Understanding how to control bleeding is crucial to prevent shock or death. There are three types of bleeding: capillary, venous, and arterial. The wound should be elevated, and pressure should be applied to control bleeding. Nosebleeds require pinching the nose for 5-10 minutes, and medical attention is necessary for excess bleeding or head injuries.
Excessive bleeding can be scary, and the consequences of not being able to control the bleeding can lead to shock or death in some cases. However, understanding all the tips and tricks will help most people control severe bleeding and control small amounts of blood easily. The first aid methods used to control bleeding differ greatly because they are highly dependent on the type of injury and on which part of the body the injury is located.
The lesions can produce three different types of bleeding. Capillary bleeding occurs when a small scratch or cut breaks open capillaries on the skin’s surface. They are the smallest blood vessels in the human body, and capillaries don’t produce much blood when they break. Controlling capillary hemorrhage usually requires wound cleaning and blood cleanup. The body’s natural blood clotting mechanism should stop the bleeding within minutes.
The second type of bleeding is venous bleeding, which occurs when a vein is opened. Deep cuts usually produce venous bleeding which can be identified by slowly flowing dark red blood. The best way to stop venous bleeding is to apply direct pressure to the wound with sterile gauze or a clean terry cloth. If available, you can also use special gauze that helps stop bleeding because it gels when it gets wet with blood.
Arterial bleeding is the last and most dangerous type of bleeding. When an artery is severed it produces heavy flowing bright red blood that sometimes gushes out whenever the heart beats to pump more blood. Direct pressure must be applied to the wound to control bleeding. Severe, uninterrupted arterial bleeding can cause death in less than five minutes.
Regardless of the type of injury, the wound should be elevated whenever possible to reduce blood loss. Also, the cloth or gauze used to apply pressure to a serious wound should not be removed until the bleeding has completely stopped. When removed, it must be done carefully to avoid reopening the wound. If the cloth gets soaked, it’s best to add another piece on top and keep applying pressure.
Nosebleeds are typically caused by broken blood vessels in the septum. To stop a nosebleed the person has to sit or stand and pinch their nose for five to ten minutes. If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you need to see a doctor. Likewise, excess bleeding that can’t be controlled and any type of head injury requires medical attention as soon as possible.
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