Recently we saw a patient who had been involved in an accident. She had suffered quite a severe blow to the forehead and bridge of the nose, which had caused a large amount of bruising and pain. There was also swelling and puffiness around the eyes, particularly over the eyelids. When she came to see us, there was some discomfort, but a more pressing matter for her was the persistence of the dark purple and yellow patches of bruising around her eyes (see picture below).
The large amount of deep purple, blue/black and yellow bruising can clearly be seen around the patient’s eyes. This picture was taken before treatment took place.
Treating problems of bruising and swelling around the eyes is more complicated than similar problems on other parts of the body. The eyes are delicate, so normal massage techniques are not appropriate – any strong pressure could cause further damage and pain. Additionally, the sensitivity of the mucous membranes that cover the eyes and inner eyelids means that liniments cannot be used either.
The solution is to use a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in a cloth (such as a tea-towel). The soft, warm surface that the egg creates is perfect for providing gentle, safe pressure to the eyes and surrounding areas. You can see from the picture below how effective this can be – after one week and two treatments the swelling and puffiness is no longer present, and the bruising has almost completely disappeared. Some slightly darker patches remain, but the intense purples, blue/black, and yellow patches have gone. This is a technique often used in homes in China, Vietnam and other Asian countries to treat bruised eyes. It’s part of a set of techniques known as Gua Sha. We’ll post a full description of the technique with a video demonstration soon.
This photo shows the same eyes one week after the first treatment took place. Two treatments were performed in total. The swelling has disappeared, and the bruising is virtually all gone.
We also used acupuncture on distal points on the arms and legs to help speed up the healing process. As you can imagine, the patient was very happy with the results, as were we! Here is her assessment of the treatment:
“I was really taken aback by the way the Bright Room Team dealt with my black eyes and bump on my forehead. The treatment involved acupuncture, traditional Chinese eye massages (with warm hard boiled eggs) and massages of the bump with an ointment. In the space of one week the bruising of the eyes and bump were hardly noticeable and after two weeks they were completely gone. Hard to believe but true!”
If you would like to know more about how to treat bruising and swelling around eyes, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us at the Bright Room Community Acupuncture Clinic.
The Bright Room Team.
