No one is old enough to quit playing games. There are an amazing way to get a break from your regular routine and refresh your mind. Game and sports lovers are said to be more proactive and creative in their professional fields as well. This proves that playing games or being a part of some sports team kicks start your brain and enables you to perform better in your work life.
People in their mid 40s are seen to be more active in sports like cricket, soccer and also paintball. Paintball is a game where all the players of two teams have to undergo extreme physical activity, make strategies to defeat the opponents and save themselves from getting hit with a paintball bullet. It is a real fun game where you get to stretch your body and use your strategy making skills to defeat the opponent. Like all outdoor games, paintball also comes with the chances of having an injury. The most common injury is of a bruise or a welt.
Difference between a Paintball Bruise and a Welt
Many people often confuse paintball bruises and welts with the same injuries, but this is not true. Medical surveys and studies have revealed that there are some basic differences between bruises and welts, so it is important they should be treated differently.
Paintball bruises are generally like other bruises that you may get. Bruises occur when the tiny blood capillaries in the tissues burst. The bruising appears as the result of the internal bleeding. They remain under the skin and can get purple or black in color. It is painful and may take a few days or even a week or two to heal properly.
A welt, on the other hand, is usually red in color and raises the skin where it is formed. In simple words, a welt is a swelling of the skin that results when something hard hits on your skin. Paintball welts are more painful but they heal more quickly than bruises (usually a couple of days) and welts tend to cause extreme itching during the healing process.
Now when the difference between the two is understood, lets move on to the remedies. All the remedies to treat paintball bruises and welts explained in the later parts of the article are very well discussed with professional health practitioners and experts. So whatever sport or activity causes you injury like this, you will be able to treat it well.
Treating a paintball bruise
Treating a paintball bruise is not some rocket science. Make sure that before applying any treatment you clean the bruise with water and soap. All the things that you need to treat a paintball bruise might already be available in your home.
Chill it out
Applying ice in an ice-bag helps in treating the bruise. This method is really helpful immediately after getting a bruise in a paintball game. Applying ice on the bruised area will slow down the blood flow by cooling the blood vessels in that area and stop leakage of blood to the surrounding area, thus controlling the swelling of vessels and making the bruise less apparent. Applying ice on the bruise will calm the pain down as well and it will relax your nerves.
Compress the Bruise
Compressing the bruised area in an elastic bandage will squeeze the blood vessels and reduce the leakage of blood from the damaged capillaries. As you compress the bruise, you will feel that the pain will decrease and the bruise will become less severe.
Warm it up
Applying ice is good in the first 24-48 hours of the injury. After this time it is of no help. At this time, heating the bruise is very helpful; as you need to make sure that the bruised area is supplied with fresh blood to help in healing as by then your bruise is in the healing phase. Warming up the bruised area can help in increased circulation of the blood. Applying a warm compress, a heating pad, a warm towel or simply having a warm-water bath will help to heal your bruise. Heat application also relaxes the tense muscles around the bruise and relieves you of the pain.
Vitamin K Cream
Nature has given us another excellent and simple remedy to deal with the paintball bruises. Vitamin K holds the amazing power to heal the bruises. It can help you in clearing the stagnant blood at the bruise and also relieve you of the pain. Vitamin K cream is a must have for all the paintball lovers. Usually he paintball battle fields have this cream in their first-aid kits. You can also take supplements of Vitamin K as they also help in healing the bruises.
Hot Bath with Epsom Salt
A hot water bath is relaxing when your body is aching or you are exhausted but after an intense game of paintball, you are not only tired, exhausted and fatigued but you might also have some serious bruises on your body. At that moment, you need something better than just a simple hot water bath. You need a hot water bath with Epsom salt added to it. Epsom salt bath is an age-old and time-tested technique to relieve your body from the pain and soreness. It also helps in soothing the bruises on your body. You can easily find Epsom store at a grocery store near you. Follow the instruction on the Epsom salt pack for the quantity to be added in the hot water tub. As far as the duration of the bath is concerned, it is recommended that you stay in the hot water tub for at least 30 minutes to heal the soreness of your body and start the healing process.
Pain Relievers
A paintball bruise is a serious business to deal with and can cause extreme pain. Make sure that you keep your pain relievers with you and can take one after getting bruised. Pain relieving pills are not only helpful in dealing with the pain associated with the bruise, they can also relax your body overall.
Some other Methods
Apart from the methods listed above, you can also use the following methods to treat paintball related and other bruises. They can be referred to as instant home remedies.
- Potato and banana skin – applying potato and banana skin have resulted in healing the bruises. Both potato and banana are high in potassium which helps in treating the bruises. Just apply their skins gently on the bruised area and it will relieve the pain and decrease the severity of the bruises.
- Herbal plants – herbal plants like aloe Vera and comfrey help in treating bruises. Make sure that you get pure aloe Vera or comfrey gel for this purpose or you can also extract their juices from plants and apply them.
- Elevating the bruised area – elevating the bruised area to a height above your heart reduces the blood flow to the area. Reduced blood flow will stop blood leakage and reduce the pain and severity of the bruise.
It is important to understand that if your bruise does not heal with these methods or do not show any progress in healing, you must visit your doctor in order to get it assessed and sought medical help.
Treating Paintball Welts
As already explained, welts are different from bruises, there are some variations in treating them as well. Remember to wash the welt with water and soap before treating it. You can try the following methods to treat a paintball welt.
Cold Compression
While treating a paintball welt, it is important to reduce the swelling, applying a cold compress is the best way to do so. Applying a cold compress wrapped up in a towel will reduce the swelling by minimizing the blood flow. Make sure that you apply the cold compress wrapped up in a towel periodically throughout the day. This will not only reduce the swelling but also lessen the pain and save you from the itching on a welt.
Elevating the area
Elevating the area will reduce the blood flow and decrease the swelling. If your opponents got you on your legs or arms during a game of paintball and you have developed a welt there, then elevating them is one of the best options you can use to treat the welt.
Applying Witch Hazel
Just like treating the bruises, you can also apply a natural remedy by the name of Witch Hazel. This is easily available from a medical store nearby. Apply Witch Hazel with a cotton ball on the welt. It reduces both the swelling and pain.
Resting for a day or two
Taking a rest for a day or two after a game of paintball is a very good option. Let the swelling on your welt reduce and keep the injured area elevated if possible while having rest. So, if you have to go to work, try having these sessions on a weekend so your body gets rested and all geared up for the hectic work routines.
Concluding Remarks
While it is important to treat your paintball bruises and welts, it is also important to protect yourself from them. Make sure that you wear proper gear while going for the game including padded clothes protecting your sensitive areas, gloves, and a helmet.
We are confident that after reading our article, you can deal with paintball bruises and welts very well. However, if the bruises and welts do not heal timely or keep on causing pain after treating them you must see your doctor and seek medical help.