Although it’s painful, bruising is a part of life. Sometimes you can’t help bumping into something, knocking knees when you’re playing sports, or tripping and falling on the sidewalk. And when you get a bruise, you shouldn’t be worried in most cases.

Our AFC Urgent Care Hixson team goes on to share more helpful info about bruises below, so keep reading.

What Is a Bruise?

Bruising occurs when you experience skin trauma and injure your tiny blood vessels under the skin. When they’re injured, they can pop and cause blood to pool under the skin. This then causes a skin discoloration, which appears as a yellow, blue, black, brown, green or red bruise.

Bruises usually go away on their own, but treating the bruises as we’ve listed below can help reduce the pain and visibility.

How to Treat Bruises

• Cold compress. If bruising has caused pain and swelling, applying a cold compress is step one. Remember to put a barrier, such as a towel or cloth, between the cold object and skin. Place the compress on your child’s skin for up to 20 minutes at a time.
• Elevation. If an arm or leg is involved, elevate the limb and apply a cold compress for 15 to 20 minutes at a time, or until the swelling is reduced.
• Over-the-counter medication, such as acetaminophen.

Why Do I Bruise Easily?

Minor accidents are the most common cause, but taking certain medications, such as ibuprofen and blood thinners, can increase your tendency to bruise. Age is another factor, as older adults’ thinning skin often has less fat underneath to cushion the blood vessels, which can make them susceptible to more bruising.

Even if you bruise fairly often, you shouldn’t be too worried. However, if your bruise causes the signs and symptoms that we’ve listed below, it’s a good idea to visit our AFC center to get it checked out.

When to Visit Our AFC Center for Your Bruise

• The bruise shows no signs of improvement after a week.
• The bruise is located on a part of your body where injury or accident is unlikely.
• Bruises keep occurring or coming back.
• The bruise is unusually large and unprovoked.

In rare cases, a low blood and/or platelet count can be the cause of frequent bruising. Our AFC Urgent Care Hixson team offers CBC and blood panel tests, so don’t hesitate to stop by today to get one.