If the person you are caring for is bleeding, you may want to put on gloves before tending to any wounds. The person who is bleeding may have a communicable disease, so unless you are certain of his or her health history, wearing gloves may be a good precaution.

Treatment for Bleeding

Treatment for bleeding includes:

1. Act quickly. Ask your loved one to lie down, or help him or her down to the ground, a couch, or a bed. If the injured area is a limb (arm or leg), elevate the limb higher than his or her heart. The only exception to this is if you suspect a broken bone. If you suspect a broken bone, do not elevate the limb as this may cause more damage.
2. Control bleeding by applying direct pressure on the wound with a gauze pad or a clean cloth.
3. If the bleeding is controlled by direct pressure, you may bandage the area firmly with rolled gauze. Doing this protects the wound from bacteria and dirt. Ask your loved one if the bandage feels tight enough to not fall off, but not too tight so that it hurts. If the bandage is too tight, your loved one’s pulse may slow down. You can check the pulse to make sure the bandage is loose enough.
4. If the bleeding is not controlled by use of direct pressure, apply a tourniquet only as a last resort. A tourniquet is a device used to wrap wounds.
5. Unless the wound is a minor surface-level cut or scrape, call for professional medical help.

If you are bleeding and have no one to help you, call for professional medical help. Lie down, so your body weight applies pressure to the bleeding site.