Is there anything I can do about a massive hot and throbbing bruise?

[prepperpig]

I very stupidly fell through a chair earlier resulting in an enormous bruise on my thigh. It is dark purple and a bit larger than my fist but it is throbbing and very hot and spongey to touch. Is there anything I can do to minimise the bruising and pain or will it just do its thing?

Arnica is good. And a tea towel with ice to help ease throbbing.

Yep, arnica herbal cream, not homeopathic pills, is amazing.

Like the others say, arnica and an ice pack

I'd put some ice on it wrapped in a towel but don't worry if it lasts ages and develops a lump under the skin, mine did when I bruised my thigh badly a few months ago. At the moment I'm nursing a sprained foot which is bruised and swollen from about ten days ago, I feel your pain and hope it stops hurting soon.

If you have any comfrey, then the leaves are good for putting on the bruises. Wrap a bandage on to keep them in place.

Or an ice pack to bring the swelling down.

I've, arnica and calendula.

Its not throbbing quite as much now but is still hot when I take the ice off.

Not attractive

Witch hazel is very good for bruises.

Unfortunately I've realised that most of the stuff in our medicine box is completely out of date. I've taken some arnica orally but have no cream and no witch hazel either.

I am going to sort out the medicine box over the weekend so some good has come from it at least!

I've used most of the items mentioned here, but the best one was Biofreeze, which I had for something else. Most pains are frozen away almost immediately, and bruises much improved, probably due to herbal ingredient (S.American Holly). I find roll-on is easiest, no side-effects AFAIK, nearly £10 but worth having in home medicine kit.

Completely black and about the size of a fried egg. Its raised too so I basically have a large black lump on the side of my leg.

Yes, mine was like a fried egg, the lump was a similar size to the yolk, black took about a month to go completely, though it had faded a lot after couple of weeks but lump took 2 months to go down. It was halfway down my thigh. Hopefully yours will go a bit quicker.

Oh blimey, how will I know if it's infected?