A client bruised their nail after slamming it in a cupboard. This is an example of what condition?

The situation described, where a client bruised their nail after slamming it in a cupboard, is characterized as a contusion. A contusion occurs when there is an injury to a part of the body that results in localized bleeding under the skin or nail without breaking the skin's surface. In this case, the impact caused damage to the small blood vessels under the nail, leading to discoloration and possible swelling—hallmarks of a contusion.

Inflammation, while it can occur in response to such injuries, is a broader term that refers to the body's natural response to injury or infection. It encompasses a variety of symptoms, including redness, heat, swelling, and pain, but does not specifically describe the condition of localized bleeding that results from direct trauma.

By understanding that a contusion is specifically about the impact and the resulting bruising, we can distinguish it from general inflammatory responses, which could occur afterward but are not the immediate result of the traumatizing event.