Hi Lindy,
I'm not sure if you're open to using homeopathic remedies or not, but if you are, they can work really well to speed up the healing. I know a few different people have already mentioned using Arnica cream or gel, which can be very useful if the bruise came from a blunt trauma. (In other words, there is an obvious reason for the bruise.) But, you seem to be describing more of an easy tendency to bleed, and bruises coming from seemingly nowhere. I don't know that Arnica would help with those so much as some other remedies might. Below, I'm listing some of the most common remedies that can help with different kinds of bruising, and some of their indications. While certainly not comprehensive, I think it might help quite a few with dealing with this common problem. Nearly all of these remedies are commonly available at most health food stores that carry a line of homeopathic remedies. A very few would need to be ordered from a homeopathic pharmacy.
With the exception of 2 or 3 mineral remedies, all of the remedies listed here are made from plants. But, please note, they are NOT herbal formulas, but have been highly diluted and serially succussed, to make them into homeopathically prepared remedies.
I will list dosing suggestions at the end, so that you can use them safely.
Hope you heal quickly,
April
Homeopathic Remedies for Various Kinds of Bruises
Ecchymosis: The medical term for a bruise. The skin discoloration caused by the escape of blood into the tissues from ruptured blood vessels. Ecchymoses can similarly occur in mucous membranes as, for example, in the mouth.
SKIN; ECCHYMOSIS; general (75) : aeth., allox., anthr., arg-n., Arn., ars., bad., bar-c., bar-m., bell., bell-p., benz-n., bor., both-l., bry., calc., carb-v., carc., cham., chin., chlf., chlol., chloram., cic., coca, coll., con., cop., cosm., crot-h., cub., dulc., erig., euphr., ferr., foll., ham., hep., hyper., iod., iodof., kali-chl., kreos., lach., laur., Led., loxo-r., meli., merc., mill., morg., mur-ac., nux-v., par., petr., Ph-ac., Phos., plb., ptel., puls., pyrog., rhus-t., ruta, Sec., Sul-ac., sulph., supren., tab., tarent., ter., thal., thlaspi, uran-n., verbe-h., vip.
Bruising occurs when there is a blow or fall, causing small blood vessels to break under the skin. The discoloration and swelling of the skin are caused by blood seeping into the tissue. The symptoms are pain, a redness that later turns blue, then green, then brown and yellow before fading away. Cold compresses or ice are useful immediately after the injury. This reduces local bleeding and swelling. If the bruise is on the extremities elevate the limbs above the level of the heart to decrease blood flow. After 24 hours apply moist heat. Heat dilates the vessels and increases circulation to the affected area. The proper homeopathic remedy greatly speeds the time of healing bruises and relieves the bad quickly.
Homeopathic Materia Medica
Arnica: The first remedy to give in bruising from an injury, blow or blunt trauma, as it will prevent pain and soreness and help the absorption of blood. Arnica will very quickly stop the bleeding (usually in less than a minute), can quickly reduce any swelling, and act to reabsorb the blood. Especially useful when the injury has caused a deep shock to the body. The patient may claim they are fine (when they obviously are not!), may refuse to go to the doctor, or may not want anyone coming near them. The entire body feels bruised and aches. Quite useful to give after being in any sort of auto accident, as it will prevent the bruised achiness that can come a few days later. Most useful for bruises to the fleshy or well-muscled tissues. Very good for bruising or swelling of the brain, due to a traumatic head injury. Arnica tincture, gel or cream, should be used externally, only if the skin is unbroken. (I prefer the cream, as it seems to stay on better.)
Bellis perennis: Bruises to veins, or for leakage from veins, into the tissues, after a blood draw, bruising or soreness from an IV line, or after surgery. Known as the “Internal Arnica”, it has a great affinity for the deep, internal organs, from injuries or surgeries to the chest, abdomen or pelvis. Relieves the bruised, tender pains after a hysterectomy, splenectomy, appendectomy or bowel surgery. Sore, bruised feeling in pelvis during a long or difficult labor, especially when instruments have been used. Also good when there is pain from the fetus. Bruised feeling in the uterus. Useful for bruises or bangs to the female breast or other glands. Varicose veins with bruised, sore feeling.
(a). If Bellis is not sufficient it may be followed by Conium in bruises to the breast.
Conium: Indurations (a thickening, raising, and hardening of the skin) following bruises. Bruises to the glands, such as the mammae or testicles, with stony hardness. Contusions or bruises to the breast. Ecchymoses of the gums.
(b). Sulphuric acid follows Conium well in bruises to the breasts or other glands.
Hamamelis (Witch Hazel): The entire body feels bruised and sore after traumatic injuries. Follows Arnica if it does not remove these feelings. Can be used as a tincture on severe bruising, esp. if the skin is broken. Bruised soreness of the veins.
Hypericum: Bruises that affect the nerves. Neuritis after bruising. Bruising from a crushing injury, especially to sensitive tips of fingers or toes (i.e. mashed fingers in a door). When a nerve becomes inflamed after an injury, and the pain can be traced along the nerve; shooting, stitching or darting pains that come and go, shooting up from the injury, toward the body. Should be compared with Ledum. The wounds of Hypericum are very sensitive to the touch, while those of Ledum are not.
Ledum: Bruises with dark purple or blue ecchymosis. Discoloration long after injury. The injured part feels cold but is Better > by cold, worse < by heat. Black or blue eyes, a classic “shiner”. Bruising and pain remains after a painful injection, insect bite, or other puncture wound..
Bruising that happens in a certain kind of tissue: that where there are no big muscles or flesh, a lot of nerves, small veins and capillaries. Examples would be the eye, cheek, the neck, the hand or the upper part of the foot
Phosphorus: Bruise appears for almost no reason. Easy bleeding under the skin. The sufferer does not even know when they got the bruise. Ecchymoses of the tongue and purpura of the mouth.
Ruta: This remedy is used for bruises to the bone and periosteum (the thin covering of the bones, where muscles attach), as from pounding on pavement, resulting in shin splints or any repetitive strain (i.e., tennis elbow). Bruised soreness of tendons and their insertions, and bones and cartilages about the joints. Overstrain of the eyes. (computer)
Bruises leave indurations (raised hardenings). It may also be used externally in tincture over the area.
Symphytum: Bruises and injuries of the eyeball and bruises of the cheekbones, after falls or hits by snowballs, stones or balls. (Symphytum works much better here than Arnica, which acts more on the well-muscled parts.) Pain in the eye after a blow with an obtuse body. For traumatic injuries to the eye, no remedy equals this. Bruises to the bones (esp the flat bones) and periosteum, that do not yield to Ruta.
Sulphuricum Acid: Bad effects from traumatic or mechanical injuries, with bruises and livid skin. Tendency toward gangrene following mechanical injuries. Prolonged ecchymosis, old bruise remains discolored for a long time. Prostration after injury.
Useful for bruises of soft parts, after Arnica; in bruises of glands, after Conium; in injuries of bones after Ruta. Particularly, it may be used when there are long - lasting black and blue spots with soreness and stiffness.
Repertory:
BRUISES, in general – Acetic acid, ARNICA, Bellis perennis, Conium, HAMAMELIS, Hypericum, LEDUM, PHOSPHORUS, RUTA., Symphytum, SULFURIC ACID
body , entire, feels bruised and aches – Arnica, Hamamelis
bone and periosteum bruises - RUTA, symphytum
breast, bruised – arnica, bellis perennis, CONIUM
cold, bruised part feels - Ledum
dry heat (fever) after much bruising or sprains – Acetic acid
easy bruising - Phosphorus
eye blow with an obtuse body – Symphytum
extravasations, bruises with: ARN, Conium, Hamamelis, Hepar sulph, Lachesis, Ledum, Pulsatilla, Ruta, SULPURIC ACID, Sulphur
indurations following bruises – CONIUM, RUTA
internal organ or bowel has been bruised, as from surgery or a blow – Bellis perrenis.
mastitis from bruises: Arnica
numbness or dead sensation in bruised parts: Arnica
old bruise remains discolored – Sulphic acid
shock causes great relaxation, with vertigo and fainting – Aceticum acidum
speeds reabsorption of blood - Arnica
Dosage: Take 1 pellet of 30C, every four hours. Stop taking any further, once you have noticed some marked improvement in the pain or discoloration, or notice that your propensity for bruising is subsiding. Once the remedy has stimulated the body's natural healing power, it will finish the work. If you haven't seen any improvement after 3 doses, then discontinue that remedy, and try the next most-indicated remedy.
Take the remedy only for as long as you need it. Once it has helped, stop taking any further.
(Lower potencies, such as a 12C or a 30X, may need to be taken more often, say every 2 or 3 hours.) Unless you are working closely with a homeopath, I would not recommend taking any potencies that are lower than 30X or a 12C, because they still contain small amounts of the crude substance, and could potentially cause some problem, although quite rare.
Note that these remedies are to be used on an acute basis, and are not intended to heal your body of ITP. For that, you would need to have your entire case taken by an experienced homeopath, who could prescribe a remedy tailored specifically for you.
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