Accidents can happen when we least expect them, and accidents sometimes result in contusions. Contusions—commonly called bruises—result from soft-tissue injury.
Recently I was riding my bike in sandals and experienced a severe bruise on my big toe.
Fortunately, I did some immediate energy work, began taking the homeopathic remedy Arnica, and in just a few days it has almost completely healed.
Frequent or severe bruising may be a sign of Vitamin K deficiencies, a side effect of taking medications such as blood thinners, and may require special prevention or treatment. However, for most of us, here are some helpful tips by Dr. Andrew Weil:
- Apply cold compresses, such as ice cubes or a package of frozen peas wrapped in a towel. The faster you get a compress onto the injury, the sooner you’ll reduce swelling and pain.
- Rub a little tincture of arnica or arnica gel onto the bruise. Arnica (Arnica montana) comes from a plant in the daisy family that grows in the Rocky Mountains, and it’s wonderful for bruises, sprains, and sore muscles. Aloe vera, from a succulent plant native to Africa, also soothes skin irritation. Kathi Keville, author of Herbs for Health and Healing (Rodale, 1996), makes a bruise compress with one tablespoon tincture of arnica, St. John’s wort flowering tops, witch hazel bark or chamomile flowers, four drops of lavender essential oil and two tablespoons cold water.
- If you bruise easily, take 200 mg of vitamin C daily. Two other supplements that may help are Pycnogenol and bilberry extract. Pycnogenol is a potent antioxidant made from the bark of pine trees. Among its components are proanthocyanidins, red pigments (also found in blueberries and grapes) that aid in strengthening capillaries, arteries and veins. Pycnogenol also can improve the elasticity of the skin by bonding to underlying collagen fibers.
- Bilberry extract, best known for improving vision and optical health, contains anthocyanosides; these are potent antioxidants that may help reduce or eliminate bruising by stabilizing collagen, increasing intracellular vitamin C levels and strengthening capillaries.
- For serious bruising or deeper soft-tissue injuries take 200-400 mg of bromelain, a pineapple enzyme that speeds healing, possibly by helping the body clear metabolic wastes from injuries, three times a day on an empty stomach (at least 90 minutes before or three hours after eating).
This week, treat any accidents naturally. Healing is the most natural process in the world, and there are ways you can experience healing more quickly. This is true about emotional wounds, too. Apply a little tincture of time and feel better fast!
This week’s health tip originally appeared online at https://scs-matters.com/contusions/
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Tips from 5 April 2010 to 6 August 2012 are here: Archived Tips
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Rev.Debra Basham
Voice: (269) 921-2217 Email: debra@scs-matters.com https://scs-matters.com http://ImagineHealing.info http://SurgicalSupport.info Small Changes … Infinite Results™
“If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” ~Mother Teresa |