PHOTO: If you are into knives, learn emergency first aid for bleeding

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cc8

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This happened to me yesterday. I was sat on the sofa and my Ontario Rat 1 fell out of my hands, pierced a vein above my ankle, and blood started streaming out of my leg. It happened in a split second. You know how fast blood comes out when you have a sample taken from your arm? I immediately applied pressure with my thumb. I was in shock and almost fainted on the phone to the emergency room and thought I might bleed to death, but thankfully the bleeding stopped, but I thought it wouldn't. The cut was 10mm long by 3mm deep.

If you cut yourself you have to apply pressure to it using your fingers, hand or better some cloth, lay down, and raise the injured area above heart level if possible.

This may have been a freak accident but it can happen anytime, worse it could happen in the woods, so knife owners make sure you know the technique of emergency first aid for bleeding.
 
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In the case of a very sever cut to an artery it might be necessary to apply pressure to a nearby pressure point as well. There's usually a bundle of arteries near pressure points, so applying pressure here can reduce the bleeding at the source as they often feed the artery effected.

It's also important not to panic and not to make sudden movements. It may seem like the best idea to jump up and run to get aid, but in reality you may be hastening the bleeding by increasing your heart rate and respiratory rate, and especially in a situation where doing so may just add more injury. Be calm, and take slow and deep breaths; don't hyperventilate because that can increase heart rate. Just be slow and deliberate if you have to move to aid.

Also, be resourceful, and try to find something to form a ligature to apply pressure if you can. This not only leaves your hands free, but it keeps you from having to apply constant pressure which may be a matter between life and death. Loss of consciousness can come far before critical blood loss, so if you are not conscious to apply pressure, you may bleed out whereas if you had something else to apply pressure you conserve your energy and will not just immediately bleed out if you happen to lose consciousness. Think belts, socks, telephone or electronic cords, basically anything you can tie and squeeze that fixes with friction. If it's something that is long but flat like a pillow sheet or a shirt, roll it up. An EMT that did a first aid seminar at my old trade school once encountered a guy that emptied a trash bag and rolled it up.
 
One hell of a first post. Wecome to BF. Glad you're not too badly injured.
 
cc8, you have been initiated!
Nice entry post, welcome! You'd better not do the cutting-yourself thing again, although it's said chicks dig scars on a guy :D

Edited to add: As a blood donor, I'm used to bleeding myself :D
 
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That is one unlucky cut, glad your ok.

When I was on vacation last week one of my friends was helping with food prep slicing potatoes with a convexed mora. He slipped slicing his index finger on the side. He instantly grabbed his pant leg and let me and my brother know what he did. When I asked to see it he was hesitant to show so I kinda realized he cut himself good, when he raised his hand he had about a 1in red line where the blade had made contact. It wasn't bleeding yet but I knew from past experiences it was deep. I quickly went to my pack to get my med kit, when I asked to see it again he raised his blood covered hand and started to panic. I wasn't too worried because I knew he didn't hit a vein but I don't think he expecting it to be as bad as it was, it looked like a paper cut at first.

We got him cleaned up and taped up but if it wasn't for the new med kits in the new packs things would have really sucked. The nearest hospital was 45 minutes away and EMS was 20 minutes in that area.
My dad has been a paramedic all my life so I've gained some first aid experience throughout the years. Came in handy that day for sure.
 
welcome to forum too bad it was such a traumatic introduction. this post has good info because many of us have had bad cuts. only recently i've started to carry a small 1st aid supply in my day pack. this is even when only going in a coupal of miles.as i've gotten older i realized i'm not bullet proof.
dennis
 
Welcome and at the rate your going you may want to pick up some quick clot for the next time you get cut.
We all know if you play with sharp knives its bound to happen sooner or later. :eek: Glad your ok though. :thumbup:
 
Stuff with teepee and wrap with duct tape... always works for me, at least til I can get to the doc-in-the-box :D
 
d762nato said:
Welcome and at the rate your going you may want to pick up some quick clot for the next time you get cut.
We all know if you play with sharp knives its bound to happen sooner or later. :eek: Glad your ok though. :thumbup:
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Well, there's some really bad advice.

QuikClot for a 3mm deep wound? How much surrounding tissue are you prepared to destroy using clotting agent in a wound that can be handled with direct pressure?
 
Don't feel bad. I sliced my wrist open trying to open a package of very well taped Care Bears I ordered for my daughter off ebay one time. My custom fixed blade was dull and I was pulling towards me and my knife wouldn't slice through the thick layers of packaging tape. I pulled with much more force and it sliced through and the tip (which was still sharp) sliced through my wrist. Talk about bleeding!!! I work at a hospital and was going through a divorce at the time and when I went to the hospital my co-workers accused me of trying to kill myself because I was depressed over the divorce situation.:D
 
CWL said:
Well, there's some really bad advice.

QuikClot for a 3mm deep wound? How much surrounding tissue are you prepared to destroy using clotting agent in a wound that can be handled with direct pressure?
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I think the joke was that since his first post was a cut, a bigger one is on the way so be prepared.
 
for the more mundane injuries I find Ice really helps. If you can get enough ice around the injury (only tried it on small, but profuse bleeders on my hands) it can really help to stop the bleeding, because the skin gets cold, and the blood flows away from cold tissue. also it really helps with the associated pain.

so did you join as a result of your injury:D
 
Welcome to the forums. What we really want to know is did the blood stain the blade or not. :D

- Mark

P.S. Seriously, glad you're OK.
 
cc8 said:
PHOTO: If you are into knives, learn emergency first aid for bleeding
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Nonsense, or words to that effect.

I've been carrying and using knives for ~50 years and have never needed "emergency first aid".

Learn to use a knife correctly and you won't need "emergency first aid" either.
 
knarfeng said:
Nonsense, or words to that effect.

I've been carrying and using knives for ~50 years and have never needed "emergency first aid".

Learn to use a knife correctly and you won't need "emergency first aid" either.
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I think that is fair enough.
Perhaps there should be a 10 Commandments of Knife Safety as well.

I carry a small pack of 5-10 Hansaplasts plasters, Zam-Buk ointment, a few gauze pads (and planning to get some sanitary handwipes) along with safety pins, medicated oil, paracetamol, anti-stomachache pills etc as part of my work gear.

Never cut myself badly with a folder before, an accidental sweep of a box cutter blade left my right thumb dripping with blood for a few minutes, which I considered to be the most serious cut so far.
 
The only knife injuries that I can remember were the result of using a knife for something it never should have been used for.
 
knarfeng said:
Nonsense, or words to that effect.

I've been carrying and using knives for ~50 years and have never needed "emergency first aid".

Learn to use a knife correctly and you won't need "emergency first aid" either.
Click to expand...

accidents happen
 
I make small medical kits and give them to friends and family. I keep them in my packs, car, and house.

Everyone has band aids, but it is sometimes rare to find people with butterfly bandages, gauze pads, and medical tape (among other things).

At the very least, if I have no medical kit with me -I always carry a plastic card with duct tape wrapped around it in my back pocket. With this, I can improvise a bandage that wont stick to the wound.

Welcome to the forums:p:thumbup:.
 
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