The Do’s of First Aid for Bleeding

Before we move on to detailing the do’s of first aid for bleeding we should highlight that although first aid is appropriate for external bleeding, if you judge the bleeding to be severe or if you suspect shock or internal bleeding get emergency help immediately.

Now back to our topic. Listed below are certain DO’S of first aid for bleeding:

– The first thing to do when embarking on this task is to calm and reassure the person who is bleeding. It is possible that the sight of blood can frighten them.

– Next step is to wash the wound if it is superficial. It should be washed with soap and warm water followed by patting it dry. Wounds classified as superficial are those that affect the top layers of skin. Bleeding from superficial wounds is usually described as “oozing,” because the blood comes out slowly.

– Following washing lay the bleeding individual down. This will reduce the chances of the person fainting as this position increases blood flow to the brain. Wherever possible the part of the body that is bleeding should be raised up.

– Moving on you should remove loose debris or dirt that is obvious from a bleeding wound. If there is a knife or a similar object like stick, or arrow that is stuck in the wound DO NOT remove it. This will actually cause more damage to the body and may increase bleeding. What you should actually do is put pads and bandages all around the object and tape the object in place.

– Pressure should be put directly on an outer wound. This can be done using a sterile bandage, clean cloth, or also with a piece of clothing. Only if these things are not available you should use your hand to put pressure o the wound that is bleeding. It is best if you put direct pressure for externally bleeding wounds however, not for an eye injury.

The pressure that you put on the bleeding wound should be maintained till you notice that the bleeding has stopped. Once the bleeding has stopped tightly wrap the wound dressing with an adhesive tape or a piece of clean clothing. Once the dressing is in place do not peek to see if the bleeding has stopped and put a cold pack over the dressing.

If you see that the bleeding is continuing and is seeping through the material being held on do not remove the first thing just place another cloth over it and get some medical attention.

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