Ways to Treat and Prevent Bruises

If you are somewhat older and more bruise-prone than you were in your youth, it may seem like you are adding a page a day. And maybe you are. That is because you tend to bruise more as you grow older. When we start to get up there in years, we simply have less protection under the skin than we did in the past. Most bruises do not pose serious health risk and do not require any special treatment. Still, there are ways to prevent bruising and several things you can do to promote healing once you suffer a bruise.

1. Guard Your Vulnerable Areas

Make sure to wear protective clothing, especially over those areas where you tend to repeatedly bruise yourself. Wear long sleeves and long pants, sweaters that fall below your waist and cover your hips, and shoes that protect your feet. If you repeatedly bruise your thighs or forearms, ask your pharmacist about protective pads that you can easily slip on to guard those areas.

2. Try Vitamin K

A deficiency of vitamin K can prevent normal blood clotting, and you need some clotting action to help prevent bruising. Those people that bruise excessively should eat more vegetables rich in vitamin K. Vitamin K can be found in leafy greens and members of the cabbage family, such as broccoli, cabbage, and spinach. You may consider a supplement of K as well.

3. Crush Parsley Leaves

Crush some fresh parsley leaves, then spread them directly on the bruise. Parsley can promote healing and clear up black-and-blue marks within a day or so. Hold the leaves in place with an adhesive bandage or with gauze and tape.

4. Consume Aspirin At The Right Proportion

If you take aspirin for any reason, it could be contributing to the number of bruises that you are getting. An adult aspirin will thin the blood too much and cause the blood to leak though the blood vessels. Among other things, that will lead to more bruises. It is good to take aspirin but only the smaller dose.

5. Try A Multivitamin

If bruises show up without much apparent cause, maybe you are just not getting enough vitamin C from your diet. If so, be sure that you get a supplement. It is recommended to take a multivitamin to ensure that you are getting the basic requirements for the vitamins you need.

6. Use RICE Method

The quickest way to control bruising is with a combination of four methods. RICE is an easy way to remember the pain-relieving sequence of rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Rest gives injured tissues a better chance to heal, ice constricts the blood vessels around the injury so less blood leaks into the tissues, and compression and elevation help drain the blood from the injured area.

7. Eat Citrus Fruit

Vitamin C that is found in oranges and other citrus fruits strengthen capillary walls. As the blood vessels get stronger, they are less prone to leakage, so there is less bruising. Consuming vitamin C also promote rapid healing process. To help prevent bruises, make sure you eat citrus fruit every day.

About The Author:
Raymond Lee Geok Seng is one of the foremost experts in the health and fitness industry and is a writer specializing in body health, muscle development and dieting. He has spent countless of time and efforts conducting research and share his insightful and powerful secrets to benefit men and women all over the world. He is currently the author of the latest edition of "Neck Exercises and Workouts." Visit http://www.bodyfixes.com for more information.