Bleeding

Understandably, there will be lots of bleeding going on after the PS, with multiple injuries, etc. This will help the lay person identify and care for internal and external bleeding. External bleeding includes obvious bleeding from injuries, such as cuts, open wounds, etc. The signs of Life-Threatening external bleeding are :

• Blood spurting from a wound
• Bleeding that fails to stop despite all attempts to stop it.

Care for external bleeds involves applying pressure directly over the wound. Use a piece of material (clothing or something soft) to place over the wound and apply pressure with your hand. This pressure restricts the blood flow and allows normal clotting to occur. Another way to stop bleeding is to raise the injured area. This slows the flow of blood and encourages clotting. Another method to stop bleeding is to place a pressure bandage over the wound. This is done by firmly applying a bandage directly on over the wound.

If the above doesn't work, then you can compress the artery above the wound by compressing said artery against the bone. Select a site where the arteries lie close to the bone and body's surface. Main areas are the brachial and femoral arteries (located in the inner aspect of the arm just under the armpit and in the groin, respectively). Do not use tourniquets to stop bleeding because it can do more harm than good. A tourniquet can cut off the blood supply to the limb below it and can cause crushing injuries to the underlying tissue.

Offered by Lyn.