Which option correctly defines swelling?

• A. Swelling
• B. The soft tissue that is raised when blood or other body fluids pool beneath the skin at the injury site
• C. A temporary numbness
• D. Bleeding internally

Answer: (B)

Swelling is the raised, puffed-up appearance of soft tissue caused by fluid leaking from vessels and pooling under the skin at the site of an injury. This influx of blood and other bodily fluids pushes the tissue outward, making the area soft, enlarged, and often tender. It’s a hallmark of the body’s inflammatory response to injury, signaling that fluids and immune components are moving to the area to start healing. Numbness describes loss of sensation, not fluid buildup. Internal bleeding refers to blood accumulating inside the body, not a localized surface swelling under the skin.