Hemostatic tourniquet is a device for stopping blood. It is a tape of rubber 125 cm long. Its width is 2.5 cm, its thickness is 3-4 cm. One end of the tape is equipped with a hook, the other with a metal chain. This simple device is available in the first-aid kit of each car for a reason. Sometimes his absence can be fatal. A person as a result of a large loss of blood can die without waiting for medical help.
How to apply a tourniquet?
When applying the tourniquet, rubber gloves are first put on the hands. Then lift the limb affected by the injury, and examine it. The tourniquet is not placed on the bare body, but on top of a cloth pad. It can be a person’s clothes, a towel, a bandage, cotton wool. The medical tourniquet superimposed in this way will not cross and will not infringe on the skin.
Its end must be taken in one hand, and the middle - in the other. Then stretch harder, and only after that circle around the arm or leg. With each subsequent turn of the winding, the bundle stretches less. The free ends are knotted or fixed with a hook and chain. Under any one turn of the tape, a note is necessarily enclosed, where the time of its application is indicated.
A hemostatic tourniquet must not be left for more than two hours, otherwise paralysis or necrosis of the arm or leg may occur. Every hour in the warm season and half an hour in winter, the tourniquet relaxes for several minutes (at this time the vessel is pressed with fingers), the application of the tourniquet during bleeding is done the same way as for the first time, only slightly higher.
If the blood does not stop, then the tourniquet is applied incorrectly. They could inadvertently draw veins. This will lead to the fact that blood pressure will begin to increase and bleeding will increase. Excessively tight tourniquet can damage muscles, nerves, tissues, which leads to paralysis of the limbs. An injured person with a tourniquet is transported to a medical facility in the first place.
The tourniquet can be applied using a plywood tire. It is located on the opposite side of the damaged vessel. This method has a sparing effect. If the upper third of the thigh or shoulder is injured, the medical tourniquet with bleeding is superimposed as a figure eight.
On the damaged vessels of the neck, the tourniquet is superimposed using a plank of wood or a tire in the form of a ladder. These devices are placed on the side opposite the wound. Due to the tire, the trachea and carotid artery will not be squeezed . If there is no tire at hand, you need to put your hand on your head from behind, it will fulfill its role. The hemostatic tourniquet can be replaced by a twist, using improvised material for this: handkerchiefs, scarves, belts, ties.
Application
If necessary, a hemostatic tourniquet is applied to the thigh, lower leg, shoulder, forearm, and other parts of the body. If the place of its application is the limbs, choose a place so that it is higher than the wound, but closer to it. This is necessary so that the portion of the limb remaining without blood circulation is as short as possible.
When applying a tourniquet, remember that it must not be applied:
- On the upper third of the shoulder (you can cause injury to the radial nerve) and the lower third of the thigh (tissue is injured when the femoral artery is clamped).
- There are no muscles in the lower third of the forearm and lower leg, and if a tourniquet is applied to these places, skin necrosis may begin to develop. These areas of the body have the shape of cones, so the hemostatic tourniquet may slip when moving the victim. It’s easier, more convenient and more reliable to put the tape on the shoulder or thigh.
Arterial bleeding. First aid before the doctor arrives
Loss of blood through the artery often causes the death of the victim, so it needs to be quickly stopped. In an adult, the blood volume is 4-5 liters. If the victim loses one third of this volume, he may die.
The first thing to do when helping with arterial bleeding is to squeeze the artery so that the blood does not enter the wounded area and does not leak. To determine the place where it is located, you need to feel the pulse. Where he is, there is an artery. Confidently press this place with your fingers, but 2-3 cm higher than the wound.
If the victim needs transportation, the application of a tourniquet with arterial bleeding is mandatory. Only this needs to be done correctly, as described above in the article. But if, as a result of a traffic accident, a person lost his leg and blood flows out of the wound, the application of an arterial tourniquet should be done so that it is 5 centimeters higher than the damaged area, and not 2-3. In no case should it be weakened. Not everyone has a harness on hand. It can be replaced by a twist. But in no case can you use narrow ropes, cords of inelastic material.
When the first medical aid is provided to the victim , it must be remembered that when the tourniquet is applied, the blood supply to all departments below it is stopped. You need to know that the movement of blood through the arteries is carried out from the heart to all peripheral departments.
Internal bleeding
The loss of blood as a result of damage to the internal organs of a person is very life-threatening, since its determination is often delayed for some time.
- Abdominal bleeding occurs when a strong blow has been inflicted, as a result of which the spleen and liver break. In this case, the victim experiences severe abdominal pain, shock, and may lose consciousness.
- Esophageal bleeding occurs as a result of rupture of veins, as some diseases of the liver lead to their expansion.
- Gastric bleeding occurs due to an ulcer, swelling, or stomach injury. The defining sign is vomiting of dark red or clotted blood. In this case, the victim needs to ensure peace and a half-sitting position with legs bent at the knees. A compress should be put on the peritoneum and not given to eat and drink. The victim urgently needs to be hospitalized, where he will undergo surgery.
- Bleeding in the chest cavity is due to a strong blow or chest injury. The accumulating blood begins to put pressure on the lungs, as a result of which their normal functioning is disrupted. Difficulty breathing, choking may occur. The injured person urgently needs to be transported to the hospital, and before the doctor arrives, put a compress of ice on his chest, to ensure him a half-sitting position with bent legs.
Venous bleeding. First aid
If during the examination of the victim it turned out that the damage to the vein is minor, it is enough to press the vessel with your finger below the damaged place, since this blood moves from the bottom up, and not vice versa. If this is not enough, a pressure dressing should be applied to the site of injury to stop the blood flowing from the vein. This is the first first aid.
But before the skin around the injury site is treated with iodine, the wound is closed with a sterile bandage, and a sealing roller is applied on top, along the location of the bones. Now the injury site needs to be tightly bandaged, and the injured limb should be given an elevated position. The pressure dressing is applied correctly if the bleeding stops and blood stains do not appear on it.
In the case when such assistance is not enough to stop bleeding, venous tourniquets are applied, only lower, and not higher than the site of damage to the vessel. You just need to know that the flow of venous blood occurs in the opposite direction, that is, to the heart.
Bleeding
When the integrity of the walls of blood vessels is violated, blood flows from them. This is called bleeding. Its danger lies in the fact that the amount of blood that circulates in the vessels decreases. This leads to a deterioration in cardiac activity and insufficient supply of human organs with oxygen.
With prolonged blood loss, anemia begins to develop. This is especially dangerous for children and the elderly. Their body does not cope well with rapidly decreasing blood volume. So, there are three types of bleeding. It depends on which vessel they are located in.
- Arterial. It can be easily determined: scarlet blood beats with a fountain from an artery.
- Venous Dark blood flows from an injured vessel.
- Capillary. This is a mild bleeding in which small vessels are damaged.
- Parenchitamous. It occurs when incomplete internal organs of a person are damaged, such as the spleen, liver, and kidneys. Such bleeding is mixed. It is associated with the rupture of an organ. Without surgery, it is impossible to completely stop parenchitamous bleeding. But, providing first aid to the victim, ice should be put in place of the alleged damage.
Bleeding happens:
- Outdoor.
- Inner. In this case, blood from the affected vessel is poured into the tissue of some organ.
Signs by which you can identify bleeding
The most important sign is blood flowing from the vessel. But with internal bleeding, you may not notice it. Therefore, there are other signs:
- The skin and mucous membranes become pale.
- Dizziness, thirst appears.
- Blood pressure drops.
- The pulse is weakly palpated and tachycardia appears.
- A person loses consciousness. This occurs when fast and severe blood loss occurs.
Arterial and venous bleeding with wounds. First aid
A wound is a damage in which the integrity of the skin, tissues, membranes is violated, and which is accompanied by pain and loss of blood. When injured, damaged receptors and nerve trunks cause pain, and bleeding is directly related to the nature and number of damaged vessels. That is why, first of all, the depth of the wound is established and it is determined from which vessel blood flows: veins or arteries. It is especially necessary to act quickly if the wounds are very deep and punctured, and large blood vessels are affected when wounded.
The first aid for injuries before the arrival of the ambulance team is usually done by people nearby. To stop bleeding, a tourniquet is applied to the site of injury.
In a hospital setting, first aid for arterial and venous bleeding is performed surgically. At the site of damage to the vessel, the walls are sutured.
First aid for injuries to the head, chest, neck, abdomen and other areas of the body is carried out by applying a pressure bandage. Sterile gauze is placed on the wound and bandaged.
You should pay attention: it is not necessary to apply cold in case of bleeding from a vein or artery, as this makes no sense. These large vessels do not constrict from exposure to low temperatures.
Natural holes on the human body. Bleeding from them
Blood loss occurs when it flows out of the nose. This can be due to a strong blow or as a result of a traumatic brain injury. To stop the bleeding of the victim, you need to lay on his back, slightly raise his head. Ice should be put on the bridge of the nose, neck, and heart region. At this time, you can not clean your nose or blow your nose.
If a person has an ear canal or skull fracture, bleeding from the ear may open. In this case, a sterile gauze dressing is applied to him, and the victim is laid on the opposite side and his head is raised. It is strictly forbidden to rinse the ear.
How to stop bleeding with bent limbs?
- If a wound has formed in the area of the hand or forearm and blood flows out of it, you need to put a roller of gauze, bandage or soft tissue in the elbow bend and bend your arm. To fix it in this position, the forearm should be tied to the shoulder. Bleeding will stop.
- To stop it from the artery of the forearm, the roller is placed under the armpit, the arm is bent at the elbow, placed on the chest and bandaged.
- With axillary bleeding, the arms are bent, laid back, and the elbows are tied. This position allows the subclavian artery to cling to the rib collarbone. This technique cannot be used if a person has a bone fracture of the limbs.
Car kit. Her equipment
Many people believe that this kit is only needed in order to pass inspection. But this is far from the case. No one knows what the situation may be along the route of the car. Perhaps your humane attitude to another person, the knowledge of the rules of first aid for the victim and the necessary set of motorists to someone will save lives.
At present, the automotive first-aid kit is being completed according to new standards. It consists of: an apparatus with which you can make artificial ventilation of the lungs, bandages, hemostatic tourniquet, rubber gloves and scissors. Disinfectants and all medicines are excluded from the medicine cabinet. It does not have analgin, aspirin, activated carbon, validol, nitroglycerin, and even iodine with green.
The complete set of the automobile first-aid kit has become much poorer. What served her change? First of all, the European practice of first aid before the arrival of doctors. They believe that most drivers in Russia are not aware of how to use the necessary medicines. Therefore, for them, calling a doctor and stopping blood loss to the victims will be the main task.