Bleeding
Elevate and Apply Pressure
There are approximately five litres of blood in a person. Losing too much of this, either inside the body or outside, will result in damage to organs and eventually death. It's necessary to slow or stop the bleeding, while the body or medical help repairs the wound.
Reassuring the casualty is a very important part of care.
Internal Bleeding
This can be diagnosed when a black-blue patch appears under the skin, similar to a large bruise. This can only be treated at a hospital. Phone the emergency services immediately.
External Bleeding
Warning: Avoid direct contact with the person's blood, if possible. Contact between bodily fluids (blood, saliva for example) can transmit disease.
Apply pressure to the wound in order to help stem the bleeding. If there is an object stuck in the wound, do not remove it, but apply pressure around it. If the wound is in a limb, elevate it above the heart so as to lower the amount of blood flow.
If the bleeding is serious, or it does not stop fairly quickly, you should go to a hospital and get the wound looked at.
Citation: Handley, A.J. (2006). Life Support: Basic Skills to Save Lives. Broom: Royal Life Saving Society (UK).
