Hand Bruise

Home care

• Prop up the hand on a pillow anytime you sit or lie down. Try to keep it above the level of your heart. This will help reduce swelling. This is especially important during the first 48 hours.

• Ice the hand to help reduce pain and swelling. To make an ice pack, place ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a thin towel. Apply to the bruised area for 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day. Continue this 3 to 4 times a day until the pain and swelling goes away.

• Unless another medicine was prescribed, you can take acetaminophen (Tylenol), ibuprofen (Advil), or naproxen (Aleve) to control pain. Talk with your health care provider first if you have chronic liver or kidney disease or take blood thinners. Also talk with your provider if you've ever had a stomach ulcer or digestive tract bleeding.

Follow up

Follow up with your health care provider as advised. Call if you don't get better in 1 to 2 weeks.

When to get medical advice 

Contact your health care provider right away if any of the following occur:

• You have increased pain or swelling.

• You have signs of infection: warmth, drainage, or increased redness or pain around the bruise.

• It's hard to move the injured hand, any of the fingers, or the joints of the finger.

• You have frequent bruising for unknown reasons.

• You have pain that is worse than you expect from the injury and is not made better by rest or medicines.

• Your hand or fingers become cold, blue, numb, or tingly.

• Your injured hand or arm becomes very swollen, tense or tender.