Herbal Remedies for Treating Bruises

Bruises are caused by a blood leakage in the tiny capillaries, just underneath the skin. These usually occur after an injury but some older individuals have thinning capillaries that burst from the slightest touch, which causes a bruise. These are most frequent on the legs of women.

Bromelain has been shown to help speed the healing of bruises. A test was conducted on several boxers who had received bruises during sparring matches. The boxers who were given bromelain healed much faster than those who received a placebo.
Bromelain prohibits the formation of chemicals in the body that cause inflammation as well as stimulates chemicals that are anti-inflammatory.
Bromelain is a protein digesting enzyme and is found in pineapples.

Foods rich in Vitamin C and bioflavonoids helps strengthen capillary walls and could be used as a preventative for many bruises in older adults.
Eating citrus fruits can be extremely beneficial in the treatment of bruises not to mention the boost it gives the immune system in cold and flu season.

Next time you have a black eye and want to grab that juicy steak to put on it, why not try a potato instead? Potatoes are a bit cheaper and have been shown to be just as effective as beefsteak.

Arnica is an herb known as Mountain Daisy. It has pain relieving, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.
It should not be taken internally but you can steep this herb in boiling water and apply the liquid directly to the bruise.
Tincture of arnica can be found in health food stores and many ointments contain fair amounts of this herb that can be purchased over the counter.

The ancient Greeks were known to use comfrey for many skin conditions. Comfrey contains a substance called allantoin that promotes skin repair. Comfrey should be used topically and not ingested as some of the compounds have been known to have adverse reactions on the liver.

Grape seed has become popular in recent years for its ability to boost vitamin C retention and help with cell repair. It is also shown to help strengthen the capillary walls.

Our grandmothers were very notorious for using a treatment called Witch Hazel. They applied it to everything that related to skin conditions. Witch Hazel is still available in drug stores and department stores.