First aid: How to stop cuts and wounds bleeding

When your skin is cut or scraped, you begin to bleed. This is because blood vessels in the area are damaged. Bleeding serves a useful purpose because it helps to clean out a wound. But too much bleeding can cause your body to go into shock.
You cannot always judge the seriousness of a cut or wound by the amount it bleeds. Some serious injuries can bleed very little. On the
other hand, cuts on the head, face, and mouth may bleed a lot because there are a lot of blood vessels in those areas.
Abdominal and chest wounds can be quite serious because internal organs may be damaged, which can cause internal bleeding and even shock. Abdominal and chest wounds
are considered an emergency, and you should call for immediate medical help, especially if there are symptoms of shock, such as
dizziness, weakness, pale and clammy skin, shortness of breath, and increased heart rate.
While waiting for medical care, give first aid treatment for shock.
- Have the injured person lie quietly with his or her feet elevated about
12 inches. Cover him or her with a blanket to maintain body warmth.
First Aid for Cuts and Wounds
- Help the person to remain calm. If the cut is large or bleeding heavily, have them lie down. If the wound is on an arm or leg, raise the limb above the heart to slow
bleeding.
- Remove obvious debris from the wound, such as sticks or grass. If the object is embedded in the body, do NOT remove it.
- If the cut is small, wash it out with soap and water. Do NOT clean a large wound.
After putting on clean latex gloves, apply firm pressure to the wound with a folded cloth or bandage for about 10 minutes. Do not remove the bandage to look at the wound during this time, as it may begin bleeding again. If blood soaks through, add
another cloth or bandage and continue holding pressure on the cut for an additional 10 minutes.
When bleeding has stopped, tape a clean bandage over the cut.
Seek medical care for a cut or wound if:
- it’s jagged or deep, or if it is a puncture wound.
- it’s on the face
- it’s the result of an animal bite
- there is dirt that won’t come out after washing the bleeding will not stop.
First aid treatment are very important!