Health Tip: Care For Your Bruise

(HealthDay News) — A bruise forms when a ruptured blood vessel causes blood to pool below the skin.

The U.S. National Library of Medicine suggests how to help heal a bruise:

  • Apply an ice pack to the area for no more than 15 minutes per hour.
  • Elevate the area that’s bruised so it’s higher than the heart.
  • Don’t exercise the area of the body that’s bruised, so affected muscles have a chance to rest.
  • Take Tylenol (acetaminophen) to help alleviate pain.
  • Never try to drain the pooled blood by using a needle.