~Ruth Gordon
Dealing with bleeding
Severe bleeding can be terrifying, I know. Don't do what I used to and run around the house like a hyperventilating maniac. Learn some basic first aid and know how to deal with bleeding. Obviously it would be very nice for me not to have to display this page and pretend deep gashes are never inflicted apon oneself, but that just isn't reality. Don't criticise me for writing my "harm reduction as a pose to withdrawal" pages. I'd much rather help reduce the harm caused to oneself than bluntly tell them they have to stop before they're ready and put them at risk to serious or life threatening damage.
OK guys and guyettes, the most crucial rule when you're dealing with bleeding is to STAY CALM!!! I know it is frightening, but you need to take control here and be fully alert and aware of what is happening to you.
Next follow through these steps:
1) Check your wound for any pieces of broken glass or anything else you may have used to hurt yourself. Don't pull it out. If there is something in the wound, follow down to the bottom of the page for advice on removing it. I think the likelyness of this happening with a self inflicted wound is much lower than the risk of it occuring in someone who has fell on some glass accidently. The chances are you're gonna be fine here... so move on to number 2
2) If there is nothing in the wound, apply pressure to stop the flow. It is always best to use a sterile dressing or a clean pad, but we all know these aren't always readily available to us, huh? Really, anything that is clean can be used here. We were taught to use dish cloths in my first aid group!!
3) This is the part where you usually lay the casualty down. It's probably best that you yourself just sit.
4) Elevate the limb with the injury above the level of your heart. This helps slow the flow of blood.
5) Put a dressing over the pad and secure with a tight bandage to increase pressure on the wound.
6) Call 999/911, or your countries emergency services if you have not already done so.
7)Check that the blood is still circulating in the limb below the bandage. You should not feel numbness if the blood is properly circulating and you can check this by observing the colour of the skin.
8)If your wound is still bleeding, add another bandage. Do not remove the previous one as this would destroy any blood clots that are having the chance to form.
Is something stuck in the wound?
1) Apply pressure to the skin on each side of the object.
2) Build up pads on either side of the object - aiming to get them high enough to bandage right over the object without pushing it in further.
3)Bandage over the pads
4) Elevate the limb.
