zpl

I'm sharing the following in case anyone else down the road confuses a boil with a hematoma...not trying to be gross on purpose.

I've been ordered to stay off the bike for at least two weeks by my doctor. A couple of weeks ago I returned from a night ride and immediately noticed I had a small purple lump about as high up on my inner thigh as possible. I've never had a saddle sore (boil) before, so I assumed that's what it was.

It mostly subsided after a week, and I even went on a couple of short, careful rides with copious use of chamois butt'r. But yesterday I did a 30-miler and the thing swelled up even bigger than it was the first time. I finally went to my doctor assuming it had to be lanced, and he told me it wasn't a boil, but a hematoma. And a small enough one that he advised letting it subside on its own. Hence the prescription to stay off the bike and avoid further friction/irritation.

With some care I expect this bugger will be gone by the time I get to Portland next month.

cyclefreaksix

A hemotoma is usually caused by a trauma of some sort. Any idea of what caused this? Sorry 'bout the enforced time off, good time to detail the bike and perform any maitenance that you've been putting off.

zpl

The spot is exactly where I get some saddle discomfort on longer rides. My guess is I might have pinched the skin in exactly the right way to create a bruise, and repeatedly aggravated it during a ride.

If it wasn't the end of the season, I'd probably get a Brooks saddle, but I imagine breaking that in now would be difficult. I've been riding on a Terry Fly men's saddle since the start of this year and have been generally happy with it.

lil brown bat

And here I thought a hematoma was just a bruise. Learn something new every day, I guess.

Colonelmom

A localized swelling filled with blood resulting from a break in a blood vessel.

I got one as result of a crash last year... they hurt.. and if you don't take good care and continue to aggrevate they can develop fiberous strands... and then you are in serious trouble... i.e. and will have to have sliced open.. drain tube......
I'm not a DR.. just had to have it done on my hip...

damnable

Technically it is sort of correct. Bruises are haematomas. However the term haematoma is generally used for serious bruising that doesn't always occur at the surface of the skin, so on the surface you don't always get the bruised colouring. They can take month to go away sometimes.

I'm not sure how doctors decide when to do something about them or just to leave it.

txvintage

Sorry to hear that. Forced time off the bike is frustrating,and is even more compounded with good riding days being more spread out with the time of year. When a relay nice day rolls around, it's so very tempting to give it a go.

I'm about as hard headed a patient comes, but I've learned over the years with a chronic injury that has a habit of going acute, it's best to listen to the Doc and do what you're told.

Waves77

Small "alternative" tip, a little while back I had a bruise that was nearly black on a toe - it was pretty much gone in 3 days by applying some Lavender and some Chamomile essential oils. Might be worth a try to accelerate the healing...

adduncan101

My race season ended last week when I took a trip to the colon rectal Surgical Center to have what I thought was a hemorrhoid taken care of. I was told it was in fact a hematoma by the left sit bone. I think it was caused from a long ride without enough short rides to get myself prepared. I think the first sign of it was last February, 3 months ago. At first it felt like a small pocket of fluid, like a blister real deep, I just decided to pedal through it. After three months it has obviously gotten bigger and more uncomfortable. They lanced it last Monday, it came back, and now I have done completely laid out for 7 days with at least another seven expected but it's looking like more. I've had to cancel races and may have to cancel a trip to Colorado next month. It's very painful at times. I suggest that if you get a bone bruise or saddle sore you let it completely heal. It's better to lose 3 days then 3 weeks. I noticed this is a challenge for some people in the medical fraternity to treat. The inflammation and pressure around my colon has even made taking a dump difficult at times. Today has been one of the most difficult days then the inability to exercise is starting to weigh on me emotionally. Not much else that can be done however so good luck if you're in the same boat and get a ****load of rest.