# How to get rid of bruises?



## celtic_crippler (Oct 28, 2008)

A female friend of mine figured that since I was into martial arts that I would know remedies for fading bruises. 

I explained to her that we actually view them as "trophies" where I train and the last thing we want is to fade them! LOL....yeah....we're a sick bunch. 

Seriously though, I told her about making sure she was eating enough fruits and veggies, to make sure she was getting enough vitamin C, K, and E. She's dieting (aren't most women most of the time?) and a lack of vitamins could make her more prone to bruising. 

Anyway....does anyone know of a balm, cream, or whatever that would help her fade the bruises? I told her I'd throw the question out there to my peers and see what came back. 

Thanks!


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## CoryKS (Oct 28, 2008)

I've always heard that an ice pack applied early will help prevent a bruise from forming, but I've never tried it.  It's not that I cherish my bruises, just don't care whether they form or not.  They'll go away eventually.


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## Tez3 (Oct 28, 2008)

Arnica works, either the tablets or the cream. It'll be wherever you get homeopathic medicines. I use it for my martial arts bruises, my daughter got body slammed against a wall a few weeks ago by a half ton racehorse and had the most almighty bruise on her arm which they had thought was broken at first but arnica sorted the bruising out. It's good to take the tablets before an operation or dental treatment too.


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## punisher73 (Oct 28, 2008)

Another method is to invest in some Jow.  There are different kinds.  Some are for body conditioning and some are designed for bruising.

I have also heard that DSMO will take care of bruises.


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## zDom (Oct 28, 2008)

If I recall correctly,

bruises are the result of bleeding beneath the skin.

Ice might help initially by slowing blood flow to that area so there is less blood released before clotting.

Once the bleeding has stopped? Wait. It will go away eventually


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## Xue Sheng (Oct 28, 2008)

celtic_crippler said:


> A female friend of mine figured that since I was into martial arts that I would know remedies for fading bruises.


 
She wants to make them go away  :xtrmshock



celtic_crippler said:


> I explained to her that we actually view them as "trophies" where I train and the last thing we want is to fade them! LOL....yeah....we're a sick bunch.


 
Well...yeah :EG:


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## bluemtn (Oct 28, 2008)

Ok, since I have a rather painful bruise on my hand (making self defense a bit over painful), I'll chime in.  Ice only works initially, as I found out.  Epsom salt is supposed to be good for sprains, strains, bruising, etc.  Just dissolve roughly a tablespoon full (depending on size of area) with hot water.  You can either soak the affected area, or apply it to a compress.  I haven't used anything else, except icy hot when I couldn't find the epsom salt.  It's found in the pharmacy, not the grocery section.  Don't get concerned when it says it's a laxative, which I wouldn't reccomend it be used for...


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## JadecloudAlchemist (Oct 28, 2008)

Ice works well. My teacher like to use heat his theory fight fire with fire.

Jow works really well some of the herbs in it are used to move the blood that stagnates among other things.

When I was a little kid my Mom use to use a special formula that got rid of all bruises she would kiss the bruise.:lfao:


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## CoryKS (Oct 28, 2008)

JadecloudAlchemist said:


> When I was a little kid my Mom use to use a special formula that got rid of all bruises she would kiss the bruise.:lfao:


 
That only works if the wound can properly be classified as a "boo-boo" or an "owie".


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## hpulley (Oct 28, 2008)

On the other end of the scale note that with sufficient bruising a hematoma forms which is a sack of blood to limit the amount of bruising.  They feel like a bump or ridge under the bruise.  These usually go away on their own too but occasionally need 'help' or even surgery.

Ice to reduce the swelling at first and later on heat to help it loosen up may aid in bruise reduction but really your body has to reabsorb the blood.  Not getting hit is good prevention ;-)


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## bostonbomber (Oct 29, 2008)

My wife bruises quite easily.  We use jow, rub it in REALLY well, and the bruises are gone in a day or so (compared to several days if left untreated).  Rubbing it in well plays a big part in breaking up the blood accumulation but the jow is necessary too (we tried just massaging the bruise out and it doesn't work nearly as well as when we use jow).  The trick is finding a good jow.


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## Jade Tigress (Oct 29, 2008)

A good jow will do the trick. I have no personal gain in the Martial Arts Supply link in my signature, they do have the best jows I have ever used.


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## terryl965 (Oct 29, 2008)

Jow is the best thing that I have personally used.


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## clfsean (Oct 29, 2008)

Jow is the word & way for bruise removal with some massaging the bruise. 

Basically... what everybody else said!


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## Tez3 (Oct 29, 2008)

clfsean said:


> Jow is the word & way for bruise removal with some massaging the bruise.
> 
> Basically... what everybody else said!


 
I don't think I've ever see Jow here, where would I be likely to get some to try do you think? it's likely to be too expensive to get it outside the UK I think?


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## MA-Caver (Oct 29, 2008)

I remember reading/hearing/seeing/experiencing somewhere something about how vinegar can help bruises heal faster... sigh... ok... had to look it up to remind myself that I wasn't as full of it as I thought I sounded. Ah! Here it is... some other helpful methods as well, including those already mentioned :uhyeah: 



> Bruises home remedies and natural cures, Questions and answers
> *Use of Comfrey tea*
> Apply buchu or Comfrey tea on the bruise. This will prevent discoloration of skin and reduce the pain.
> 
> ...


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## Chris from CT (Apr 13, 2009)

In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine), bruises are considered "Blood stagnation."  Even from a western viewpoint it's logical.  The "treatment principle" would be to move the blood and clear stagnation.  One way to accomplish that is to use a "7-Star Hammer."  A 7-Star hammer is a tiny hammer with a long flexible handle which has 7 tiny needles on it.  The 7-Star hammer would be used to lightly tap on and around the bruise to help disperse it.  I would recommend seeing a Licensed Acupuncturist to show you how to use one properly.  They work like a charm!  

I have a lot of stories about 7-Star hammers...
#1.  One of my students pulled his groin and had a HUGE dark purple bruise on his inner thigh.  He is the skeptical type so he had me do only half of the bruise to see if there was any difference from not treating it at all.  

The next day he called me up and said "Oh My God!?"  He couldn't believe that the part I treated was practically gone and the other area was the same as the day before.  

#2.  I was teaching at a martial arts festival up in Rochester, NY and there was this kid I knew for a few years.  He's a good kid, a knucklehead, but a good kid.    He comes into the festival with this hickey on his neck.  Later on he says how "it's a little embarrassing training with all these people with this thing screaming on my neck." So I told him, "let's get rid of it."  So I pulled out the 7-Star hammer and sure enough, next day... no more hickey.  

Once again, have someone qualified show you how to use it and it's a great tool to have in the toolbox.   

Take care.


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## McLargehuge (Apr 14, 2009)

Jade Tigress said:


> A good jow will do the trick. I have no personal gain in the Martial Arts Supply link in my signature, they do have the best jows I have ever used.



Works great, tastes terrible!


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## Cryozombie (Apr 14, 2009)

Jade Tigress said:


> A good jow will do the trick. I have no personal gain in the Martial Arts Supply link in my signature, they do have the best jows I have ever used.


 
Yeah, Ive used their Jow for brusing.  I agree it is good stuff.


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## Jade Tigress (Apr 14, 2009)

McLargehuge said:


> Works great, tastes terrible!



LOL! We need to talk. 



Cryozombie said:


> Yeah, Ive used their Jow for brusing.  I agree it is good stuff.



It really is. A few months ago I got a HUGE bruise on my outer thigh. It was one of those things where you don't know how you got it, but it's there. It might have been from my dog jumping up on me. (He was over 100 lbs. and thought he weighed 10).

For days it wasn't going away or even looking a whole lot better. I don't know why I didn't think of using jow sooner, probably because I associate it with training. But it finally dawned on me to put jow on it. I swear, I rubbed some jow into it real good and I kid you not, several hours later it was much better and it was actually gone the next morning.


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## Cryozombie (Apr 14, 2009)

Yup.  I put it on this calf bruise







And on this one on my arm






Cleared both up pretty quickly.


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## girlbug2 (Apr 14, 2009)

Jade Tigress said:


> For days it wasn't going away or even looking a whole lot better. I don't know why I didn't think of using jow sooner, probably because I associate it with training. But it finally dawned on me to put jow on it. I swear, I rubbed some jow into it real good and I kid you not, several hours later it was much better and it was actually gone the next morning.


 
That Web site lists 4 kinds of Jow for bruising. There's regular, shaolin, chu gar and eight immortals. Which kind did you use?


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## Kembudo-Kai Kempoka (Apr 14, 2009)

www.dmso.net

Also, increase your consumption of vitamin C and chelated copper. Aw, heck: Get some concentrace liquimin, and start adding it to your water. It'll aid the body in forming better cell walls on vascular tissues to prevent extreme bruising in the first place. If you get whacked or torqued hard enough to pass that gate, then massage it with DMSO. Also, look up Okazaki's "satsuzai" on google or yahoo, and rub that into it as well.

D.

Link to some satsuzai: http://home.pacbell.net/severns/html/satsuzai.html


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## Cryozombie (Apr 14, 2009)

girlbug2 said:


> That Web site lists 4 kinds of Jow for bruising. There's regular, shaolin, chu gar and eight immortals. Which kind did you use?



I believe what I have is the Chu Gar


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## Jade Tigress (Apr 14, 2009)

girlbug2 said:


> That Web site lists 4 kinds of Jow for bruising. There's regular, shaolin, chu gar and eight immortals. Which kind did you use?



I use The Eight Immortals Jow. Both can be found under the Traditional Bruise Jow link.


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## Flying Crane (Apr 14, 2009)

Tez3 said:


> I don't think I've ever see Jow here, where would I be likely to get some to try do you think? it's likely to be too expensive to get it outside the UK I think?


 
Check with a traditional Chinese Martial Arts school.  If the teacher is really old-school, he may make his own.  Otherwise, he may have connections to get some.

Otherwise, if there is a Chinese community nearby, check with the traditional doctors and acupuncturists.  They also may make their own, or have a connection to get some good stuff.

Not all Dit Da Jows are the same.  Some recipes are better than others, and some have given me a skin rash so you might need to experiment a bit.  Recipes are often held as a family secret.

I get my jow from my acupuncturist, I trust him, he was also a kung fu student of my sifu, and my sifu recommends him for acupuncture treatments, so that's good enough endorsement for me.


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## Flying Crane (Apr 14, 2009)

girlbug2 said:


> That Web site lists 4 kinds of Jow for bruising. There's regular, shaolin, chu gar and eight immortals. Which kind did you use?


 
Looks like several of those formulas overlap, meaning you will find them in the conditioning lists as well.

It doesn't say how big the bottles are, but $20 seems a bit steep.  Around here you can usually get a decent jow for around $10 or even less.


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## Jade Tigress (Apr 14, 2009)

They make their own jow, and it is superb, very potent so you don't need alot. It's a decent sized bottle. I typically apply mine to both arms before and after training twice a week. A bottle lasts me months. I have tried other jows with less than impressive results. 

The reason I use the Eight Immortals is because it is more a standard "beginners" jow which does not irritate the skin. It's stinky though. lol


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## Cryozombie (Apr 15, 2009)

Jade Tigress said:


> They make their own jow, and it is superb, very potent so you don't need alot.


 
Riley has been making some, he gave me a huge bottle for Xmas, I dont think Ill ever use the whole thing...


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## Jade Tigress (Apr 15, 2009)

Cryozombie said:


> Riley has been making some, he gave me a huge bottle for Xmas, I dont think Ill ever use the whole thing...



Cool.  Have you tried it yet or are you finishing up the Chu Gar first?


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## Cryozombie (Apr 15, 2009)

Jade Tigress said:


> Cool.  Have you tried it yet or are you finishing up the Chu Gar first?



I have not, but I have used the muscle rub he gave me for sore muscles, its rather soothing.


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