Information AboutBleeding |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT BLEEDING | |
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Bleeding is the loss of Blood from the Body . Child ren are put more in danger by bleeding as they have less blood to lose. The average adult Human will be in medical danger after 1 liter (2 pints) and could die of Hypovolemic Shock if more blood is lost. The complete loss of blood is referred to as Exsanguination . TYPES OF BLEEDING
Further, bleeding can be categorized by the type of the damaged blood vessel:
FIRST AID Minor traumatic bleeding The minor traumatic bleeding stops spontaneously, the loss of blood is not dangerous in itself. But the wound can still endanger the life of the casualty. See Wound . Severe traumatic bleeding The general behaviour is:
A major technique of First Aid is to control bleeding through direct Pressure with the hand (possibly protected by a plastic bag, a glove or other material); it can be replaced when necessary by the application of a Bandage over the Wound . If the casualty is conscious and alert, he can press on the wound himself for a short time (e.g. the time needed for a bystander to get protection for the hands, something to make a bandage). When the direct pressure is not possible (e.g. there is a foreign body inside the wound, or a broken bone comes outside, or the wound is too large for the hand), then it is possible to compress the Artery against a Bone , between the wound and the heart (see '' Pressure Point ''). In extreme cases of an Injured Limb , a Tourniquet may be used. If medical care is delayed (after a few hours), the injured limb must generally be Amputated afterwards, just below the level the tourniquet is applied; this is "losing a limb to save a life". This risk is very low in the urban environment of a developed country (the delay before a rescue team arrives is generally a few minutes after the call), but must be taken into account in wilderness or in countries that do not have organised prehospital medical services. Some First Aid instruction no longer teaches the use of the tourniquet because the risk may be greater than the benefit; some other consider that saving a life is above the rest. However, this should always be the last choice. Externalised bleeding The only minor situation is a spontaneous Nosebleed , or a nosebleed caused by a slight trauma (such as a child putting his finger in the nose). Just sit down, slightly tilt your head forward, and pinch the bridge of your nose. Do not blow your nose! Keep doing this for about ten minutes, which is the time the clot forms correctly (a shorter compression is not efficient). Consult a doctor when the bleeding does not stop or starts again. Any other situation (including nosebleed due to a severe nose trauma or to a head trauma) must be considered as an emergency: place the person in a comfortable situation (lying or seated), Call For Help and follow the instructions. Internal bleeding Main article: Internal Bleeding The shock symptoms are not specific to an internal bleeding, but are always a medical emergency. In such a situation, the role of a bystander is to lay the person down, and Call For Help . Risk of blood contamination Concerning the direct exposure of the first-aider's skin to the blood: the skin is watertight, so if the skin is not wounded (skin disease or very recent wound), there is no risk of contamination by a disease of the casualty. Before any further activity (especially eating, drinking, touching the eyes, the mouth or the nose), the hand must be carefully and softly washed with clear water, then bathed five minutes in diluted Bleach ( Sodium Hypochlorite ). However, to avoid any risk, it is highly recommended to protect the hands, e.g. by a plastic bag or a cloth, before pressing the wound. If there is nothing to protect the hands, examine your hand to be sure it is not wounded, or use a distant compression of the artery ( Pressure Point with your hand if you know the anatomic references, or a Tourniquet ). In case of blood exposure, even on safe skin, the first-aider should go to the emergency service, where an anti-retroviral therapy will be started just in case. MEDICAL CARE The human body generates blood at a rate of about 2 quarts (2 liters) per week. The technique of Blood Transfusion is used to replace severe quantities of lost blood. Before the advent of modern medicine the technique of Bloodletting , or phlebotomy, was used for a number of conditions: causing bleeding intentionally to remove a controlled amount of excess or "bad" blood. SEE ALSO |
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