Many OTCs for bruises and scars don't work

March 2012

Many OTCs for bruises and scars don't work...and might do harm.

Bruises. Suggest cold compresses for the first 48 hours to reduce swelling...then warm compresses to help lessen discolouration.

Don't recommend OTC bruise products. These usually contain arnica, which hasn't been proven to help bruises heal faster.

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Table of Contents

Cardiology new debate about which anticoagulant is best to prevent strokes in patients with atrial fibrillation
Gastroenterology new warnings that PPIs (omeprazole, etc) might increase the risk of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea
Gastroenterology Resotran (REH-zo-tran), a new GI motility agent for chronic constipation
Infectious Diseases higher doses of cephalosporins for treating gonococcal infections
Women's Health whether it's okay for women with migraine headaches to use combined oral contraceptives
Vaccines more MALES get HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine
Dermatology Many OTCs for bruises and scars don't work
Antithrombotics whether it's okay to use aspirin to prevent thrombosis after hip or knee replacement surgery
Opioids how to handle tramadol drug interaction alerts
Practice if their meds contain animal products
Neurology & Pain You'll get questions about what works for essential tremor