Traumatologist-orthopedist
Shelepov
Alexander Sergeevich
13 years of experience
Doctor
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An accumulation of clots or liquid blood in the soft tissues of the body, formed due to rupture of blood vessels, is called a hematoma. The most common type of pathology is an ordinary bruise. However, this concept includes much more severe and complex cases that cannot be left without qualified medical care. Blood flowing from the vessel irritates the tissues surrounding it, resulting in pain, tissue swelling and other signs of developing inflammation. In addition, the hematoma compresses the tissues or organs located next to it, which can lead to the development of complications.
General information
The main cause of hematomas are bruises - closed injuries to soft tissues resulting from a blow or fall. A strong blow leads to rupture of the walls of small blood vessels, due to which blood begins to flow through the breakout sites into the subcutaneous tissue, soft tissues or body cavities. Hematomas form in different parts of the body - on the limbs, torso and even on the head. In addition to bruises, hematomas are caused by intense compression and stretching of tissues due to dislocations or fractures.
Small lesions, as a rule, do not require any treatment and resolve on their own within a few days. When large hematomas form, there is a risk of infection and the development of suppuration. Most often, hematomas form in representatives of younger age groups - children, adolescents and young people, who are characterized by high physical activity. Another “risk group” are people with increased fragility of the vascular wall, as well as with blood clotting disorders.
Vincent's ulcerative necrotizing stomatitis
One of the reasons that the tongue hurts on the side is Vincent's ulcerative necrotizing stomatitis. With this disease, ulcers appear in the oral cavity, which can be located not only directly on the tongue, but also on the mucous membrane of the cheeks, and even spread further:
- on the gums;
- sky;
- tonsils.
The disease is caused by bacteria: spirochetes and fusobacteria. What is especially characteristic of this pathology is that the ulcers are covered with a dirty gray coating. Vincent's ulcerative-necrotizing stomatitis is treated locally with antimicrobial drugs. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are also prescribed.
Why does a hematoma change color?
Doctors identify three distinct stages of a hematoma through which it must go before completely disappearing. Each of them is characterized by a certain skin color, through which the hemorrhage is visible.
- Appearance of a bruise. Immediately after a soft tissue bruise, a sharp pain is felt, the area of skin in the damaged area becomes purplish-red and swells due to tissue swelling, then the red color gradually changes to blue. The red color comes from red blood cells containing large amounts of hemoglobin. After a few hours, hemoglobin begins to break down, and the bruise site turns blue. Due to swelling and inflammation of the tissue in the damaged area, the temperature rises.
- Greening. After two or three days, swelling and temperature decrease, the condition of the tissues more or less returns to normal, but minor pain when pressed remains. The blue tint of the skin gradually turns into a greenish color.
- Yellowing. By about the fifth day, the swelling completely disappears, the remaining hemoglobin disintegrates and is removed from the tissues. The site of the bruise becomes yellowish, then acquires its normal color.
Visual symptoms of hematomas are most clearly visible in cases where the effusion of blood occurs in the subcutaneous layer. If a clot forms in the deeper layers of soft tissue, then only a small but painful swelling is noticeable on the outside. Such formations are much more dangerous, since the process occurs unnoticed and can be accompanied by complications.
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Symptoms
A bruise on the skin is always clearly visible. At first it has a purplish-blue color, and then begins to “bloom”, acquiring yellow and green colors. If a sufficiently large amount of blood accumulates under the skin, a protruding lump forms. At first it is very painful to feel, but later the pain goes away.
The outpouring of blood into the internal organs and into the substance of the brain is preceded by trauma. The main symptom is pain. In this case, the hematoma is not visible externally. If bleeding continues, the victim becomes pale, weak, and dizzy. With chronic internal bleeding, anemia comes to the fore. Bleeding in the brain is especially dangerous. Compression of brain structures may occur, sometimes leading to death.
Types of damage
The faster a hematoma forms, the more difficult the recovery. Injuries of this type are divided into:
- lungs that develop within a day, accompanied by mild pain and not requiring special treatment;
- moderate severity, the appearance of which requires no more than 5-6 hours, accompanied by noticeable swelling and pain, worsening the motor function of the limb;
- severe, forming within 2 hours after a bruise, accompanied by dysfunction of the limb, acute pain and noticeable swelling.
Treatment of moderate and severe hematomas should be carried out under the supervision of a physician to eliminate possible negative consequences of injury.
In addition to the severity of the damage, there are other criteria for classifying hematomas:
- by depth of location - under the skin, under the mucous membrane, deep in the muscle tissue, under the fascia, etc.;
- according to the state of spilled blood - uncoagulated (fresh), coagulated and lysed (filled with old blood that is not capable of clotting);
- by the nature of blood distribution - diffuse (blood permeates the tissue and spreads quickly), cavitary (blood accumulates in the cavity between the tissues) and encysted (over time, the cavity filled with blood is surrounded by a “bag” of connective tissue);
- according to the condition of the vessel - pulsating (blood flows freely from the vessel and flows back) and non-pulsating (the rupture of the vessel is quickly sealed by a thrombus).
Almost always, hemorrhage poses a health hazard, so to eliminate its consequences, you need to seek medical help immediately after the injury.
What you need to know about the oral mucosa
The tongue and the mucous membrane around it have 5 main functions. Namely:
- protection;
- suction;
- selection;
- thermoregulation;
- taste perception.
It is the protective function that “monitors” that the negative influence of the environment does not cause harm. But we are talking not only about various viruses and microorganisms, but also about mechanical damage. The mucous membrane withstands irritants of all types: from mechanical to temperature and chemical.
Interesting! The mucous membrane of the mouth is endowed with the fastest regeneration.
Often, it is by the mucous membrane that the doctor can determine whether there are serious disturbances in the body’s functioning or not. Most diseases leave their mark on its condition, for example, in a patient with diabetes mellitus, the tongue will be red, with cracks and erosion. Therefore, any changes in the tongue, and especially a bruise, should cause an urgent visit to the clinic.
Examination methods
To diagnose hematomas, you need to contact a traumatologist. When the hemorrhage is localized deep in muscle tissue, joints or internal organs, a visual examination provides too little information for the doctor to objectively assess the severity of the lesion and the degree of danger of injury. In such situations, the patient is prescribed:
- Ultrasound of a damaged body part, organ or joint;
- X-ray of the damaged part of the body;
- CT or MRI;
- puncture (puncture with a special needle) of a joint or organ in which blood is believed to have accumulated.
Based on the examination results, the doctor prescribes appropriate procedures.
Useful tips
Found a hematoma in your mouth? It would be helpful to do the following:
- give up irritating foods: salty, smoked, spicy, etc.;
- rinse your mouth with antiseptic drugs;
- make an appointment with a doctor and be sure to visit him if hematomas appear;
- adhere to medical recommendations.
In addition, when identifying a hematoma on the tongue (blood or regular), you cannot:
- pierce it so that it heals faster (you must remember that it is easy to get an infection into the wound);
- injure in any other way;
- refuse to go to the doctor in the hope that everything will go away on its own;
- panic and invent dangerous diseases and their symptoms.
How to remove hematomas?
After establishing the nature and characteristics of the hematoma, treatment is prescribed in accordance with the information received:
- prescribe UHF procedures;
- a surgical opening is performed to remove accumulated clots and rinse the cavity;
- the patient is hospitalized in the surgical department for opening and drainage, followed by antibiotic therapy.
Recovery time depends on the extent of the lesion, the presence or absence of infection and other factors.
Bloody marks on the tongue - what can cause the symptom and what to do about it
There are many possible reasons why your tongue may bleed. Most often, the prerequisite for this unpleasant phenomenon is banal damage to the organ during talking or chewing. However, in other cases, this symptom may indicate serious health problems. Such manifestations as a thick coating on the tongue, enlarged papillae, and even more so traces of blood, should at least alert you and also become a good reason to contact a specialist. Today we will look at the most common causes of blood above and below the tongue, and also find out what to do with this symptom.
Frequently asked questions
How to get rid of a hematoma using traditional methods?
Folk remedies only help with minor and non-dangerous superficial damage. To speed up resorption, you can apply a compress of mashed cabbage leaves, bodyagu mixed with Vaseline, or tampons soaked in a mummy solution to the bruise. For deep or extensive injuries, you should consult a doctor.
Why is a hematoma dangerous?
The greatest danger to health, and sometimes to life, are hematomas that form deep in the tissues, inside organs or joints. Large hemorrhage is dangerous due to the possible development of infection, inflammation and suppuration. If the joint is damaged, bursitis, synovitis or hemarthrosis may develop, resulting in disability. Blood in the peritoneal cavity leads to peritonitis. Brain hematomas lead to dysfunction of this organ with serious consequences in the form of deterioration of cognitive functions, paralysis of body parts, etc.
How to treat a hematoma in the first hours after injury?
Immediately after a bruise, it is necessary to provide first aid to the victim: apply ice to the injured area, then tightly bandage the injured limb to block the flow of blood into the tissue. The dressing should not remain on for more than two hours. During this time, it is necessary to get to the emergency room, where the patient will receive the necessary professional help.
Correct treatment
Eliminating the cause means curing the disease faster. This statement is truer than ever. But only if the cause is not a serious illness. It is clear that large hematomas take longer to disappear than small ones. Despite this, even a tiny bruise can be a reason to go to the clinic. The fact is that in order to avoid serious consequences, surgical intervention is sometimes necessary, during which the hematoma is removed. When contacting a doctor, it is better to choose an oral and maxillofacial surgeon.
In order for the hematoma to go away faster, you need to maintain oral hygiene, namely:
- brush your teeth after and before bed, and preferably after every meal;
- if you cannot brush your teeth after eating, chewing gum can perform hygienic cleaning, removing food particles;
- Rinse your mouth with antiseptic solutions several times a day.
It must be said that only the attending physician prescribes treatment methods for a bruise. True, most often it is the most common and is based on rinsing. Only if the hematoma grows or conservative treatment fails, something more serious is used.
