Head Injury Near Eye, Swollen, Black And Blue Eye. Should I Continue To Ice It?
Thanks for posting your query. I am happy to address your questions. You seem to have got a black eye as a result of injury to the face or the head. It is caused when blood and other fluids collect in the space around the eye; swelling and dark discoloration result. Many heal on their own in a few days; however, sometimes they signify a more serious injury. Despite the name, "black eye XXXXXXX the eye itself is not usually injured. The tissues around the eye may be significantly discolored and swollen without any injury to the eye itself. Think of it as a bruise around the eye. Like a bruise, as a black eye heals, the swelling around the eye decreases, and the bruise gradually fades away. The skin around the eye is very loose, with mostly fat underneath. This makes it an ideal site for fluid to accumulate. Rest and ice applied early after the injury help to decrease swelling and pain. Ice helps to decrease swelling by constricting blood vessels, by decreasing fluid accumulation, and by cooling and numbing the area. Apply ice for 20 minutes an hour every hour while awake, for the first 24 hours. Ice should not be applied directly to the injury. To avoid potential cold injury to the site, wrap the ice in a cloth or use a commercial ice pack. For simple, uncomplicated black eyes, the treatment prescribed is similar to home treatment i.e ice, pain medications (avoid aspirin-unless prescribed by a doctor - because this may increase bleeding), rest, and protection of the injured area. The dark discoloration of a black eye will gradually change colors and fade but depending on the severity of your bruise and your treatment of it, the average healing time lies between 5 and 14 days. For more complicated injuries with associated symptoms like dizziness, nausea, vomiting, faintness, confusion or changes in your vision you may get yourself examined by your clinician. Hope I have answered your query. If you have any further questions, I will be happy to help. Thanks
This morning I also noticed some blood inside my eye around the pupil. Is this normal at this point 36 hours later or do I need to go to the hospital? I would prefer to go to a doctor what do you recommend?
Should I keep it covered or will that make it worse. I have been wearing an eye patch on and off to keep it protected