American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [120]
Bleeding from the arm
An artery runs along the inner side of the upper arm. To stop bleeding in an arm, press the artery against the arm bone with your fingertips at a point between the armpit and elbow, in line with the muscle.
Bleeding from the leg
An artery runs across the groin and down the leg. To stop bleeding in the leg, hold the person’s upper thigh with both hands and press hard in the center of the groin with both thumbs, one on top of the other.
Pressure point on the leg
Call or have someone call 911 or your local emergency number, or send someone for help. Take the following steps to treat the chest wound:
1. Do not remove any object that is embedded in the wound.
2. Using the palm of your hand, press firmly over the site of the wound, using a clean pad or piece of clothing.
3. If the wound is not a sucking wound (see page 159), cover the entire wound and about 2 inches around it with a petroleum gauze dressing, large cloth, sheet of foil, or plastic wrap. Try to make the dressing airtight using tape or another adhesive. If you don’t have tape, place a hand on each side of the wound and firmly push the skin together to close the wound.
4. If the wound seems to be sucking in air, seal the wound after the person has exhaled, but leave one corner untaped, which will prevent air from being trapped in the chest cavity and pressing on the collapsed lung.
5. Lay the person down with the head and shoulders raised and the body leaning slightly toward the injured side.
6. Don’t give the person anything to eat or drink.
Shock
Shock is a life-threatening reduction in the flow of blood to body tissues. Shock usually results from a serious illness or injury, such as a heart attack (see page 157), spinal injury (see page 167), severe bleeding (see page 159), severe burn (see next page), poisoning (see page 169), or a severe allergic reaction (see page 916).
A person who is in shock looks pale and sweaty; has cool, moist skin and a weak, rapid pulse; and acts confused. The person may say that he or she feels faint or drowsy. Eventually the person will become unconscious. A person who is in shock requires immediate treatment. Call or have someone call 911 or your local emergency number, or send someone for help.
To Treat Shock
After calling or having someone call 911 or your local emergency number, or sending someone for help, take the following measures to treat shock:
If the person is not breathing:
1. Start mouth-to-mouth resuscitation immediately (see page 156). If the person has no heartbeat, perform CPR if you have had CPR training.
If the person is breathing:
1. Do not move a person who may have head, neck, or back injuries.
2. Treat any severe injuries or illness (see those listed under “Shock” below left).
3. If the person is vomiting or unconscious, lay the person down on his or her side with his or her head tilted back slightly (with the mouth open) to prevent choking on fluids or vomit.
4. If the person is not vomiting, is conscious, and does not have back, spine, neck, head, or chest injuries, raise his or her legs about a foot to allow blood to flow to the upper body.
Lay the person down with the feet raised
5. Loosen any tight clothing, and keep the person comfortable and warm.
Keep the person warm
6. Don’t give the person anything to eat or drink.
Electric Shock or Lightning Shock
Exposure to ordinary household current in the United States seldom causes serious problems, but an electric shock from a high-voltage wire can be fatal. Being struck by lightning can also be fatal. The shock of an electric current entering and leaving the body can disrupt the electrical activity in the brain that controls breathing and can make the heart stop beating. It can also knock a person down and cause unconsciousness, internal injuries, and broken bones (from muscle contractions). There may be only small marks where the current entered and left the body.