Pressure Points for Bleeding: A Lifesaving Guide

Pressure Points for Bleeding: A Lifesaving Guide

In the event that someone is bleeding out and you don't have access to a tourniquet or pressure bandage, one of your primary options for stopping the flow is by applying pressure points. Pressure points are areas on the body where blood vessels are close to the surface, allowing you to apply pressure directly over them without having to dig deep into muscle tissue. These spots can help divert blood flow away from an injured artery, slowing down or even stopping bleeding altogether! In this article, we'll cover how exactly these pressure points work as well as how they can be used in emergency situations like traumatic injury or childbirth

Pressure Points for Bleeding: A Lifesaving Guide

Collateral circulation is an important part of the body's natural healing process. If you have an injury or heart attack, your body can use these pressure points to help stop bleeding and prevent further damage.

In this guide, we'll cover how to use pressure points on yourself or others in case of traumatic injuries like car crashes and falls; as well as during times when someone suffers from a heart attack or stroke. You'll also learn what should be done if your blood pressure is too high or too low (and how it could affect your ability to perform CPR).

Introduction

When you have a bleeding wound, your first instinct might be to apply pressure directly over the wound. This is a good idea in some cases and not in others. Some wounds require direct pressure; others require indirect pressure. In other words, some wounds bleed out more quickly than others because they have "collateral circulation"--a backup system that keeps blood flowing through them even when there's no direct connection between arteries and veins (which is why they're called "collateral"). Direct pressure can stop this flow by pressing down on nearby capillaries or small veins and cutting off their connections with each other; indirect pressure doesn't block these alternate routes for blood flow.

Collateral circulation is the term used to describe the backup flow of blood that occurs when the main artery is damaged or blocked. While you may not have heard about it before, this type of circulation is actually a well-known phenomenon in the medical field, and it can be essential in cases of traumatic injury.

In addition to being an important part of your body's regular functioning, collateral circulation can also help save lives in emergency situations. When arteries are damaged by trauma, such as a gunshot wound or broken bone (for example), your body tries to create more blood vessels so that oxygenated blood continues flowing through them despite any damage done by trauma. This process is called collateral circulation; it's a form of backup blood flow that can be used by the body in case of injury.

The most common type of collateral circulation occurs when arteries are damaged: 

The lymphatic system--an interconnected network of tiny tubes--can take over much of the work done by damaged arteries if they aren't too badly injured. 

Veins also become wider during times when there isn't enough pressure from arterial flow pushing against them; this increased size allows more fluid into veins' walls so they expand further than usual. 

In rare cases where neither venous nor lymphatic channels are sufficient for adequate blood supply, capillaries will open up under high-pressure conditions due to increased need for oxygenated blood at sites where injuries have occurred.

How does collateral circulation work?

Collateral circulation is the backup flow of blood that occurs when the main artery is damaged or blocked. Collateral circulation can be described as a network of smaller vessels that connect to the main artery, which is called an arteriole (plural: arterioles). This network of arterioles is what we refer to as collateral circulation and it protects against ischemia (lack of oxygen) by increasing blood flow to an organ or tissue via arterioles. In cases where there has been a traumatic injury, this process may result in increased perfusion (blood flow) through collateral channels allowing for protection against tissue death while maintaining adequate oxygenation levels.[1]

Benefits of pressure points for bleeding

  • Pressure points can stop bleeding.
  • They're easy to use, even if you're not perfectly trained in first aid.
  • They're effective in many situations and settings, including at home or on the go (in case of an accident).
  • You can use pressure points on yourself or others; this is especially helpful if you're alone with no one else around who knows how to help you stop the bleeding!
  • The best part about pressure points for bleeding? They reduce your risk of infection when compared with other methods for stopping blood flow like bandages, tourniquets, and direct pressure from fingers/hands/arms etcetera... because those things often require touching potentially dirty surfaces which may contain harmful bacteria that could get into wounds caused by cuts or scrapes from falling down stairs while rushing out late at night after work without looking both ways before crossing street corners while texting friends back home who just moved away after graduating high school four years ago but still keep asking questions like "how's life?" every time they meet up again...

Takeaway:

The takeaway from this article is that there are pressure points for bleeding that you can use to control and stop bleeding.

  • Collateral circulation - The body has a natural blood clotting mechanism, but when it fails to work properly, you might need to step in and help.
  • Trauma - If someone suffers an injury or puncture wound, it's important to apply pressure immediately to the site of injury.
  • Injury - Open wounds that don't get treated could lead to excessive bleeding and even death if not treated quickly enough!

Conclusion

The next time you have an injury that's bleeding profusely, remember these pressure points for bleeding. They can be lifesaving in cases of traumatic injury, so it's important that you know how to use them.


FIRST AID CERTIFICATION
Back to blog