Table of contents:
- How to stop bleeding in wounds
- 1. Press the bleeding wound
- 2. Raise the body where the wound is bleeding
- 3. Pressure point
- 4. Do you need to install a tourniquet?
Certain injuries and medical conditions can cause bleeding. This often triggers anxiety and fear, but this bleeding serves as a healing process. All bleeding can be controlled, because if left untreated, bleeding can cause shock and death. Therefore, you need to know how to stop bleeding in the right way.
How to stop bleeding in wounds
If your injury is large enough, seek medical attention immediately. However, if your wound is not too big and severe you can stop the bleeding yourself.
In addition, while waiting for help to arrive, you can provide fast relief for a bleeding wound. Here are some ways to stop bleeding in wounds.
1. Press the bleeding wound
Source: WikiHow
The first way to stop bleeding in your wound is to press or close the open wound that is bleeding. Blood needs to clot to start the healing process and stop it.
Cover and press the wound with gauze or other wound dressing. The gauze will hold blood in the wound and help the blood clot. If you don't have gauze, you can use a clean towel to do this.
If the gauze or towel is full of blood, add another layer of gauze or towel. Do not remove the gauze, as this will remove blood clotting agents and encourage blood to leak out.
2. Raise the body where the wound is bleeding
Source: Best Life
The direction of gravity makes blood flow down more easily than it flows upward. If you hold one hand above your head and the other at your side, the hand that is downward will be pink while the one that is taller will be pale.
This principle you can use as a way to stop bleeding. If it is your hand that is bleeding, raise the injured hand until it is higher than the heart (chest). By removing the wound, you can slow down blood flow.
When the blood slows down, it is easier to stop it with direct pressure on the wound. Remember, the position of the injured hand must be above the heart and you must keep pressing it.
3. Pressure point
Source: Health Dosage
Pressure points are areas of the body where blood vessels travel close to the surface. By pressing on these blood vessels, blood flow slows down, allowing direct pressure to stop bleeding.
When using a pressure point, make sure you are pressing the point that is closer to the heart than the wound. Common pressure points are:
- The arm between the shoulder and the elbow - the brachial artery
- Groin area along the bikini line - femoral artery
- Behind the knee - popliteal artery
Remember to keep the injured body elevated above the heart and keep pressing directly on the wound.
4. Do you need to install a tourniquet?
Tourquets can severely restrict or block blood flow to the arm or leg with which the device is fitted. Using a tourniquet to stop bleeding has the potential to damage blood vessels throughout the arm or leg.
Tourquets are used only for urgent emergencies such as heavy bleeding and blood does not stop with pressure. Also, tourniquets should only be used by people who understand their proper use and should not be used for every case of bleeding.
The tourniquet must be tightened until the wound stops bleeding. If there is bleeding in the wound after using the tourniquet, the tourniquet must be tightened.
