Knowing how to control bleeding is a valuable skill that can make a significant difference in an emergency. Quick action can prevent complications like infection or excessive blood loss.
Immediate First Aid for Minor Wounds
Minor cuts and scrapes often stop bleeding with minimal intervention. Begin by washing your hands to prevent infection. Apply gentle, direct pressure to the wound using a clean cloth, sterile gauze, or even a gloved hand. Maintain steady pressure for one to two minutes, or up to 15 minutes, allowing blood clots to form. Do not lift the dressing too frequently, as this can disrupt the forming clot.
If the cut is on an arm or leg, elevating the injured area above the heart can help slow blood flow by reducing gravitational pressure on the wound. Continue applying direct pressure while elevating the limb. After the bleeding has stopped, gently rinse the wound with cool water to clean it, avoiding harsh soaps or antiseptics directly in the wound itself.
Managing More Serious Bleeding
For significant bleeding, continuous, firm pressure is paramount. Apply strong, steady pressure directly onto the wound with a clean cloth or sterile dressing. If blood soaks through the material, add more layers of gauze or cloth on top without removing the blood-soaked ones, and continue to press firmly. Do not remove existing dressings, as this can dislodge clots and restart bleeding.
For very deep wounds, particularly those in areas where a tourniquet cannot be applied effectively, such as the neck, armpit, or groin, wound packing may be necessary. This involves filling the wound cavity tightly with gauze or a clean cloth and then applying direct pressure. Wound packing controls life-threatening hemorrhage by promoting clot formation within the wound.
Tourniquets are a last resort for life-threatening bleeding from a limb when direct pressure or wound packing has failed. A tourniquet should be placed two to four inches (5-10 cm) above the bleeding site, between the wound and the heart, and tightened until the bleeding stops completely. Improper application or prolonged use can lead to complications such as nerve damage, muscle injury, and tissue damage, so they are generally reserved for severe, uncontrolled bleeding.
Knowing When to Get Professional Help
Recognize when a bleeding wound requires professional medical attention. Seek immediate care if bleeding does not stop after 10 to 20 minutes of firm, continuous direct pressure. Wounds that are very deep, large, or have jagged edges often need medical assessment and possibly stitches or other closures to heal properly and reduce infection risk.
If you can see underlying structures like fat, muscle, or bone, prompt medical attention is necessary. Any wound with an object embedded in it should be evaluated by a healthcare professional; do not remove the object yourself.
Animal bites, human bites, or puncture wounds, especially those caused by dirty or rusty objects, carry a higher risk of infection, including tetanus, and require medical assessment. Signs of infection such as increasing pain, redness, swelling, warmth, pus, or a fever also indicate a need for medical attention. If blood is spurting from the wound, this indicates arterial bleeding that needs immediate medical intervention.