Together We Save Lives

WOUNDS & BLEEDING There’s a lot of blood. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

RECOGNITION Types of bleeding YOUR AIMS • To assess the casualty’s V – Venous: Dark red blood which fl ows condition quickly and calmly. profusely from the wound. • To control blood loss by A – Arterial: Bright red blood which spurts applying direct pressure and from wound. elevating the injured part. • To minimise the risk of shock. C – Capillary: Dark red/bright red blood • To comfort and reassure the which oozes from wound casualty. CAUTION Call 999/112 for emergency help if you suspect a serious injury. Be aware of your own needs, including the need to protect yourself against blood-borne infections.

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St Andrew’s First Aid is the trading name of St. Andrew’s Ambulance Association, a charity registered in Scotland, No. SC006750

The advice on this page is not designed to replace formal First Aid training. A break in the skin is known as a wound. Wounds can be daunting, particularly if there is a lot of bleeding, but prompt action reduces the amount of blood loss and minimises shock.

TYPES OF WOUNDS Puncture wound Wounds can be classified into a number An injury such as standing on a nail or of different types, depending on the being pricked by a needle will result object that produces the wound in a puncture wound. It has a small – such as a knife or a bullet – and entry site but a deep track of internal the manner in which the wound has damage. been inflicted. Each of these types of Stab wound wound carries specific risks associated This type of wound can be caused by with surrounding tissue damage and a long or bladed instrument, usually infection. a knife, penetrating the body. Stab Incised wound (clean cut) wounds to the trunk must always This is caused by a clean surface cut be treated seriously because of the from a sharp-edged object such as a risk of injury to vital organs and razor. Blood vessels are cut straight life-threatening internal bleeding. across, so bleeding may be profuse. Gunshot wound Laceration (tear) This type of wound is caused by a Crushing or ripping forces result in bullet or missile being driven into or tears or lacerations. These may bleed through the body, causing serious less profusely than incised wounds, internal injury and sucking in clothing but there is likely to be more tissue and contaminants from the air. damage. Abrasion (graze) Treatment This is a superficial wound in which the Apply direct pressure over the topmost layers of skins are scraped off, wound and elevate the injured leaving a raw, tender area. part. Apply a clean sterile dressing to the wound. If blood seeps Contusion (bruise) through, apply another dressing on A blunt blow can rupture capillaries top. If blood is still seeping through beneath the skin, causing blood to leak remove both dressings and start into the tissue. This process results in again from scratch. bruising.