First Aid For Bleeding

External bleeding you can see while internal bleeding you can't see. Both will require medical attention. The seriousness of an external wound doesn't always correspond with the size of the wound or the amount of blood lost. For example, a small superficial scalp wound may bleed heavily because of the rich blood supply to the head. Bleeding from an artery is more serious and will take longer to stop. You may only see signs on the outside of the body, such as bruising and swelling, indicating a bleeding injury inside the body. Here's more information about bleeding that you need to know:
- You have approximately 5.7 liters of blood in your body. This amount is needed to maintain circulation. Rapidly losing just one liter can result in Shock or death. That's why a victim's pulse will quicken then weaken as blood is lost. If someone is bleeding heavily, it's important for you to stay calm and to control the bleeding and get medical help immediately.
- Internal bleeding is hard to detect. There may not be any pain. Suspect it if someone has experienced trauma, even a slight trauma for someone on blood thinning medications. Weakness, paleness, and a faint pulse are all signs of internal bleeding. Prompt medical attention is needed.
- Small scrapes or surface cuts that have stopped bleeding heal better when cleaned, protected with antibiotic cream, and kept covered.
- As a result of injury, medication, and certain medical conditions, can cause organs to bleed internally, causing pain, loss of consciousness, and even death.

External Bleeding 
Signs & Symptoms:
- Blood flowing out of body
- Spurts of blood indicate an artery is torn

Tips:
- Do not apply a tourniquet unless trained to do so.
- Do not push anything back into the skin.
- Do not apply antibiotic cream unless wound is minor and cleaned first.
- Do not remove blood-soaked bandage.
- Do not put pressure on an object sticking out of a wound.
- Do not use pressure points or elevation.
- Do not allow blood-saturated dressing over a chest wound to become an occlusive dressing.

Wounds - Major Bleeding
- Call for medical help.
- Apply continuous firm, direct pressure to wound, using clean cloth or bandage for 5 minutes without lifting to see if stopped.
- If bleeding soaks through bandage:
- Do not remove the original bandage.
- Apply more bandages and pressure or tourniquet if trained.
- Get medical help to cleanse and close the wound.
- Monitor and treat for Shock, if present.

Wounds - Minimal Bleeding
- Clean the wound with soap and copious amounts of clean running tap water until foreign matter is removed.
- Apply continuous, firm, direct pressure to wound until bleeding stops.
- Once the bleeding stops, apply antibiotic ointment. Cover with dressing.
- If bleeding soaks through bandage:
- Do not remove the original bandage.
- Apply more bandages and pressure.

For Impaled Objects - Object Stuck In Body Part
- Call for medical help.
- Stabilize the impaled object to prevent any movement. Even a small amount of movement can cause serious internal damage. If required, stabilize with multiple dressings until secure.
- To control bleeding, apply direct pressure around the wound.
- Monitor and treat for Shock if present.

Also See: FIrst Aid For Impaled Object in Eye