Bruise & Contusion?

Question

What is the exact different between a regular bruise and a muscle contusion (bruise). I know that a bruise you can obviously see. I'm asking because I went to the emergency room Thurday night and thought I had fractured my thumb, but they didn't even take x-rays, and just ruled it off as a muscle contusion, gave me a splint and said it should be better within about 5 days. Well it's been 5 days, and still hurts really bad. There's no visible bruising and very minimal swelling. What do I do. Should I go get a second opinion or wait it out? If I find out that it is fractured, what do I do about the hospital?

Answer 1

The bruise you can see is a subdural hematoma, and it has to do with the blood vessels under the skin. A damaged muscle, as you know, is something different and can cause pain that can last for a long time (when its a substantial bruise). If a person moves the damaged part it re-injures the muscle over and over again, so it can take a really long time for it to get better.

Pain doesn't necessarily mean there's fracture, and a relatively minor fracture doesn't necessarily keep hurting for a long time (although it can). Its possible for a very minor fracture to be missed on an x-ray, but I think if it were me I'd take a couple of aspirins if the pain got to bad and wait it out. From my experience with fractures and muscle injuries, the mild swelling is more likely to stay with a muscle injury than with a fracture. It goes down pretty quickly with a fracture.

I think you're finding it hard to believe that the the pain and the fact that its still around may not be fracture, but its very likely the people at the hospital were right about everything but how long it would take for it to feel better. If its a fracture the splint will do the job that has to be done until it heals. If it isn't a fracture the splint will do the job of keeping the thumb from moving until the muscle injury heals. Since the treatment for an undislocated fracture and the muscle injury is most likely the same, it is unlikely the hospital has caused any damaged to you; so if you're thinking you could sue I don't believe you'd have a case. There has to be carelessness or other behavior that isn't "what could be expected of the average professional in that field".

To give you an idea of how bad a muscle injury can be, when I was a kid I was trying to dribble a soccer ball and tripped over it. I fell and injured my wrist. The swelling and tenderness lasted for months, and sometimes it would start to be better and I'd "re-do" it by moving the wrist too carelessly. Finally it got better, but years later when I'd be scraping ice from my car windows I'd have a tendency to get it going again (including the swelling).

Its probably more important not to move a muscle injury than it is not to move a fractured bone (and I've had my share of those too). I think you have to "work harder" to re-do a fracture that has started to heal; and if it hasn't started to heal it almost doesn't matter in a way. Muscle injuries are easier to re-do over and over again for a good long time after they occur.

Answer 2

Where on the thumb is it hurting
That's what you need to ask yourself.
It is at the base by the wrist.
Then look up Scaphoid fratures, and where you anatomic snuffbox is on the internet.
If pain over there...
proceed to an ortho's office, or to another ER and get an x-ray
If no pain there, then do as they told you with the splint.

Answer 3

first of all you're spamming the positioning with all your posts. you're going over board posting it 5-6 situations in a row. i might think of your doctor might order greater finding out in case you have broken your ft 7 situations. that's an indication of numerous achievable issues from bone maximum cancers & numerous different bone issues. Plus i might think of the doctor might have advised you strategies to get around esp. while it is composed of faculty. He might have had to place in writing you an excuse the day gone by for lacking college. If he did no longer have your mom call & ask. If mandatory your college provides a teach until eventually you are able to return. you do no longer point out your broken ft in any of your previous questions that's unusual because of the fact you ask an incredible type of wellbeing questions. broken ft must be greater substantial than a era. something in simple terms would not sound good.

Answer 4

bruise is superficial or epidermal laceration OR abration
contusion is a compression by any weight,crash,fall...which can impair the afected parts blood sirculation,inervation...and is painfull,swollen,discolured..depending on the site of trauma.
your thumb can also have minor [noncomplicated] fructure if contused.it would have been better to be x-Rayed TO be reasure the extent of the injury I SUJUST.

Answer 5

they should have taken an x ray to rule out a break. obviously ur still in a lot of pain go see a different doctor

Answer 6

Maybe you should get a second opinion.