Of all the bleeding, arterial bleeding is considered the most dangerous. Before you understand the features of arterial bleeding, you need to explain the importance of the arterial system as a whole.
So, the human arterial system is a system of arteries - the largest vessels that transport blood to the heart.
Arteries are located deep enough, however, if arterial bleeding does occur, a person, if you do not provide timely assistance, can die quickly.
In particular, if the carotid, femoral or axillary artery is damaged, then death can occur within two to three minutes. In order to prevent such an outcome, it is necessary to stop the flow of blood to the site of damage. For this, the artery is pinched just above the wound. There are a number of points on the human body, clicking on which, you can easily and quickly squeeze a particular artery.
But this kind of help is temporary, it lasts until they make a pressure bandage. Stop arterial bleeding should be done quickly. Because every second is precious. Blood beats in a fountain (blood pulsation occurs according to the rhythm of the heart), so there may be a lot of blood loss. On average, you only have 1-2 minutes to provide first aid.
Arterial bleeding must be stopped in stages. The first stage is the pressing of an artery to the skin. Then the second stage begins - the application of a bandage (tourniquet).
When bleeding from the femoral artery occurs , often applying a pressure bandage does not completely help. Such bleeding can be stopped by looping or using a tourniquet. If you cannot find a medical tourniquet, use something that can replace it - a scarf, tie, diaper, etc. When applying a tourniquet, it is necessary to cover the place of application with gauze or bandage so as not to transmit the skin and nerve endings.
There are certain principles for applying a tourniquet according to the location of the damage to the artery:
- If the artery is damaged in the area of the upper extremities, the tourniquet must be applied in the upper part of the shoulder. When the lower limbs are damaged, the overlay is done in the middle of the thigh.
- It is necessary to impose a tourniquet tight enough, but do not pinch the fabric. There may be serious consequences (due to clamping, the blood stops circulating)
- It is important to remember that it is necessary to mark the time when the tourniquet was applied. The mark should be left on paper, and attach this note to the clothes of the victim. Then this time is indicated on the medical record.
- IMPORTANT: it is forbidden to apply a tourniquet in the region of the lower extremities for more than an hour and a half, and in the shoulder region for more than 45 minutes.
- Remember that arterial bleeding stops only when the tourniquet is correctly applied. Also be aware that no dressing is allowed on top of the tourniquet: the tourniquet itself must be clearly visible.
When the first aid is provided to the victim, he must be urgently transported to a medical facility. If you can do this quickly, there is no possibility, then after the maximum term for applying the tourniquet, it needs to be slightly loosened by a quarter of an hour, and then tightened again.
There is the concept of hidden bleeding. They are so called because they are not visible to the naked eye. Such bleeding can occur in patients with a stomach ulcer or duodenal ulcer. Blood loss in this case is very dangerous, as anemia develops rapidly. Such bleeding is determined in special laboratory conditions when examining feces for the presence of occult blood.
Remember that arterial bleeding is very dangerous for human life, so if you had to provide medical care to such a patient, do it quickly and confidently!