Bleeding Cuts or Wounds

Call 911 if:

• Bleeding is severe
• You suspect internal bleeding
• There is an abdominal or chest wound
• Bleeding can't be stopped after 10 minutes of firm and steady pressure
• Blood spurts out of wound

1. Stop Bleeding

• Apply direct pressure on the cut or wound with a clean cloth, tissue, or piece of gauze until bleeding stops.
• If blood soaks through the material, don’t remove it. Put more cloth or gauze on top of it and continue to apply pressure.
• If the wound is on the arm or leg, raise limb above the heart, if possible, to help slow bleeding.
• Wash your hands again after giving first aid and before cleaning and dressing the wound.
• Do not apply a tourniquet unless the bleeding is severe and not stopped with direct pressure.

2. Clean Cut or Wound

• Gently clean with soap and warm water. Try to rinse soap out of wound to prevent irritation.
• Don’t use hydrogen peroxide or iodine, which can damage tissue.

3. Protect the Wound

• Apply antibiotic cream to reduce risk of infection and cover with a sterile bandage.
• Change the bandage daily to keep the wound clean and dry.

4. When to Call a Doctor

• The wound is deep or the edges are jagged or gaping open.
• The wound is on the person’s face.
• The wound has dirt or debris that won’t come out.
• The wound shows signs of infection, such as redness, tenderness, or a thick discharge, or if the person runs a fever.
• The area around the wound feels numb.
• Red streaks form around the wound.
• The person has a puncture wound or deep cut and hasn’t had a tetanus shot in the past five years, or anyone who hasn’t had a tetanus shot in the past 10 years.

SOURCES:

Mark Reiter, MD, American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

Family Doctor: “First Aid: Cuts, Scrapes and Stitches.”

Merck Manuals Online: “Wounds.”

American Red Cross/Lakeland Chapter: “Safety & Preparedness.”

Healthy Children: “Acute Bleeding.”