LIFESAVING Techniques
Control panic, both your own and the victim's. Reassure him and try
to keep him quiet.
Perform a rapid physical exam. Look for the cause of the injury and
follow the ABCs of first aid, starting with the airway and breathing,
but be discerning. A person may die from arterial bleeding more quickly
than from an airway obstruction in some cases.
Open Airway and Maintain
You can open an airway and maintain it by using the following steps.
Step 1. Check if the victim has a partial or
complete airway obstruction. If he can cough or speak, allow him to
clear the obstruction naturally. Stand by, reassure the victim, and be
ready to clear his airway and perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation
should he become unconscious. If his airway is completely obstructed,
administer abdominal thrusts until the obstruction is cleared.
Step 2. Using a finger, quickly sweep the victim's mouth clear of
any foreign objects, broken teeth, dentures, sand.
Step 3. Using the jaw thrust method, grasp the angles of the
victim's lower jaw and lift with both hands, one on each side, moving
the jaw forward. For stability, rest your elbows on the surface on which
the victim is lying. If his lips are closed, gently open the lower lip
with your thumb (Figure 4-1).
Step 4. With the victim's airway open, pinch his nose closed with
your thumb and forefinger and blow two complete breaths into his lungs.
Allow the lungs to deflate after the second inflation and perform the
following:
- Look for his chest to rise and fall.
- Listen
for escaping air during exhalation.
- Feel
for flow of air on your cheek.
Step 5. If the forced breaths do not stimulate spontaneous
breathing, maintain the victim's breathing by performing mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation.
Step 6. There is danger of the victim vomiting during
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Check the victim's mouth periodically for
vomit and clear as needed.
Note: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be necessary after
cleaning the airway, but only after major bleeding is under control.
See FM 21-20, the American Heart Association manual, the Red Cross
manual, or most other first aid books for detailed instructions on
CPR.
Control Bleeding
Severe bleeding from any major blood vessel in the body is extremely
dangerous. The loss of 1 liter of blood will produce moderate symptoms
of shock. The loss of 2 liters will produce a severe state of shock that
places the body in extreme danger. The loss of 3 liters is usually
fatal.
In a survival situation, you must control serious bleeding
immediately because replacement fluids normally are not available and
the victim can die within a matter of minutes. External bleeding falls
into the following classifications (according to its source):
- Arterial.
Blood vessels called arteries carry blood away from
the heart and through the body. A cut artery issues bright red
blood from the wound in distinct spurts or pulses that
correspond to the rhythm of the heartbeat. Because the blood in the
arteries is under high pressure, an individual can lose a large volume
of blood in a short period when damage to an artery of significant
size occurs. Therefore, arterial bleeding is the most serious type of
bleeding. If not controlled promptly, it can be fatal.
- Venous
. Venous blood is blood that is returning to the heart
through blood vessels called veins. A steady flow of dark red,
maroon, or bluish blood characterizes bleeding from a vein.
You can usually control venous bleeding more easily than arterial
bleeding.
- Capillary.
The capillaries are the extremely small vessels
that connect the arteries with the veins. Capillary bleeding most
commonly occurs in minor cuts and scrapes. This type of bleeding is
not difficult to control.
You can control external bleeding by direct pressure, indirect
(pressure points) pressure, elevation, digital ligation, or tourniquet.
Direct Pressure
The most effective way to control external bleeding is by applying
pressure directly over the wound. This pressure must not only be firm
enough to stop the bleeding, but it must also be maintained long enough
to "seal off" the damaged surface.
If bleeding continues after having applied direct pressure for 30
minutes, apply a pressure dressing. This dressing consists of a thick
dressing of gauze or other suitable material applied directly over the
wound and held in place with a tightly wrapped bandage (Figure
4-2). It should be tighter than an ordinary compression bandage but
not so tight that it impairs circulation to the rest of the limb. Once
you apply the dressing, do not remove it, even when the dressing
becomes blood soaked.
Leave the pressure dressing in place for 1 or 2 days, after which you
can remove and replace it with a smaller dressing.
In the long-term survival environment, make fresh, daily dressing
changes and inspect for signs of infection.
Elevation
Raising an injured extremity as high as possible above the heart's
level slows blood loss by aiding the return of blood to the heart and
lowering the blood pressure at the wound. However, elevation alone will
not control bleeding entirely; you must also apply direct pressure over
the wound. When treating a snakebite, however, keep the extremity lower
than the heart.
Pressure Points
A pressure point is a location where the main artery to the wound
lies near the surface of the skin or where the artery passes directly
over a bony prominence (Figure 4-3). You can use
digital pressure on a pressure point to slow arterial bleeding until the
application of a pressure dressing. Pressure point control is not as
effective for controlling bleeding as direct pressure exerted on the
wound. It is rare when a single major compressible artery supplies a
damaged vessel.
If you cannot remember the exact location of the pressure points,
follow this rule: Apply pressure at the end of the joint just above the
injured area. On hands, feet, and head, this will be the wrist, ankle,
and neck, respectively.
|
WARNING
Use caution when applying pressure to the neck. Too much
pressure for too long may cause unconsciousness or death. Never
place a tourniquet around the neck.
|
Maintain pressure points by placing a round stick in the joint,
bending the joint over the stick, and then keeping it tightly bent by
lashing. By using this method to maintain pressure, it frees your hands
to work in other areas.
Digital Ligation
You can stop major bleeding immediately or slow it down by applying
pressure with a finger or two on the bleeding end of the vein or artery.
Maintain the pressure until the bleeding stops or slows down enough to
apply a pressure bandage, elevation, and so forth.
Tourniquet
Use a tourniquet only when direct pressure over the bleeding point
and all other methods did not control the bleeding. If you leave a
tourniquet in place too long, the damage to the tissues can progress to
gangrene, with a loss of the limb later. An improperly applied
tourniquet can also cause permanent damage to nerves and other tissues
at the site of the constriction.
If you must use a tourniquet, place it around the extremity, between
the wound and the heart, 5 to 10 centimeters above the wound site (Figure
4-4). Never place it directly over the wound or a fracture. Use a
stick as a handle to tighten the tourniquet and tighten it only enough
to stop blood flow. When you have tightened the tourniquet, bind the
free end of the stick to the limb to prevent unwinding.
After you secure the tourniquet, clean and bandage the wound. A lone
survivor does not remove or release an applied tourniquet. In a
buddy system, however, the buddy can release the tourniquet pressure
every 10 to 15 minutes for 1 or 2 minutes to let blood flow to the rest
of the extremity to prevent limb loss.
Prevent and Treat Shock
Anticipate shock in all injured personnel. Treat all injured persons
as follows, regardless of what symptoms appear (Figure
4-5):
- If the victim is conscious, place him on a level surface with the
lower extremities elevated 15 to 20 centimeters.
- If the victim is unconscious, place him on his side or abdomen
with his head turned to one side to prevent choking on vomit, blood,
or other fluids.
- If you are unsure of the best position, place the victim perfectly
flat. Once the victim is in a shock position, do not move him.
- Maintain body heat by insulating the victim from the surroundings
and, in some instances, applying external heat.
- If wet, remove all the victim's wet clothing as soon as possible
and replace with dry clothing.
- Improvise a shelter to insulate the victim from the weather.
- Use warm liquids or foods, a pre-warmed sleeping bag, another
person, warmed water in canteens, hot rocks wrapped in clothing, or
fires on either side of the victim to provide external warmth.
- If the victim is conscious, slowly administer small doses of a
warm salt or sugar solution, if available.
- If the victim is unconscious or has abdominal wounds, do not give
fluids by mouth.
- Have the victim rest for at least 24 hours.
- If you are a lone survivor, lie in a depression in the ground,
behind a tree, or any other place out of the weather, with your head
lower than your feet.
- If you are with a buddy, reassess your patient constantly.
|
