, for small traumas it is advisable to always apply the R.I.C.E protocol, an English acronym that means Rest (rest), Ice (ice), Compression (compression), Elevation (elevation). In detail:

But the most effective action is achieved by repairing damage to the vessels and stimulating the lymphatic system to drain fluids that have already accumulated. This is possible thanks to tablets or creams for hematomas and swelling with local application. There are also of natural origin.

In pharmacies you can find creams based on arnica extract titrated 1% in rutin: It has a soothing action and gives a feeling of relief if spread on the affected skin areas.

Escin, the active ingredient extracted from horse chestnut, has also proved particularly useful in maintaining and strengthening the physiological skin permeability, as well as promoting the reabsorption of liquids.

Last but not least, bromelain: it is extracted from pineapple and is a useful enzyme in making subcutaneous edemas disappear.

Among the drugs that can help are diuretics, which reduce the amount of fluid circulating in the body. They must be prescribed by a doctor and are not the most effective choice: they eliminate fluids, but leave proteins in the tissues and therefore do not cancel the cause of swelling.

If, despite the treatments, the swelling and pain continue to increase, it is possible that a real infection is underway. At this point you should contact your doctor as soon as possible.

Help from the physiotherapist

Several physical therapies can help both the drainage of fluids and repair damaged vessels. These are kinesitherapy, electrotherapy, vacuum therapy and vibrotherapy.

The real revolution seems to come from the universe of ultrasound: in addition to exercising a mechanical massage, they have a thermal effect that decreases vascular spasms and counteracts inflammation locally.