You bumped your head against the edge of a table and now you can see a bump starting to form. The most natural thing to do is to give it a rub…… but should you really be doing so?
It is common for someone to get bump on their head or a bruise on their limbs. Some of the scary stories I’ve heard was to use your hair to rub over the bump, or even use a wooden shoe! But did you know that rubbing it actually makes it worse?
A bump on the forehead, medically known as a haematoma, or a bruise is formed because of pooling of blood under the skin. Rubbing is similar to massaging – it increases blood flow to that area, causing it to bleed even more. The injury is worsened and the swelling may get even larger.
Here is how we should deal with swelling and bruises:
EMERGENCY TIP
1. Rest the injured area. Movement increases blood flow, thus may cause more swelling.
2. Apply ice packs (ice wrapped in a towel or a bag) over the area. You can apply ice on and off, for the first 20 minutes from the injury.
3. After 48 hours, you can apply heat compress (using a hot towel or a hot water bag). This helps the swelling and bruise to subside.
DO NOT MASSAGE ANYTIME WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE INJURY. It will only slow down the recovery. If you really must, then wait for at least 48 hours later before massaging and go to a certified therapist who has been trained to deal with such injuries.
I hope that you find this tip useful! Keep those emails and questions coming in.
Till our next article!
Your Friend,
Rasheed
Training Director
Singapore First Aid Training Centre
Tel: 62978123 Fax: 62978133
Web: www.firstaidtraining.com.sg
About the Author:
For almost 10 years, Abdul Rasheed Doad has been showing everyday people how to do real first aid for the real world, using effective street-smart techniques used everyday by first responders and paramedics. Abdul Rasheed Doad began his career as an Emergency Paramedic with the local emergency ambulance service during which he handled thousands of real life emergency cases.
Related links:
Singapore First Aid Training Centre Website (www.firstaidtraining.com.sg)
My True Hero Seminar Website (www.thetruehero.com)
My True Hero Book Website (www.mytrueherobook.com)
First Aid Network (www.firstaidnetwork.com)
