Internal Bleeding, Eye Wounds and Embedded Objects

Severe internal bleeding is a potentially life-threatening condition. While the blood may not be obvious, it is still lost from the circulatory system and the victim is therefore very likely to go into shock. Internal bleeding may also cause a build-up of pressure that, in areas such as the skull or around the heart, can cause serious problems, loss of consciousness and, if untreated, lead to death.

SITES OF BLEEDING. Internal bleeding can be very difficult to identify, It is not unusual for internal bleeding to happen slowly, with signs and symptoms showing up days after an accident. It can happen to any part of the body but the richness of the blood supply in the stomach, around the organs such as the liver and the spleen, and in the bowel make these sites particularly vulnerable. Internal bleeding is also likely to accompany some broken bones. The thigh bone protects the femoral artery and if broken may pierce it, causing a large and life-threatening bleed.

TREATMENT

1. Treat for shock. Keep the person warm. Place him in a comfortable position, preferably lying down with the legs slightly raised. Reassure him. Treat any external bleeding or bleeding from orifices.
2. Call 911 as soon as possible and explain what has happened. Monitor and record the person's pulse and breathing rates. This information will be useful for the medical staff in determining the extent of the injury.

If the person becomes unconscious, place in the recovery position and monitor airway and breathing. Be prepared to resuscitate in necessary.

MAJOR ORGANS SUSCEPTIBLE TO INTERNAL BLEEDING

Internal bleeding can happen in any part of the body but the stomach, the liver, spleen, and intestines are particularly vulnerable because they have a rich blood supply. Internal bleeding can be very difficult to identify and signs and symptoms may not arise until several days after an accident has occurred.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

• The person is known to have had an accident (not necessarily in the immediate past)
• Signs and symptoms of shock
• Bruising
• Boarding-- this most commonly occurs where there is bleeding into the stomach area; the quantity of blood combined with the tissues swelling result in a rigidity to the tissues
• Swelling
• Bleeding from body orifices

If there is any combination of these signs and symptoms, suspect internal bleeding.

BRUISING

Less serious internal bleeding such as small bruises can be treated with a cold compress to relieve pain and reduce swelling. However, the possibility of further internal bleeding or underlying injury should not be ruled out, particularly if the victim is known, for example, to have hit his head on a window during a traffic accident, or has been hit in the stomach by a reversing automobile.

EYE WOUNDS AND EMBEDDED OBJECTS
Cuts to the eye can be very frightening and even small, difficult to notice injuries are potentially very serious. However, medical treatments mean that even injuries that appear to be very severe may not necessarily result in the loss of sight in the eye. Do not touch the affected eye.

TREATMENT
Prevent further injury and get medical help as soon as possible.

1. Lie the person down, on his back if possible, and hold the head to prevent movement and keep it stable.
2. Ask the person to try to keep his eyes still to prevent movement of the injured eye. Ask the person to focus on something to prevent movement.
3. Ask the victim to hold a clean pad over the eye to help prevent movement and infection. If the wait for an ambulance or other help may take some time, you may wish to hold the pad for the person or to gently bandage it in place. However, because blood loss from the eye area is not likely to be life-threatening, any bandage should be use only to hold the pad in place and not to apply pressure.

Do not attempt to remove any object embedded in the eye. If the object is very long, then gently support it to prevent movement at its base. If small, ensure that the pad you place over the eye does not push it in any further.

TREATING AN OBJECT EMBEDDED IN THE WOUND

The first step in the treatment of any external bleeding is to check the extent of the injury and see if there is anything  embedded in the wound.

1. Apply pressure around the edges of the wound using your hands or the victim's hands without pressing on the object.
2. Replace this pressure with a dressing or clean material and bandage firmly in place, avoiding pressure on the object.
3. Raise the injured limb if possible to staunch the flow of blood.
4. Prevent longer objects from moving by supporting them with your hands or by packing around the base of the object with blankets.
5. Treat for shock and reassure the victim.

If the victim is impaled on something which cannot be moved, support him or her to stop from pulling on the impaled object and causing further damage. Where possible, treat the victim and ensure that the emergency team is aware of the need for cutting equipment.

WARNING!

If there is something stuck into the injury, do not attempt to remove it because:

• If the object went in at an angle, you may cause more damage pulling it out
• You may leave splinters in the wound
• The object may be pressing against a vein or an artery, reducing blood loss
• You may have mistaken a broken bone for a foreign body

The principles of applying pressure, elevating, and treating for shock still apply.

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Written by Unknown

Frederick Luneta is a 24-year old guy and he is a Computer Engineering student and a young part time blogger. Currently lives in the Philippines. He knows a lot about computer.