Remedies for bruises and sprains for children

As soon as kids master independent movement in space, long before the first steps, they begin to actively explore the world. This process continues and gains momentum even after children learn to walk. In this case, falls, bruises, bruises and abrasions are inevitable.

It is impossible to save the baby from them. But you can always have on hand tools that will ease the pain of such injuries. In this article, we will provide an overview of the most effective drugs for bruises and sprains, approved for use in childhood.

How to choose the right product?

The benefits of drugs that relieve pain and swelling with bruises and sprains, eliminate bruises are obvious for the whole family. But if adults go to the pharmacy without too much thought and buy themselves any post-traumatic drug, then this approach is unacceptable for children. Most adult bruise ointments and hematoma gels can cause allergies in a child, and this can lead to even more swelling.

Before choosing a remedy specifically for an inquisitive kid, you should understand that all drugs that are used after injuries are divided into three groups according to the type of action:

Pain relievers. This group includes ointments and gels, as well as sprays with a pronounced analgesic effect. Basically, we are talking about non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for topical use. You cannot do without such a medicine in case of severe sprain, dislocation, rupture of ligaments and muscles.
Cooling agents. Such drugs are indispensable for severe muscle and soft tissue injury. In such injuries, bones, tendons, cartilage and ligaments remain intact. Ointments and gels of this group, when applied to the skin, create a cool effect, and also reduce swelling and moderate pain relief.
Warming agents... These drugs irritate the skin and stimulate blood flow to the injured area of the body. This effect is useful for bruises and sprains a few days after the injury. In the early stages, warming drugs cannot be used.

It is best to have drugs of each group in the home medicine cabinet, because injuries and situations are different. But at the same time, it is important to remember, but it is better to write down and attach a small A "cheat sheet" that will help you quickly navigate in an emergency and choose the right drug:

If no more than a day has passed since the injury, you can only smear with anesthetic and anti-inflammatory drugs, including cooling gels. Warming ointment is prohibited!

If more than three days have passed since the injury, you can start using warming ointments.
If the integrity of the skin is violated, if the injury is combined with abrasions, wounds, it is impossible to apply funds at all.
In case of fractures and dislocations, ointments do not help. We need qualified medical care in a trauma center. But after providing assistance, the doctor can allow the use of pain-relieving ointments in case of dislocation, they will help to somewhat reduce pain during the first days after the injury.

List of drugs

Children under 1 year

Usually appoint:

Troxevasin. This drug has worked well in the treatment of varicose veins due to its amazingly fast ability to affect the walls of blood vessels. Troxerutin, which is the main active ingredient, strengthens blood vessels, prevents the development of puffiness and large hematoma. The gel is applied to the sore spot, provided that the skin is not damaged and there are no wounds, rubbed with a finger of the hand with light massage movements completely. In pediatric practice, "Troxevasin" is used both for children under one year old and for children over one year old. Local allergic reactions are possible.

Manufacturers indicate that the gel cannot be taken until the age of 15, however, this is not a ban, but only a recommendation to use the drug carefully, because its effect on children has not been sufficiently studied.

"Bruise-Off"... This drug contains pentoxifylline and medicinal leech extract, which makes this anti-inflammatory gel indispensable for bruises and hematomas. This tool has no contraindications, when using it, no cases of overdose have been identified, and therefore the possibility of its use for children is obvious and indisputable. The drug is able to quickly relieve the child of bruises, swelling and hematomas with compaction. It is not recommended to use it more than 5 times a day.

"Rescuer". This is a herbal balm. It is approved for use even by babies. The product has a wide spectrum of action, it can be applied to abrasions and scratches, small wounds and burns, as well as bruises and bruises.

To treat an abrasion with a balsam, you should first treat it with a non-alcoholic antiseptic, for bruises and hematomas, the ointment is applied in a middle layer to clean and dry skin. You can apply the balm 2 to 5 times a day.

Children from 1 year old

Doctors recommend:

"Heparin ointment". Due to its composition, this remedy, well known to many generations of Russians, effectively resists inflammation, reduces swelling in the area of injury, and also thins the blood and improves its circulation, which is important for the restoration of soft tissues, and the reduction of deep hematomas. If the child has a wound, in addition to a bruise, it is impossible to use "Heparin Ointment", this may increase the bleeding. Manufacturers indicate that ointment is not prescribed for children under 18 years of age. However, this is due solely to the insufficient evidence base for the safety of the drug in childhood.

In practice, the ointment is recommended for children after 1 year, but its use must necessarily be agreed with the attending physician.

Lyoton. This gel contains sodium heparin, which dissolves seals well, effectively relieves swelling and helps to restore tissue injured as a result of injury. In addition, the gel strengthens blood vessels, improves blood circulation. It is used not only for superficial bruises, but also for sprains, injuries to joints, muscle tissue.

In case of abrasions and any violations of the skin, the drug cannot be used. There are no contraindications for use in childhood, but doctors recommend using the gel for children after a year in order to avoid an allergic reaction.

Traumeel S. This is a homeopathic preparation based on herbal ingredients. Available in various forms, only ointment can be used for bruises and sprains. Manufacturers talk about an age limit of 3 years, but in practice, the drug is prescribed to children from 2 years of age. The tool is used for sprains and dislocations, as well as for joint injuries.

The gel is rarely prescribed for monotherapy, it is usually recommended as part of complex treatment, for example, the consequences of trauma. Many traumatologists do not recognize this remedy at all, since it is not a drug.

Children from 5 years old

Often used:

Dolobene. This gel successfully combines the action of three substances: dimethyl sulfoxide reduces edema, heparin has a strong anti-inflammatory effect, dexpanthenol improves the granulation of damaged tissues. The gel is very effective for bruises and sprains, any closed injuries, bruises. It is prescribed for pain relief during recovery from damage to ligaments, joints and muscles.

The tool is considered quite allergenic, and therefore it is recommended to conduct an allergy test after purchase - apply a little gel on the child's hand, on the back of the hand and wait about an hour. If redness, hyperemia of the skin appears, the product cannot be used.

"Diklak". This gel can really be called a first aid tool, since it quickly numbes the injury site. The drug belongs to the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drug has a fairly impressive list of side effects, so it is recommended to use the drug only in consultation with a doctor and only for children who are already 6 years old.

Teenagers

Of the most effective:

Finalgon... It is strictly forbidden to use this drug before the age of 12 because of its rather aggressive action. The agent has a local irritating (warming) effect, and also moderately anesthetizes the site of injury. The active ingredients are nonivamide and nicoboxil. Due to the vasodilatation that occurs when the drug is applied to the skin, the gel penetrates deep enough layers, preventing the development of inflammation. With great caution, "Finalgon" should be used for adolescents prone to allergies. An allergy test in this case is mandatory.

If a child goes in for sports, then a tube of such a drug in a home first-aid kit is simply necessary, because the tool allows you to very quickly achieve the desired effect - to anesthetize the ligaments that the child has stretched, to relieve swelling in case of severe injury.

"Fastum-gel"... This effective post-traumatic drug is not used until adolescence. The main active ingredient is ketoprofen. Almost immediately after applying the product, the teenager will feel the analgesic effect. A little later, as it penetrates into the tissues, ketoprofen also reveals its anti-inflammatory properties. The gel is contraindicated in children with allergies and a tendency to manifestations of urticaria, as well as in adolescents suffering from eczema.
"Ketonal"... The drug for topical use is available in the form of a gel and cream. Both forms are allowed only for adolescents, moreover, who have reached the age of 15. The main active ingredient is ketoprofen. It has anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects on a wide variety of injuries, including tendon and muscle ruptures.

You can apply a gel or cream to the injured area no more than three times a day. In this case, the treatment should not be delayed for more than 14 days.

"Indovazin". The gel contains troxerutin and indomethacin. These substances relieve pain, eliminate swelling and prevent the spread of the inflammatory process. The drug is effective for dislocations and sprains. Most often, the remedy is prescribed to adolescents from the age of 14. However, for a teenager, this tool can be indispensable, especially if he is involved in active or traumatic sports.

Earlier use can be carried out only under the personal responsibility of the doctor, because there are no clinical data on the effect of the drug on the child's body, and therefore "Indovazin" is rarely prescribed in pediatrics.

"Reparil gel". It is a vaso-stabilizing drug based on plant materials. It is used to relieve pain and reduce swelling and bruising from bruises, sprains and muscle damage. The tool is used in adolescence, if the child is already 12 years old. The gel is applied without rubbing, in a thin layer to the affected area. It is important that the skin is free of wounds, abrasions and other damage.

First aid

If the child has fallen and screamed, cannot get up, or complains of pain in the arm, first of all, you need to calmly and sensibly assess the situation:

When the ligaments are stretched. Symptoms of sprains differ from muscle injuries primarily in the timing of pain. If the ligaments are stretched - the pain comes instantly, if the muscles are damaged - the pain will be delayed in time. When the ligaments and muscles are stretched, swelling appears, the place of edema sometimes looks somewhat bluish. In this situation, the child should be reassured, the injured limb should be kept at rest, the damaged area should be lubricated with anesthetic ointment or gel from sprains, and the child should be taken to the nearest emergency room.
With bruises. The most common childhood injury is a bruise. If the child has a hematoma on the face, leg, arm or other part of the body, at the first stage it is important to apply something cold. A lump of ice wrapped in a tea towel or cloth is fine. The main thing is not to cause local frostbite.

No matter what grandmothers and traditional healers say about the benefits of an iodine net for bruises and sprains, in childhood, it is better to refuse such treatment. The baby's skin is delicate and very quickly absorbs and immediately assimilates iodine. Very often, the result is an overdose of iodine, which poses a serious danger to the child. Therefore, if desired, a teenager can draw a mesh with iodine, but this is contraindicated for a baby.
To relieve a child's condition after a bruise or sprain, gels and ointments alone are not enough. It is worth learning how to apply a pressure bandage. The best way to do this is to use an elastic bandage. It is important not to overdo it or disrupt the blood supply with too tight bandages. The optimal bandage pressure is considered to be such that the bandaged limb does not change the color of the skin and does not get cold.

Means that help with bruises and bruises on the face, legs, arms should not be used for hematoma and bruising of the eyelid, eyebrows, as well as for bruising the ear. Gels tend to liquefy, it is possible to get into the hearing organs or on the mucous membranes of the eyes. This must be avoided by all means.
After cooling, a gel with anesthetic and anti-inflammatory effect is applied, for example "Troxevasin". At the next stage, the child will be shown the opposite - applying heat and applying a remedy for bruising with a warming effect, so that the blood supply in the area of soft tissue injury and hematoma formation is restored. The sooner this happens, the faster the bruise will go away.

Usually, bruises do not need a doctor's call, they are great at home. However, there are several situations in which the child should still be taken to the emergency room:

extensive hematoma on the head;
severe injury to the forehead or temporal lobe;
extensive hematoma on the bridge of the nose, under the eyes of a small child - an infant and a toddler up to one and a half years.

The consequences of such bruises and hematomas can be unpredictable, especially for babies, because head injuries are always fraught with hidden pathologies that cannot be cured with ointments and gels. Therefore, it is important that the child must be examined by a traumatologist, and, if necessary, by a neurosurgeon.

With bruises

A bruise, a bruise, is strife, so it is necessary to make a start from the specific condition of the child. If he has a minor bruise, accompanied by a small abrasion, then it will be enough to rinse the place under running water, apply a cool water or ice compress for 5-7 minutes, and then lubricate with an anti-abrasion cream, for example "Baneocin"... This will be enough to avoid contamination with bacteria.

A bruise of the nose, bridge of the nose, lips with swelling are almost always the harbingers of the imminent appearance of a hematoma. Help should be provided appropriately. More complex and deeper bruises require examination by a traumatologist. This applies to bruises of the knee, elbow joint, in which there is swelling and limitation of the joint in movement.

The child needs to apply cold and lubricate the damaged area with a cooling gel or ointment. And then be sure to deliver to a medical facility. An ambulance call may require a bruise as delicate as a testicle bruise in boys.If the pain persists for several minutes, you do not need to smear anything, just lay the child down, apply a towel moistened with cool water (not ice!) And wait for the arrival of the ambulance.

For other injuries

If the child's limb bends unnaturally, if the swelling grows rapidly and any attempts to move cause severe pain, you should not find out on your own what happened to the baby. Any options are possible - from cracks to fractures with displacement. This can only be established by an X-ray of the damaged area.

Do not hesitate - the child must be taken to the emergency room or any nearest hospital as soon as possible.

Useful Tips

Recommendations for parents are as follows:

Babies under one year old can treat the site of injury with arnica oil or calendula oil. Both of these drugs have anti-edema properties. These oils are inexpensive and can be bought at any pharmacy.
You should not treat a child with severe bruises, sprains and dislocations with folk remedies. Potato compresses and plantain lotions do not eliminate the severe pain that is certainly present with such injuries, at least in the first few days.
Modern medicine offers more effective means in which the baby will not need to endure pain. If you have concerns about synthetic drugs, you can always choose a herbal drug.
Some forms of injury require not only local treatment, but also the simultaneous intake of anti-inflammatory and pain relievers by mouth. Be sure to ask your doctor what pills you can give your child if the pain gets worse at night.