HI ! Thank you for your help ! I am confused about what to do . 12 days ago I had a bike crash and most likely hit my shin with a handlebar 10 centimeters below the knee , right on a tibia . I did not feel much pain , but area turned into a blue mush . No skin was broken . Now there is a hematoma 8 by 4 cm . I did not go to a doctor right away , since I was hoping it will heal itself . Also I read conflicting instructions ; to not aspirate , that it will dissolve itself and also to remove the clot surgically , or there will be a compartment syndrome . Also my foot got swollen and hurts . So today I went to a Patient First clinic to find out if they could help me . They tried to aspirate the hematoma , but nothing came out , it was a clot . They told me to take antibiotic and come back if it gets worse . That was it . Please , what should I do ? Take an antibiotic and wait ? Or seek more help ? And what kind of doctor should I seek or an emergency room ? Thanks a lot !
Hi. My opinion is you should have an ultrasound examination to confirm a clot and assess the extent of the muscle injury i.e. whether it is a partial or complete tear, and blood vessels. This can be assessed at an ER, and they will refer to a surgeon if surgical intervention is advised. I do not see the role of antibiotics if the skin was intact and there is no sign of infection, but your doctor at ER should be able to rule that out. Hope this answers your question.