Bloody Emergencies

Bloody Emergencies

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We bleed whenever our blood vessels are damaged or because of a bleeding disorder. Bleeding may be visible (External) or concealed (internal). The common cause of injury is an injury as these discussed later. Inflammation, infection, an ulcer, or an tumor may cause damage to internal blood vessels.

Our body knows that rapid loss of more than 10 percent of its blood volume (approximately 500 ml) may cause shock and if blood continues, may result to death. The body reacts to bleeding in three ways.
1. By narrowing(constricting)the damaged blood vessels.
2. By causing the blood to clot at the site of injury.
3. By reducing blood flow to the skin and muscles to ensure that the brain, kidney, and other vital organs are adequately supplied.

In administering first aid, you have only one objective–to minimize blood loss. The human body normally has built-in mechanism to stop bleeding, but it would greatly appreciate any help you provide in preventing further loss of blood.

Pressure is treasure
Bleeding can be alarming and dramatic, but most cases are not fatal, provided the injury is treated promptly.

Minor cuts
Wash your hands before dealing with the cut. Then, if the cut has dirt in it, rinse it lightly under lukewarm running water until it is clean, being careful not to touch the spot. In most cases, bleeding can be stopped, or at least slowed, by direct pressure. Press down on the wound with a sterile gauze or cotton–this slows the flow of blood and allows clotting to take place. Once bleeding has stopped, dress the cut with an adhesive dressing.

Simple nosebleeds
Nosebleeds are most common during childhood, when they are usually insignificant and easily stopped. They occur infrequently in healthy young adults, but become more common and more serious during old age.
Most nosebleeds can be controlled by simple first aid measures.
1. Sit the victim up, ensuring that he or she leans forward slightly with the mouth held open so that blood or clots do not obstruct the airway.
2. Pinch the lower part of the nostril for about 15 minutes. The victim should breathe through the mouth.
3. The nostrils should be released slowly and the victim should avoid touching or blowing the nose. If the bleeding has not stopped after 20 minutes, seek medical attention.

Deep cuts
Raised the injured part above the level of the heart and support it. Put a sterile dressing (or the inside of a clean, folded handkerchief) on the wound and apply firm pressure to control bleeding. If blood seeps through, do not remove the dressing as this may disturb clots and restart bleeding. Put another dressing on top of the first one and bandage all dressings snugly. Proceed immediately to the nearest hospital or clinic.

Embedded object
If there is a foreign object, such as piece of glass, in the wound, squeeze the edges of the wound together for up to 10 minutes. Do not attempt to pull out the object. Put a thick circular pad of clean material around the wound, preferably higher than the object, to prevent pressure on it. Bandage the wound with diagonally applied strips of materials that do not go over the object. Proceed immediately to the nearest hospital or clinic.

Severe bleeding
If severe bleeding from  an arm or leg cannot be stopped by direct pressure on the wound, or if the direct pressure cannot be applied successfully, it may be possible to stop it by pressing the appropriate artery(a pressure point). Pressure points are places where an artery can be pressed against an underlying bone to prevent the blood from flowing fast. Use a pressure point to reduce severe bleeding only as a last resort and to so with extreme care. Never maintain maximum pressure for over 5 minutes–this may cause irreparable damage to the tissues of the injured limb. Instead, reduce the pressure after five minutes and continue alternating five minutes maximum pressure with five minutes minimal pressure for as long as necessary.

There are two main pressure point. One is on the inner side of the arm where the brachial artery can be press against the bone. The other is high inside the thigh, where the femoral artery can be press against the pelvis.

The femoral pressure point
1. Lay down the victim down and bend the injured leg at the knee.
2. Press down firmly in the center of the fold of the groin, one thumb on top of the other, against the rim of the pelvis.
3. Do not press forcefully for longer than five minutes.

The brachial pressure point
1. Hold the victim’s arm at right angles to the body. The brachial artery runs along the inner side of the upper arm.
2. To control bleeding from the lower arm, put one hand under the arm and press your fingers against the bone.