All of us have experienced cutting a finger at home. Usually, we handle it easily; we can stop the bleeding and somehow treat the wound. But, at war and in extreme situations where people suffer from severe combat injuries, time plays an important role. So professionals who provide medical aid must be able to work calmly and efficiently under intense pressure. Keep in mind that the faster you lose blood, the sooner you die. You need to buy time by stopping the bleeding at all costs.
Before providing medical care by following the instructions below, remember that you need to act as fast as possible, as every minute counts.
- First, find a secure place and have the injured person lie down.
- Keep the wound uncovered.
- Wear latex gloves, if available, or use a piece of clean fabric to place between the place of injury and your hands.
- Apply pressure to the wound for 15 min.
Although a blood transfusion may be necessary to counter the blood loss, it does not always assist with microvascular bleeding. The type of injury, care, and treatment objectives differ significantly between combat-wounded soldiers and civilian trauma patients. Even though due to hemorrhaging, approximately 50% of injured soldiers die, the published information about coagulation monitoring among combat patients is minimal.
The next steps in applying aid depend on the condition of the wounded. Check out the info below to discover how to stop different types of bleeding properly.
What Can Help Stop Combat Bleeding Fast?
Before applying treatment, it is essential to distinguish between the types of bleeding:
- Arterial bleeding сan be determined by a scarlet color.
- Venous bleeding is characterized by a dark red or maroon color.
- Capillary bleeding is not dangerous and may clot quickly. If blood oozes from the wound it is effortless to control, as the blood pressure in capillaries is very low.
Follow the instructions below to stop major combat bleeding:
- Clean the wound. The first thing that you need to do is try to stop the bleeding. Don’t remove large or deeply embedded objects and don’t probe the wound or attempt to clean it yet. Wear disposable protective gloves if available.
- Focus your efforts on stopping the bleeding. Apply direct pressure to the cut or wound with a clean cloth, tissue, or piece of gauze until bleeding stops. The pressure points you should be aware of to stop combat bleeding are as follows:
- Brachial artery – for bleeding from the upper limb
- Femoral artery – for bleeding from the lower limb
- Carotid artery – for bleeding from the neck
- Temporal artery – for bleeding from the scalp
- Facial artery – for bleeding from the face
- Subclavian artery – for bleeding from chest wall & armpit
- Cover the injured person with a blanket. Apply antibiotic cream to reduce the risk of infection and cover the wound with a sterile bandage. If possible, place the person on a rug or blanket to prevent loss of body heat, which is especially important during severe bleeding.
- Apply pressure to the area and keep the wound covered. If the blood continues seeping through the bandage, apply another bandage on top of it. Change the bandage often to keep the wound clean and dry. Keep pressing firmly on the area.
- If necessary, stop the bleeding with a tourniquet. A tourniquet is effective in controlling life-threatening bleeding from a limb. Do not apply a tourniquet unless the bleeding cannot be stopped with direct pressure. Apply direct pressure to the wound for at least 15 minutes, and use a tourniquet only as a last resort.
You can also learn how to save your teammates’ lives using smart autonomic bleeding control. It will help avoid severe hemorrhaging during tactical operations.
Stop combat bleeding with Xmetix
Investing in tactical clothing can save your life as while at war every drop of blood equals time. The autonomic bleeding control system built in the ultra-smart tactical clothing by Xmetix is designed to prevent hemorrhaging. It uses cutting-edge technology to save the lives of combat soldiers at war.
What is autonomic bleeding control?
Xmetix is pleased to offer you ultra-smart tactical clothing with autonomous bleeding detection and control. These clothes are available in multiple sizes for a perfect fit. The base fabric is US-made, Mil-Spec, lightweight, and fire-resistant. Xmetix clothing is an ideal fit for police and military applications.
FAQ
Tranexamic acid (TXA) is synthesized from lysine. It works by slowing the breakdown of blood clots and is not an anticoagulant. It is usually taken by women to stop heavy bleeding during the periods as well as in emergency departments, operating rooms, and intensive care units for external bleeding. Tranexamic can be taken by mouth, through injection into a muscle, or intravenously (IV).
The dosage of TXA is determined based on the person’s weight and the severity of the bleeding. If TXA is given by injection, it will start working within 5 minutes. The first dose is 10 – 20 mg of TXA followed by another dose of 10 – 20 mg after an hour. It lasts for 15-20 hours.
The 500 mg tablets are taken 2-3 tbl, 3 times a day for adults, and the 1000 mg tablets are taken 2-3 times (2 tablets). The dosage is lower for those experiencing kidney problems.
Some home remedies may be applicable for light-to-moderate injuries. A good combination is a mix of cornstarch and baking soda or simply cornstarch alone. One more option is to rub a clean bar of scent-free soap or a wet tea bag on the injury.
- Hemostatic dressing Combat Gauze is used to control severe and moderate bleeding. The active components are kaolin solution and white clay. The width is approximately 7.62 mm and the length is 3.64 m. It can be placed inside the wound for 24 hours.
- WoundStat granules consist of a mineral basis and can be applied to severe bleeding. However, they have several drawbacks:
- Non-biodegradable,
- Difficult to remove from the wound,
- Can cause inflammation.
There are also a lot of other hemostatics which can be applied to combat situations: Celox granules, Hemcon Chito-Gauze, etc.
Xmetix focuses on the development of revolutionary technologies. Its products are versatile and applicable to many different fields of human activity such as medical, sensing, software, and military.