Anyone can stop bleeding using pressure points, possibly saving a life. When someone is bleeding uncontrollably, he can bleed to death in minutes or seconds. This can occur long before medical help arrives. When you apply pressure to pressure points involving blood flow, you can slow the bleeding and keep the victim alive until medical professionals arrive.
Instructions
1. Understand how blood flows in the human body. The heart pumps oxygen rich blood throughout the body through a system of arteries. The body absorbs the oxygen then returns the blood to the heart through a system of veins. When someone is bleeding heavily, they have cut open an artery or vein. The amount of blood being lost is an indication of how badly the artery or vein was cut.
2. Identify the area of the body that is bleeding and find the corresponding pressure point that will control the bleeding. Each part of the body has a major artery and vein feeding it blood. Look for it. Sometimes you can see a blue vein indicating where it is. Otherwise, feel for a pulse at each pressure point. This will indicate that you are pressing the right point.
3. If the bleeding is on the head above the ears, press the point just in front of the ear. You can find the exact spot by tracing a line from the corner of the eye straight back until you hit the ear. Feel for a slight indentation where you can feel a pulse.
4. If the bleeding is on the lower part of the face, press the point on the jaw bone half way between the chin and the end of the jaw. Pinch the jaw bone between a finger and your thumb.
5. If the bleeding is from the neck, press the point on the side between the Adam's Apple and neck muscles. This is where the carotid artery and jugular vein---which supply blood to the brain---are located. Stopping bleeding from here is a matter of life and death.
6. If the bleeding is from the shoulder or arm, use pressure points along the brachial artery. If the bleeding is high on the arm, press the point just above the middle of the collar bone. If the bleeding is low on the arm, press the point in the fold opposite the elbow on the inside of the arm.
7. If the bleeding is from the hand, press the points on both sides of the inner wrist. The first one is under the thumb, at the spot where a pulse is commonly felt. This is easy to locate since it is pulsing. The other pressure point is in a similar spot under the pinkie finger.
8. If the bleeding is from the groin or thighs, press the point on the femoral artery. You find it along the bikini line half way between the hip and the groin. A lot of blood flows through the femoral artery to supply oxygen to the legs. You will need to apply a considerable amount of pressure to stop the blood flow. Have the bleeding person lie down and press downward with your entire hand.
9. If the bleeding is from the shin, calf or foot, press the point on the popliteal artery. This is found in the fold opposite the knee cap, on the back of the leg.
Tags: , bleeding from, artery vein, pressure point, blood flow