How long does a deep bruise take to heal?

[knee pain]

I found out I have a deep bruise on my knee from falling on it on Thursday! Which has been hurting since Friday! I have iced it today for 30 minutes which I am supposed to for 3 days then change to heat.

But after I do that will it still hurt ya think? Or should I continue icing it and the heat til it feels better?

[jathib]

A deep bruise is a pretty vague diagnosis. It's usually the kind of diagnosis you get when your doctor doesn't really have a clue. If it is in fact a bruise it will just heal on its own time but there really is no way to predict. I had a major bruise on my leg several years ago and it took over a month for it to even start feeling better.

If I were you I'd make an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon if it doesn't feel better in a few days. I think I read where you went to a walk-in clinic? That is not the best place to get a diagnosis for a knee injury. Orthopedic surgeons are the experts and even they will order an MRI to get a better look at your knee.

[knee pain]

The place I go it takes a year to see an OS because the place i go to is very slow! Example-I got there at 9:20am and left at 1pm! But I will see if I can make an appt with an OS sooner if it keeps hurting! Which right now today it still does. Last night I took hydrocodone and the pain went away(made me tired too) but at least I slept all night without pain! The dr gave me Naproxen(which don't do crap because basically its Advil with a different name and Advil doesn't work either does Tylenol!

Thanks!

[knee pain]

I'll see if I can get my Dr to order a MRI of my knee that might tell me more. I could of damged my knee more by falling on it again(last time my knee twisted)

[JoniF]

Hi Knee Pain,

I am just getting over a severe patella effusion (very severe knee bruise) on my right knee that happened back in October.  I was told that I had blood and fuid in my knee and that it would just take time for it to heal.  My knee swelled up to about 4xs its normal size.  Steriods are a good way to decrease any swelling that you might have in your knee.  It does however; depending on the severity take quite a bit of time to heal.

Take care and hope you're feeling better,
Joni