What helps reduce bruising in a healthy adult with a minor bruise?

Reducing Bruising in Healthy Adults

For a minor bruise in a healthy adult, apply localized cold therapy (ice pack) to the area for the first 24-48 hours, followed by gentle pressure for 5-10 seconds if there is active bleeding, which effectively reduces bruise size and promotes hemostasis. 1, 2, 3

Immediate Management (First 24-48 Hours)

Cold therapy is the primary intervention:

• Apply an ice pack or cold compress directly to the bruised area as soon as possible after injury 1
• The cold application reduces hematoma size by approximately 20 cm² over 180 minutes compared to no treatment 1
• Cold therapy works by causing vasoconstriction, which limits blood extravasation into surrounding tissues 1
• This intervention is safe for localized application and will not cause hypothermia when applied to small, limited-size injuries 1

If there is active bleeding at the site:

• Apply firm, steady pressure for 5-10 seconds without rubbing 2, 3
• This mechanical pressure promotes hemostasis by compressing blood vessels 1, 2

Alternative Approach (24-72 Hours)

Cold-hot alternating therapy may provide additional benefit:

• After the initial 24 hours, alternating cold and hot packs reduces bruise size more effectively than cold alone 4
• This approach showed significantly smaller bruising at 48 and 72 hours compared to cold therapy alone (p < 0.001) 4
• The mechanism involves initial vasoconstriction from cold followed by vasodilation from heat, which may enhance resorption of the hematoma 4

What Does NOT Help

Avoid these common practices:

• Compression alone (without cold) is less effective than cold therapy for reducing bruise size 1
• Elevation of the extremity lacks evidence for bruise reduction in the first aid setting 1
• Proximal pressure points have inadequate evidence for bruise management 1

When to Investigate Further

Consider underlying bleeding disorders if:

• Bruising is frequent, excessive, or occurs with minimal or no trauma 1, 2
• Bruises are unusually large (>5 cm) 5
• There is a personal or family history of bleeding problems 1, 6
• The patient is on anticoagulants or antiplatelet medications 2, 7

Key caveat: While bruising itself does not impair healing or function, it serves as a marker that warrants evaluation if patterns are atypical 1, 2. In healthy adults with normal coagulation, minor bruises resolve spontaneously within 1-2 weeks without intervention, but cold therapy accelerates this process 1, 4.