At home, school and playing sports, bruises and bumps are some of the most common injuries. First aid supplies are important to aid those who suffer from a bruise or bump. Knowing the best way to treat everyday cuts and scrapes are equally as important.
What are bumps, knocks and bruises?
Bumps, knocks and bruises are common injuries that everyone will experience from time to time. Though they can sometimes be very painful, bumps, knocks and bruises are usually easy to treat.
What symptoms are related to bumps, knocks and bruises?
These kinds of injuries commonly affect joints such as your elbow or knee, and bumps and knocks to these areas can result in swelling and bruising.
What causes bumps, knocks and bruises?
A bruise often appears after you have been knocked, bumped or pinched, for example when you have fallen over playing sport, or knocked your body against something.
A bruise is made when the tiny blood vessels under your skin are damaged. The blood comes out of the damaged vessels and sits in or under the skin, forming a purple or red mark.
When should I see my doctor?
Sometimes it is difficult to tell whether a bump, knock or bruise is more serious. If you are in doubt, always treat it as a possible fracture and seek medical attention.
You should see a doctor if there is:
- intense pain
- you can’t move the injured part
- it is swelling and bruising very quickly
- the injured body part doesn’t work properly
You should also see your doctor if:
- you have a family history of bleeding disorders
- you or your child seem to bruise more easily than other people
- there are bruises all over the body
- there is also bleeding, like frequent nosebleeds
How to treat bumps, knocks and bruises?
If you have a knock, bump or bruise, you can manage it by using R.I.C.E.:
- Rest the injured part.
- Ice it with a cold pack or ice wrapped in a cloth, 20 minutes on and 20 minutes off.
- Compress the area with a bandage which is firm, but not tight.
- Elevate the injured part.
Grazes
Grazes are superficial injuries caused by some of the skin being scraped off, leaving a dirty wound. It is never a priority to clean the wound immediately, usually it can be patched up short term with a plaster and then cleaned properly later once you are somewhere where you can wash your hands, wear gloves and use gauze and water or non-alcohol wipes to clean it thoroughly.
- Clean the wound from the inside out and throw away the wipe.
- Repeat this until the wound is completely clean and devoid of any grit or mud.
- Apply a non-adherent dressing pad, shiny side down onto the wound and secure with medical tape or Micropore.
The dressing can be removed at night to allow the air to get to the wound. Avoid soaking in a bath or going swimming until the wound has healed properly.
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How To Remove A Splinter
To remove splinters you should wash the wound with warm, soapy water, then use a clean pair of tweezers to firmly grip the splinter and remove it, the same direction as it went in. Squeeze the wound slightly to ensure the splinter is completely out and to encourage a small amount of bleeding to expel any dirt.
Bruises
Bruises are bleeding under the skin. Apply a wrapped ice pack for 10 minutes to reduce swelling. After that bruises generally take a couple of weeks to disappear.
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