A bruise is an injury that produces a blood clot and a mark on your skin, as a result of trauma to the area, resulting from impact. You get a bruise when the blood vessels under the skin are injured and damaged, making the bruises very painful. Bruises, medically known as contusions can occur in the skin, muscles and bones. A bruise normally takes a couple of weeks to fade, but some severe bruises can take up to a month to heal. A bruise changes color in different stages of healing. In the beginning the bruise is reddish in color, then turns bluish-purple (ecchymosis) and fades to a greenish-yellow before turning normal. The injury levels required to get a bruise changes with age. Children are less susceptible to bruises, while even a small bump or nudge can cause extensive bruising in an elderly person. This happens because the blood vessels become more fragile with age and an elderly person may get a bruise even without any injury.

Home Remedies
-- St. Johns Wort is known to have done wonders for bruises. The anti-bacterial and astringent properties make it apt for treating them. -Add few drops of St. John Wort tincture to an organic oil or cream and apply it on the bruised area. The skin would absorb the tincture which would help the healing process.

-- You can use herbal infusion made of Arnica, Yarrow, and Chamomile, which contains minimal proportion of antiseptic, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties.

-- Plaster made from fresh Comfrey leaves is the best home remedy for sprains, bruises and cuts.

-- Cabbage contains anti-inflammatory properties which applied in emaciated form on bruises or swelling can help the healing procedure. -Arnica works great for bruises or sprains. It has wonderful and useful properties to provide healing touch to your wounds. Use few drops of arnica tincture in a cup of water, soak a clean cloth and apply this cloth for bandaging.

-- Parsley is another herb which has abundant supply of vitamins and works as a therapeutic treatment for the wound. Apply crushed parsley on the bruised area. Keep doing this till the blue or black marks disappear forever.

-- Having a soothing bath with Witch Hazel helps in circulation of the blood and in the healing process. The astringent, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic attribute just makes it a great home remedy.

Food for Better Recovery
If you are bruised and in awful pain you can gain energy by having food which is high on bioflavonoid also known as vitamin P. Bioflavonoid functions as the protector of the capillaries by keeping it healthy and avoids any kind of bleeding. These are also anti-inflammatory which helps in reducing inflammation. You can find bioflavonoid in lemons, green peppers, broccoli and rose hips. Thebest bet with bioflavonoid is to have it with vitamin C as it is easily absorbed in your body.