The use of a tourniquet is a dangerous maneuver and should be avoided at all costs. Using a tourniquet to stop bleeding should only be used as a last resort. All avenues of treatment should be tried before considering a tourniquet. A tourniquet is designed to cut off blood flow to a wound by effectively stopping circulation in the limb to which it is applied, to prevent the injured person from bleeding to death. Although extreme caution is required, it is important to use a tourniquet, if necessary, before the person experiences circulatory shock or hypovolemia.
Lawsuits
The use of tourniquets is no longer taught in many countries because there have been many incidents of loss of limbs from tourniquets used by untrained persons. Many times, it was determined, after the fact, that the tourniquet was unnecessary. People trying to help accident victims were put on trial for using a tourniquet to save someone’s life. Usually, it is the victim or the victim’s family who files the lawsuit. There are other ways to stop the bleeding that should be tried.
Pressure and Elevation
If there is something sticking out of a wound, it is best to leave the object there, as it can stop the bleeding. If the wound is bleeding profusely or gushing, apply direct pressure to the wound with a pressure bandage, if one is available. If not, any piece of fabric will work. In emergency first aid, if you can find a clean cloth quickly, that’s great, but if not, any cloth will do. Apply direct pressure and, when possible, elevate the wound to a point higher than the heart. Try to keep the injured person calm so that the heart does not pump blood too fast to control it. In arterial bleeding, pressure and elevation (if possible) will control bleeding in 90% of cases.
pressure points
If a person is in danger of bleeding to death from a wound to the extremities, there are pressure points where blood circulation can be affected by applying direct pressure. These points are not easily found if the patient is agitated or in a state of extreme agitation. The trick is to find the pressure point on the wound and apply enough pressure to slow or stop the flow of blood. The pressure point can be found by finding the pulse point of the limb. When pressure points are used, there is a danger of necrosis. This means premature death of the tissue below the pressure point. This is the reason why tourniquets are considered only a life-saving treatment.
Tacky but also true
If you come across a person who is bleeding to death, call the emergency services. If you choose to apply first aid, try everything you can think of before resorting to using tourniquets, and even then, get permission from the victims before doing so. Make sure someone else listens as the injured person gives permission. This may sound tacky, but if you are alone with the injured party and have a notebook or pen and paper, ask the person to write the permission slip first if possible. It sounds terrible, but people have been sued for everything they own because they used a tourniquet to save a life and the injured person lost their limb.
