Wilderness: Bleeding

• Bleeding Overview
• Bleeding Symptoms
• Bleeding Treatment
• When to Seek Medical Care
• For More Information
• Web Links
• Synonyms and Keywords
• Authors and Editors

Bleeding Overview

Extensive bleeding can occur either underwater or in the wilderness. Accidental cuts, lacerations, or puncture wounds from sharp objects could cause extensive bleeding.  Even small lacerations of the face or scalp can bleed profusely causing drops in blood pressure and decreased organ blood flow, which could lead to shock. Always check a person who is bleeding for other injuries such as a significant head injury, fractures, or dislocations.

Bleeding Symptoms

Bleeding can lead to the following symptoms:

• Pale, cool, clammy skin
• 
  
• Fast heart rate
• 
  
• Low blood pressure
• 
  
• Light-headedness
• 
  
• Unconsciousness
• 
  
• Death within seconds to minutes (in severe cases)

Bleeding Treatment

• For severe bleeding, apply immediate, direct pressure to the wound with any available, clean material. Continue pressure until the bleeding is controlled.
• 
  
• Elevate the wound above the heart. The person should be lying down with the legs elevated.
• 
  
• Apply a tourniquet only if other means to control life-threatening bleeding do not work. Tighten the tourniquet only enough to stop the bleeding. Note the time the tourniquet was applied and remove as soon as possible.

When to Seek Medical Care

• Obtain medical treatment as soon as possible.
  
  
• A trained health care worker may place permanent or temporary sutures (stitches) to control the bleeding.

For More Information

Web Links

MedlinePlus, Bleeding

Synonyms and Keywords

hemorrhage, cuts, lacerations, bleeding, shock

Authors and Editors

Author: Scott H Plantz, MD, FAAEM, Research Director, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Editors: Ivette Motola, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine; James Kimo Takayesu, MD, Staff Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital/Massachusetts General Hospital.

Last Editorial Review: 8/10/2005