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Bleeding
Bleedingisthelossofbloodfromthecirculatorysystem.Causescanincludesmallcutsand abrasionsaswellasdeepcutsandamputations.Injuriestothebodycanalsoresultininternal bleeding,whichcanrangefromminor(suchasthatcausedbysuperficialbruising)tomassive(life threateningbleeds). Firstaidforsevereexternalorinternalbleedingiscriticalinordertolimitthelossofblooduntil emergencymedicalaidarrives.Firstaidactionstomanageexternalbleedingincludeapplying directpressuretothewound,usingpadsandbandages,andraisingtheinjuredlimbabovethe leveloftheheartifpossible.

Ima ge des crip

Minor bleeding
Smallcutsandabrasionsthatarenotbleedingexcessivelycanbemanagedathome.Firstaid suggestionsinclude: Cleantheinjuredareawithsterilegauzesoakedinnormalsalineorcleanwater.Donot usecottonwooloranymaterialthatwillfrayorleavefluffinthewound. Applyanappropriatedressingsuchasabandaidoranon-adhesivedressingheldinplace withanon-allergenictape.Thisdressingmustbechangedregularly. Seeyourdoctorifyoucantremovethedirtyourself.Adirtywoundcarriesahighriskof infection. Ifyouhavenothadaboostervaccineagainsttetanusinthelastfiveyears,seeyour doctor.

Nosebleeds
Bleedingfromthenoseisusuallynotsevere.Firstaidsuggestionsinclude: Sitthepersonuprightandaskthemtotilttheirheadforward. Usingthethumbandforefinger,squeezethenostrilsshut. Holdforatleast10minutes. Releasetheholdgentlyandcheckforbleeding.Ifthebleedinghasstopped,avoidblowing yournoseorpickingatitfortherestoftheday. Ifbleedingcontinuesbeyond20minutes,seeyourdoctor.

Severe external bleeding

Evenasmallcutcanresultinsevereexternalbleeding,dependingonwhereitisonthebody.This canleadtoshock.Inmedicalterms,shockmeanstheinjuredpersonnolongerhasenoughblood circulatingaroundtheirbody.Shockisalife-threateningmedicalemergency. Firstaidmanagementforsevereexternalbleedingincludes: Checkfordangerbeforeapproachingtheinjuredperson. Ifpossible,sendsomeoneelsetocalltriplezero(000)foranambulance. Liethepersondown.Ifalimbisinjured,raisetheinjuredareaabovethelevelofthe personsheart(ifpossible). Getthepersontoapplydirectpressuretothewoundwiththeirhandorhandstostemthe bloodflow.Ifthepersoncantdoit,applydirectpressureyourself. Youmayneedtopulltheedgesofthewoundtogetherbeforeapplyingadressingorpad. Secureitfirmlywithabandage.

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Ifanobjectisembeddedinthewound,donotremoveit.Applypressurearoundthe object. Donotapplyatourniquet. Ifbloodsaturatestheinitialdressing,donotremoveit.Addfreshpaddingoverthetopand securewithabandage.

Internal bleeding visible

Themostcommontypeofvisibleinternalbleedisabruise,whenbloodfromdamagedblood vesselsleaksintothesurroundingskin.Sometypesofinternalinjurycancausevisiblebleeding fromanorifice(bodyopening).Forexample: Bowelinjurybleedingfromtheanus Headinjurybleedingfromtheearsornose Lunginjurycoughingupfrothy,bloodiedsputum(spit) Urinarytractinjurybloodintheurine.

Internal bleeding not visible

Itisimportanttorememberthataninjuredpersonmaybebleedinginternallyevenifyoucantsee anyblood.Aninternalinjurycansometimescausebleedingthatremainscontainedwithinthe body;forexample,withintheskullorabdominalcavity. Listencarefullytowhatthepersontellsyouabouttheirinjurywheretheyfelttheimpact,for example.Theymaydisplaythesignsandsymptomsofshock.Inthecaseofaheadinjury,they maydisplaythesignsandsymptomsofconcussion.Therefore,itisimportanttoasktheright questionstocollecttherelevantinformation.

Symptoms of concealed internal bleeding

Thesignsandsymptomsthatsuggestconcealedinternalbleedingdependonwherethebleedingis insidethebody,butmayinclude: Painattheinjuredsite Swollen,tightabdomen Nauseaandvomiting Pale,clammy,sweatyskin Breathlessness Extremethirst Unconsciousness.

Somesignsandsymptomsspecifictoconcussion(causedbytraumatothehead): Headacheordizziness Lossofmemory,particularlyoftheevent Confusion Alteredstateofconsciousness Woundsonthehead(faceandscalp) Nauseaandvomiting.

Internal bleeding is a medical emergency

Firstaidcannotmanageortreatanykindofinternalbleeding.Promptmedicalhelpisvital. Suggestionsinclude: Checkfordangerbeforeapproachingtheperson. Ifpossible,sendsomeoneelsetocalltriplezero(000)foranambulance. Checkthatthepersonisconscious. Liethepersondown. Coverthemwithablanketorsomethingtokeepthemwarm. Ifpossible,raisethepersonslegsabovetheleveloftheirheart.

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Dontgivethepersonanythingtoeatordrink. Offerreassurance.Manageanyotherinjuries,ifpossible. Ifthepersonbecomesunconscious,placethemontheirside.Checkbreathingfrequently. Begincardiopulmonaryresuscitation(CPR)ifnecessary.

Spread of disease through bleeding

Somediseasescanbespreadthroughopenwounds. Ifpossible,washyourhandswithsoapandwaterbeforeandespeciallyafteradministering firstaid.Dryyourhandsthoroughlybeforeputtingongloves Firstaidkitscontaingloves.Alwaysputonglovesbeforehandifavailable.Ifnot,improvise. Donotcoughorsneezeoverthewound.

Where to get help

Inanemergency,calltriplezero(000) Emergencydepartmentofthenearesthospital Yourdoctor Forfirstaidtraining,StJohnAmbulanceAustralia(Victoria)Tel.1300360455 Forfirstaidtraining,AustralianRedCrossTel.1300367428

Things to remember

Alwayscalltriplezero(000)inanemergency. Firstaidforsevereexternalbleedingincludesdirectpressureonthewound,usingpads andbandages,andraisingtheinjuredareaabovetheleveloftheheartifpossible. Firstaidforinternalbleedingincludeslyingthepersondown,raisingtheirlegsabovethe leveloftheirheartandnotgivingthemanythingtoeatordrink.

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StJohnAmbulance
Contentonthiswebsiteisprovidedforeducationandinformationpurposesonly.Information aboutatherapy,service,productortreatmentdoesnotimplyendorsementandisnotintendedto replaceadvicefromyourdoctororotherregisteredhealthprofessional.Contenthasbeen preparedforVictorianresidentsandwiderAustralianaudiences,andwasaccurateatthetimeof publication.Readersshouldnotethat,overtime,currencyandcompletenessoftheinformation maychange.Allusersareurgedtoalwaysseekadvicefromaregisteredhealthcareprofessional fordiagnosisandanswerstotheirmedicalquestions. Forthelatestupdatesandmoreinformation,visitwww.betterhealth.vic.gov.au Copyight 1999/2013StateofVictoria.ReproducedfromtheBetterHealthChannel (www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au)atnocostwithpermissionoftheVictorianMinisterforHealth. Unauthorisedreproductionandotherusescomprisedinthecopyrightareprohibitedwithout permission.

Bleeding

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