How to control bleeding in accident victims
AFTER an accident, people involved get injured and often bleed. A good first aider must know how to control bleeding and save life. <b>Sam Lukwago</b> gives tips.<br>
AFTER an accident, people involved get injured and often bleed. A good first aider must know how to control bleeding and save life. Sam Lukwago gives tips.
Haemorrhage is bleeding –– flow of blood from an artery, vein or capillary. Blood from an artery is bright red. It spurts at each contraction and its flow is pulsatile. Blood from the veins is dark red. It does not spurt and flows steadily.
Blood from a capillary is red. It does not spurt. It flows slowly but evenly.
Loss of blood is dangerous because
Loss of red blood cells causes shortage of oxygen.
A decrease in blood volume causes a decrease in blood pressure
The heart’s pumping pressure increases to compensate for reduced blood pressure
The force of the heartbeat reduces since there is less blood to pump.
If the bleeding is unchecked, it causes shock to a victim. The loss of one litre (about 15% of blood volume) leads to in shock. Two litres (about 30% of blood volume) becomes severe or fatal shock.
Bleeding is easy to notice when it is external. Apart from evidence of actual blood loss, the victim complains of thirst, has blurred vision, faints, the face becomes pale, the skin gets cold and clammy and breathing becomes shallower. The pulse also becomes faster but weaker, and the victim may remain restless or become unconsciousness.
Internal bleeding may be difficult to diagnose but manifests itself in swelling and tension on the affected area.
With all cases, first aid involves control of the bleeding as soon as possible, keeping the wound clean and dressing it to minimise blood loss and prevent infection. The patient should quickly be moved to hospital.
General management
Place the victim in a position he or she will be least affected by the loss of blood. Let the victim lie down and elevate the legs in a semi-flexed position. This prevents aggravation of spinal injury or breathing impairment.
Control the bleeding
Maintain air way.
Prevent the loss of body heat by puffing blankets under and over the victim
The victim should be kept resting, as movement will increase heart action, which causes the blood to flow faster and perhaps interfere with clot formation or dislodge a clot already formed.
Specific management
In cases of minor external bleeding, wash your hands before dealing with any wound. If the wound is dirty, lightly rinse it with running water, then protect it with a sterile swab, clean the surrounding skin with water and soap and swab the wound dry.
Raise and support the injured part unless you suspect an underlying fracture. If the wound is large, apply a sterile unmedicated dressing or gauze and clean pad and bandage firmly in position.
If in doubt, seek medical help
The writer is administrative secretary in Community Ambulance Foundation
Haemorrhage is bleeding –– flow of blood from an artery, vein or capillary. Blood from an artery is bright red. It spurts at each contraction and its flow is pulsatile. Blood from the veins is dark red. It does not spurt and flows steadily.
Blood from a capillary is red. It does not spurt. It flows slowly but evenly.
Loss of blood is dangerous because
Loss of red blood cells causes shortage of oxygen.
A decrease in blood volume causes a decrease in blood pressure
The heart’s pumping pressure increases to compensate for reduced blood pressure
The force of the heartbeat reduces since there is less blood to pump.
If the bleeding is unchecked, it causes shock to a victim. The loss of one litre (about 15% of blood volume) leads to in shock. Two litres (about 30% of blood volume) becomes severe or fatal shock.
Bleeding is easy to notice when it is external. Apart from evidence of actual blood loss, the victim complains of thirst, has blurred vision, faints, the face becomes pale, the skin gets cold and clammy and breathing becomes shallower. The pulse also becomes faster but weaker, and the victim may remain restless or become unconsciousness.
Internal bleeding may be difficult to diagnose but manifests itself in swelling and tension on the affected area.
With all cases, first aid involves control of the bleeding as soon as possible, keeping the wound clean and dressing it to minimise blood loss and prevent infection. The patient should quickly be moved to hospital.
General management
Place the victim in a position he or she will be least affected by the loss of blood. Let the victim lie down and elevate the legs in a semi-flexed position. This prevents aggravation of spinal injury or breathing impairment.
Control the bleeding
Maintain air way.
Prevent the loss of body heat by puffing blankets under and over the victim
The victim should be kept resting, as movement will increase heart action, which causes the blood to flow faster and perhaps interfere with clot formation or dislodge a clot already formed.
Specific management
In cases of minor external bleeding, wash your hands before dealing with any wound. If the wound is dirty, lightly rinse it with running water, then protect it with a sterile swab, clean the surrounding skin with water and soap and swab the wound dry.
Raise and support the injured part unless you suspect an underlying fracture. If the wound is large, apply a sterile unmedicated dressing or gauze and clean pad and bandage firmly in position.
If in doubt, seek medical help
The writer is administrative secretary in Community Ambulance Foundation