Got a painful bruise that just won’t quit? Discover how Vital Living’s CryoSoothe Restorative Treatment (powered by Neveskin technology) combines cold and heat therapy to speed recovery, reduce inflammation, and reabsorb bruising naturally. Available now at Vital Living Integrative WellSpa in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The Story Behind the Bruise | ***TRIGGER WARNING - Pictures Below***
Let’s be real — bruises happen. Whether it’s bumping into furniture, tripping over your pet (again), or getting a little too enthusiastic during sports practice… sometimes life just leaves its mark.
In my case, the culprit wasn’t a coffee table or a rogue dog toy. It was sword practice.
Yes, you read that right — sword practice.
Before you picture a full medieval duel, let me clear up the number one question I get: our swords are made of rattan, not metal — per strict safety guidelines. That said, it still hurts like the dickens when you get hit in the wrong spot.
As someone who spends most of her professional life working from the shoulders down, I’m no stranger to posture issues, neck tension, and the occasional wrist or back complaint. My core strength? Gone. Let’s just say it’s "a work in progress" (thank you, children — I love you, too). Add stress, motherhood, and a dash of adrenaline, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for needing an outlet.
I’ve always loved martial arts and dance, and now I’ve found a way to combine both — while wearing safety gear, of course. I just didn’t plan on an intended head shot turning into a deltoid shot.
So, this is what happened: I wear a 16-gauge stainless steel helmet. A head shot? Totally fine — that’s what the helmet is for. But when your reflexes betray you and you shift left instead of back well… your shoulder ends up volunteering as tribute.
Three times.
To be clear — it was my fault, not my opponent’s. Did I learn? Yes. Am I a slow learner? Also yes.
That night, my shoulder was hot, swollen, and angry. It looked far worse than it felt, but I knew I needed to treat it right. So I did some myofascial release, taped it with RockTape for support, and a few days later came in for a CryoSoothe Restorative Treatment.
My CryoSoothe Session — and What Happened Next
The CryoSoothe treatment itself took about 15 minutes, and honestly, I noticed a difference almost immediately. The cold application countered the heat and swelling, my shoulder looked less puffy, and the area didn’t ache nearly as much. Even the color started to shift within hours.
By the next day, the bruising was noticeably different — more diffuse, less dark, and showing those familiar yellow tones that signal a bruise moving into the healing phase.
So, what’s actually happening when a bruise changes color?
When you get a bruise, tiny blood vessels under the skin (capillaries) break, letting a bit of blood leak into the surrounding tissue. Your body responds by sending in repair cells to clean up and recycle the blood — but that process takes time.
Here’s how it typically works:
- Fresh Bruise (Reddish-Blue): Right after impact, the area looks red or purplish due to oxygen-rich blood pooling under the skin.
- Deoxygenation Phase (Dark Blue or Purple): Within a day or two, the trapped blood loses oxygen and darkens — this is when swelling and soreness are usually at their peak.
- Cleanup Crew (Green to Yellow): As your body breaks down hemoglobin (the red pigment in blood), it produces compounds like biliverdin and bilirubin — responsible for that green-to-yellow color shift. This means your lymphatic system is working to reabsorb and process the fluid.
- Final Stage (Light Brown or Faint Yellow): What’s left is residual pigment as your tissues finish clearing everything out.
CryoSoothe works by accelerating those natural cleanup phases. The alternating cold and heat applications improve microcirculation — increasing oxygen delivery, reducing inflammation, and helping your body reabsorb pooled blood more efficiently. It’s like giving your lymphatic system a gentle push to get back on track faster.
In my case, the results spoke for themselves — less pain, reduced swelling, and a bruise that is healing itself in record time. (I'm not in the home stretch yet, but I'll keep you updated, lol!)
What Is a CryoSoothe Treatment?
Our Neveskin CryoSoothe Treatment uses alternating applications of cold and heat to stimulate microcirculation — the vital flow of blood and lymph that supports your body’s natural healing process.
This technique helps reduce inflammation, calm the “heat” of injury, and accelerate tissue repair by encouraging your body to reabsorb bruising and swelling naturally.
In simpler terms: it helps your body clean up the mess faster so you can get back to doing what you love — whether that’s lifting, dancing, chasing your kids, or in my case… dodging swords a little more gracefully next time.
Benefits of CryoSoothe
- Reduces inflammation and swelling
- Promotes faster recovery and tissue repair
- Calms heat and discomfort from injury
- Improves local circulation
- Encourages lymphatic drainage
- Supports post-workout recovery, injury management, and **post-surgery recovery (e.g., Liposuction)
**We may require Physician's approval**
Is CryoSoothe Right for You?
If you’ve got sore muscles, bruising, inflammation, or just want to recover faster from your favorite activities — CryoSoothe might be exactly what you need.
Consultations are available at (260) 436-8807.
We’ll help you determine if CryoSoothe is the right fit for your situation and create a plan that supports your body’s healing process — so you can keep moving, training, and thriving.