How To Give Yourself A Bruise

It takes time for bruises to get better, but you can help your child feel better while one heals. Try these tips:

Common Questions About Giving Yourself Shots

Here is what to do if you notice an air bubble in the syringe.

Hold the syringe so the needle points up.
Tap the barrel a few times to move the air bubble to the top.
Slide the plunger enough to push the air out before you give the shot.
Make sure you have a full dose in the syringe. You may need to add a small amount of medicine to the syringe to get a full dose.

Injecting a small air bubble into the skin or a muscle is usually harmless. But it might mean you aren’t getting the full dose of medicine, because the air takes up space in the syringe.

What if I break or bend a needle?

Here is what to do if you bend or break a needle while giving yourself a shot.

Carefully remove the needle if you can. Dispose of the needle in a safe way (in a hard plastic, metal, or “sharps” container with a lid).
If no medicine went in, you can give yourself another shot. If some medicine went in, check with your doctor before you give yourself another shot.
If you’re bleeding after you remove the needle, apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Clean the wound with soap and water, and cover it with a bandage, if needed, to protect it.

If you can’t remove the needle, or if a broken part of the needle didn’t come out, you need medical attention. A doctor will help remove the needle.

What if I see blood in the syringe?

If you see blood in the syringe, it means you might have hit a blood vessel. This usually isn’t harmful. If you see blood in the bottom of the syringe (hub) before you push in the plunger:

Remove the needle without giving the medicine.
Dispose of the needle in a safe way. Use a hard plastic, metal, or “sharps” container with a lid.
Use a new needle to give the shot. You can put a new needle on the syringe and then give the injection in a new spot.

What about infections?

To help prevent infection when giving yourself a shot, always wash your hands, clean the injection site, and keep your needles sterile.

If you notice signs of infection, call your doctor. These signs include:

Increased pain, swelling, warmth, or redness around the injection site.
Red streaks leading from the site.
Pus draining from the site.
A fever.

How do I rotate injection sites?

Your doctor or nurse will show you where you can inject your medicine. Keep track of where on your body you inject your medicine. You may want to note the site and the date on a diagram of your body. Give your next shot in another area, or at least an inch away from your last shot.

Is bruising okay?

Bruising means you might have hit a small blood vessel. This usually isn’t harmful. If you have a bruise, use other areas for your shots until the bruise heals.

What if I don’t like needles?

Many people don’t like needles, but they learn to use them because it’s important for their health. You can learn how to give yourself shots.

See if someone at home can help you with your shot. A nurse can also help you feel more comfortable giving yourself shots by helping you practice what you need to do. The nurse may show you how to practice on a firm fruit like an orange and can help you learn the best technique. Learning about the process of giving yourself shots can help.

Related Information

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Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Ignite Healthwise, LLC Staff
Clinical Review Board
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

Bruises

A bruise, also called a contusion (kun-TOO-zhen), happens when a part of the body is injured and blood from the damaged capillaries (small blood vessels) leaks out. With no place to go, the blood gets trapped under the skin, forming a red or purplish mark that’s tender to the touch — a bruise.

Many things can cause a bruise, but most happen when we bump into things — or things bump into us.

Anyone can get a bruise. Some people bruise easily, while others don’t. Bruising depends on several things, such as:

how tough the skin tissue is
whether someone has certain diseases or conditions
whether a person’s taking certain medicines

Also, blood vessels tend to become fragile as we age, which is why older people tend to bruise more easily.

How Long Do Bruises Last?

Bruises usually fade away in about 2 weeks. Over that time, the bruise changes color as the body breaks down and reabsorbs the blood. The color of the bruise gives an idea of how old it is:

When a bruise first happens, it’s looks reddish as the blood appears under the skin.
Within 1–2 days, the in the blood changes and the bruise looks bluish-purple or even black.
After 5–10 days, the bruise looks green or yellow.
Then, after 10–14 days, it turns yellow-brown or light brown.

Finally, the bruise fades away.

How Can Parents Help?

It takes time for bruises to get better, but you can help your child feel better while one heals. Try these tips:

Apply a cold compress. Wrap a towel around a cold pack, bag of ice, or bag of frozen vegetables and place it on the injury. This can help keep the amount of bruising and swelling small by slowing the blood flow to the injured spot. Apply cold to the bruise for 15–20 minutes 3–4 times a day for a day or two after the bruise first appears
Raise the bruised area. To reduce swelling and bruising, raise the bruised area above the level of your child’s heart. To do this, rest and prop the bruised area up on pillows, if possible.
Pain medicine might help. Give acetaminophen for pain, if needed.
Wrap the bruise. If the bruise is swollen, it may help to wrap it loosely with an elastic bandage to give some support.
After 2 days, warmth may aid healing. A heating pad or warm washcloth wrapped in a towel can help some bruises heal. Even a warm bath can soothe sore areas. Warmth brings more blood flow to an area of the body, which can help as the body tries to heal the injury. Talk to your doctor to make sure heat is OK for your child’s injury and don’t use heat in the first 48 hours of an injury because that can make the bruising bigger.

When Should I Call the Doctor?

Minor bruises are easily treated, but it’s probably best to talk to a doctor if your child has a bruise that:

isn’t improving after 2 weeks
is swelling and very painful
is near the eye and your child has trouble moving their eyes or seeing

Your child bruises often or gets bruises for no clear reason.
Your child can’t move a joint or you think they may have a broken bone.

Can Bruises Be Prevented?

Bruises are hard to avoid completely. But when kids play sports, ride bikes, and do other things where they might bump, crash, or smash into something, they should wear protective gear like pads, shin guards, and helmets.