In an emergency, everyone can be. No one is immune from all kinds of injuries and injuries, which is why it is so important and sometimes even vital to know some aspects of first aid. Among these particularly important tricks you can find the rules for applying a tourniquet.
So what you need to know.
Firstly, a tourniquet is needed when a large artery is damaged (in such cases, ordinary dressing and bandaging of the wound will not help stop the bleeding).
It is important to correctly position the tourniquet - five centimeters above the upper wound margin.
So with bleeding from the vessels of the upper limb, the optimal location of the tourniquet is at the level of the upper third of the shoulder, and with bleeding from the vessels of the lower limb - at the level of the middle third of the thigh.
As a tourniquet, you can use a belt, a bandage (folded in layers to increase strength), any fabric and many other improvised things. The tourniquet must be applied to the raised limb.
The density of its application must be such that the bleeding stops. However, do not overdo it, otherwise the underlying tissues will remain completely bloodless. As a result, tissue necrosis (death) will occur. Do not forget to put some dense fabric under the tourniquet to reduce local (local) compression in the area of application. For this purpose, it can be applied directly to clothing.
The rules for applying a tourniquet include one very important point, which you should not forget about in any case. Attach to it a sheet of paper or cardboard on which write the time when it was applied. This is necessary so that in the case of applying the tourniquet for a long time, to know when it is necessary to loosen it and give the underlying tissues “nutrition”. Indeed, under oxygen-free conditions (without blood flow), tissues begin to die, which is why it is so important to loosen the tourniquet in time and partially restore blood flow, even for a short period of time.
Remember - you can not impose a tourniquet for more than one to two hours.
In the winter season, it is necessary to ensure that you do not get a frostbite on your limb tied with a tourniquet, that is, you must thoroughly isolate it from the cold. In cold weather, the maximum compression time is reduced to one and a half hours.
Weakening the tourniquet is necessary for 10-15 minutes, while pressing the bandage on the wound with your hand. The frequency of the weakening: first, after one and a half to two hours from the time of application, and then every half hour.
Venous or capillary bleeding from the vessels of the limbs does not require the application of a tourniquet. In this case, it is enough to stop the bleeding with a tight pressure dressing. Do not forget to give the limb an elevated position - this will ease bleeding.
To stop severe bleeding, when a large vessel is damaged, and there is no option for applying a tourniquet, you can resort to an alternative method - finger pressing a bleeding vessel. In order for it to stop, it is necessary to press the vessel above the site of injury to the bone, that is, you need to choose a place for finger pressure, in which the vessel is relatively superficial and passes near the bone.
One of the difficulties of finger pressing is the inability to squeeze the vessel for a long time due to tired hands.
Realizing that the rules for applying a hemostatic tourniquet are so important, and that it is often their knowledge that saves people's lives, you begin to treat the read material with great respect, interest and trepidation.
Knowing the technique and rules for applying a tourniquet, you can help people in distress.
Both the rules for applying a tourniquet and the rules for applying bandages in an emergency will help save the life of your own or your loved ones, so do not neglect them, and from time to time, return to re-reading this material.