10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

HowtoTreataBulletWound
FourParts:

ProvidingBasicFirstAid

TreatingaWoundintheArmsorLegs

AssessingtheVictim'sStatus
TreatingaSuckingChestWound

Gunshotwoundsareoneofthemosttraumaticinjuriesyoucansuffer.It's
difficulttoassesstheextentofdamagedonebyagunshotwound,andit
typicallyfarexceedswhatyoucanreasonablytreatwithfirstaid.Forthis
reason,thebestoptionistogetthevictimtoahospitalassoonaspossible.
However,therearesomefirstaidmeasuresthatyoucantakebefore
professionalassistancearrives.

BackPainTreatment

Ad

SufferingfromBackPain?GetBestBackPain
Treatment@Home

Part1of4:ProvidingBasicFirstAid

Establishthatyouareinasafeposition.Ifthevictimwasshotunintentionally
(e.g.,whilehunting),makesurethateveryone'sfirearmispointedawayfrom

others,clearedofammo,safe,andsecured.Ifthevictimwasshotinacrime,verifythat
theshooterisnolongeronthesceneandthatbothyouandthevictimaresafefrom
furtherinjury.Wearpersonalprotectiveequipmentifavailable.
Ad

TopSIPInvestmentplans
myuniverse.co.in/ZipSIP

Callforhelp.Dial911foremergencymedicalassistance.Ifyouarecallingfroma
cellphone,becertainthatyoucanprovidetheoperatoryourlocation.Theoperator

willhavedifficultylocatingyouotherwise.[1]

Keepthevictiminplace.Donotmovethevictimunlessyoumustdosotokeep
himsafeoraccesscare.Movingthevictimcouldaggravateaspinalinjury.

Elevatingthewoundcanlimitbleeding,butshouldnotbeconsideredunlessyouare
confidentthatthereisnospinalinjury.

Actquickly.Timeisyourenemyintreatingthevictim.Victimswhoreachmedical
facilitiesduringthe"GoldenHour"haveamuchbetterlikelihoodofsurviving.Tryto

keepyourmovementsswiftwithoutmakingthemcrazyandpanicked.

http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

1/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

Applydirectpressuretocontrolbleeding.Takecloth,bandage,orgauzeand
pressdirectlyagainstthewoundusingthepalmofyourhand.Continueforatleast

tenminutes.Ifbleedingdoesnotstop,checkthelocationofthewoundandconsiderre
positioningyourself.[2]Addnewbandagesovertheolddonotremovebandageswhen
theybecomesoaked.[3].

Applydressing.Ifthebleedingsubsides,applyclothorgauzetothewound.Wrap
itaroundthewoundtoapplypressure.Donot,however,wrapsotightlythatthe

victimlosescirculationorfeelingintheirextremities.[4]

Bepreparedtotreatthevictimforshock.Gunshotwoundsfrequentlyleadto
shock,aconditioncausedbytraumaorlossofblood.Expectthatagunshotvictim

willshowsignsofshockandtreatthemaccordinglybymakingsurethevictim'sbody
temperatureremainsconsistentcoverthepatientsothatheorshedoesnotgetcold.
Loosentightclothinganddrapeinblanketorcoat.Typicallyyouwouldwanttoelevate
thelegsofsomewhatundergoingshock,butrefrainfromdoingsoiftheymighthavea
spinalinjuryorawoundinthetorso.[5]

Givereassurance.Tellthepatientthatthey'reokayandthatyou'rehelping.

Staywiththeperson.Continuetoreassureandkeepthevictimwarm.Waitfor

Reassuranceisimportant.Askthepersontotalktoyou.Keepthepersonwarm.

theauthorities.Ifthebloodcongealsaroundthebulletwound,donotremoveblood

matsonwound,asthisisactingtostopperthebloodandpreventanymorefromflowing
out.
Ad

Part2of4:AssessingtheVictim'sStatus

RemembertheA,B,C,D,E's.Foradvancedtreatmentitisimportanttoconsider
thestatusofthepatient.A,B,C,D,Eisaneasywaytoremembertheimportant

factorsyoushouldconsider.Assessthesefivecriticalfactorstoseewhatsortof
assistancethevictimrequires.[6]

Checktheairway.Ifthepersonistalking,theirairwayisprobablyclear.Ifthe
personisunconscious,checktomakesurethathisairwayisnotobstructed.Ifitis

andthereisnospineinjuryperformaheadtilt.[7]Applygentlepressuretotheforehead
withthepalmofonehead,whileplacingtheotherunderthechinandusingittotiltthe
http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

2/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

headback.[8]

Checkingbreathing.Isthevictimtakingregularbreaths?Canyouseehisorher
chestrisingandfalling?Ifthevictimisnotbreathing,sweephisorhermouthfor

obstructionsandstartrescuebreathingimmediately.

Checkcirculation.Applypressuretoanybleeding,thencheckthevictim'spulse
atthewristorthroat.Doesthevictimhaveadiscerniblepulse?Ifnot,beginCPR.

Controlanymajorbleeding.

Checkfordisability.Disabilityreferstodamagetothespinalcordorneck.Check
toseeifthevictimcanmovehandsandfeet.Ifnot,theremaybeaninjurytothe

spinalcord.Deformityreferstothingssuchascompoundorobviousfractures,
dislocations,oranythingthatlooksoutofplaceorunnatural.Ifthevictimshowssignsof
disability,youshouldrefrainfrommovinghimorher.

Checkforexposure.Alwayslookforanexitwound.Checkthevictimas
thoroughlyaspossibleforotherwoundsthatyoumaybeunawareof.Payspecial

attentiontothearmpit,buttocksorotherdifficulttoseeareas.Avoidcompletely
undressingthevictimbeforeemergencyhelparrivesasthismayadvanceshock.
Ad

Part3of4:TreatingaWoundintheArmsorLegs

Elevatethelimbandapplydirectpressuretothewound.Carefullyassessthe
situationtodeterminethatthereisnosignofdisabilityoranywoundsthatwould

suggestthevictimsustainedaspinalinjury.Ifthisisthecaseelevatethelimbabovethe
hearttoreducebloodflow.Applydirectpressuretostopbleedingasdescribedabove.

Applyindirectpressure.Inadditiontodirectpressure,itisalsopossibletoapply
indirectpressureforlimbinjuriestolimitthebloodflowtothewound.Thisisdone

byputtingpressureonarteriesor,astheyaresometimescalled,pressurepoints.They
willfeellikeparticularlylargeandhardveins.Applyingpressuretothemwilllimitinternal
bleeding,butyouneedtoapplypressuretotheverifythatthearteryappliestothe
wound.[9]
Toslowbloodflowtothearmpressonthebrachialarteryontheinnersideof
thearm,oppositetheelbow.[10]
Forgroinorthighinjuriesapplypressuretothefemoralartery,betweenthe
http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

3/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

groinandtheupperthigh.Thisoneisparticularlylarge.Youwillhavetousethe
entireheelofhandtoreducecirculation.[11]
Forlowerlegwounds,applypressuretothepoplitealartery,behindtheknee.
[12]

MakeaTourniquet.Thedecisiontoapplyatourniquetshouldnotbetakenlightly
becauseitmightresultinlossoflimb.Butifthebleedingisextremelysevereand

youhavebandageorfabriconhandyoucan,considermakingatourniquet.Wrap
bandagetightlyaroundthelimb,betweenthewoundandtheheart,asclosetothe
woundaspossible.Wraparoundlimbseveraltimesandtieaknot.Leaveenoughfabric
totieasecondknotaroundastick.Twiststicktorestrictbloodflow.[13]
Ad

WinRs.3,00,000Weekly
ace2three.com/PlayRummy

Part4of4:TreatingaSuckingChestWound

Recognizeasuckingchestwound.Ifabullethaspenetratedthechest,itis
probablethatasuckingchestwoundexists.Airiscominginthroughthewound,

butnotcomingout,collapsingthelung.Signsofasuckingchestwoundincludea
suckingsoundemanatingfromthechest,coughingupblood,frothybloodcomingfrom
wound,andshortnessofbreath.Whenindoubt,treatthewoundasasuckingchest
wound.[14]

Findandexposewound.Lookforthewound.Removeclothesfromwound.If
somefabricisstucktothewound,cutaroundit.Determineifthereisanexit

woundandifsoapplyproceduretobothsidesofthevictimswound.

Sealthewoundonthreesides.Takeairtightmaterial,plasticisbest,andtapeit
aroundthewound,coveringallsidesexceptforthebottomcorner.Oxygenwill

escapefromthishole.[15]
Asyousealthewound,encouragethepatienttocompletelyexhaleandholdhis
orherbreath.Thiswillforceairoutofthewoundbeforeyousealit.[16]

Applydirectpressuretobothsidesofthewound.Itispossibletodothiswith

Carefullymonitorthepatient'sbreathing.Youcandothisbytalkingtothe

twopadsovereachwound,heldverytightlyinplacebyawrappedbandage.

consciouspatient,orwatchingthechestriseandfall.

http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

4/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

Ifthereisevidenceofrespiratoryfailure(stoppingbreathing),reducepressure
onthewoundtoallowthechesttoriseandfall.
Preparetoperformrescuebreathing.

Donotreleasepressureorremovethesealyoumadewhenmedical
assistancearrives.Theywilleitheruseyoursealorreplaceitwithabetterone.

TopSIPInvestmentplans

Ad

myuniverse.co.in/ZipSIP

Giveus3minutesofknowledge!
Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

Canyoutellusabout

Letterwriting?

Android?

ClubPenguin
Missions?

Haircare?

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Yes

No

Tips
Whenmedicalassistancearrives,bepreparedtoinformthemwhatyou
havedonesofar.
Gunshotscausethreetypesoftrauma:penetration(destructionofflesh
bytheprojectile),cavitation(damagefromthebullet'sshockwavein
thebody),andfragmentation(causedbypiecesoftheprojectileor
lead).[17]
Itisverydifficulttoaccuratelyassesstheseverityofagunshotwound
baseduponwhatisvisibleonthevictiminternaldamagemaybe
severeevenincircumstanceswheretheentranceandexitwoundsare
small.
Donotworryabouthavingsteriledressingsordirtyhands.Aninfection
canbetreatedlater.However,dotakeprecautionstoprotectyourself
fromthevictim'sbloodorotherliquids.Doyourselfafavorandwear
glovesifatallpossible.
Gunshotwoundsareacommoncauseofspinalcordinjury.Ifthe
victimappearstohaveaspinalcordinjury,donotmovehimunless
youabsolutelymust.Ifyoumustmovethevictim,besuretokeepthe
head,neckandbackaligned.
Pressureiskey,itstopstheflowandcontainsthebloodtohelpcreate
abloodclot.
http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

5/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow
Ad

Warnings
Avoidbloodborneillnesses.Makesureanyopenwoundsyoumay
havedonotcomeincontactwiththevictim'sblood.
Evenwiththebestfirstaid,gunshotwoundsmaybefatal.
Donotputyourownlifeatriskwhentreatingagunshotvictim.

SourcesandCitations
1. http://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/whycalling911yourcellnot
alwaysgoodidean99736
2. http://danger.mongabay.com/gunshot_wound_bleeding.htm
3. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001334
4. http://danger.mongabay.com/gunshot_wound_bleeding.htm
5. http://www.mayoclinic.org/firstaid/firstaidshock/basics/art20056620
6. http://www.emsworld.com/article/10319706/gunshotwounds
7. http://www.healthline.com/humanbodymaps/brachialartery
8. http://www.ambulancetechnicianstudy.co.uk/bls.html#.VX5AeulRHGk
9. http://danger.mongabay.com/gunshot_wound_bleeding.htm
10. http://www.livestrong.com/article/96395pressurepointsstop
bleeding/
11. http://www.livestrong.com/article/96395pressurepointsstop
bleeding/
12. http://www.livestrong.com/article/96395pressurepointsstop
bleeding/
13. http://danger.mongabay.com/gunshot_wound_bleeding.htm
14.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/powerpoint/First_Aid_Present
ations/applyadressingtoanop5.shtml
15.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/powerpoint/First_Aid_Present
ations/applyadressingtoanop5.shtml
16.
http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/powerpoint/First_Aid_Present
http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

6/7

10/2/2015

HowtoTreataBulletWound(withPictures)wikiHow

ations/applyadressingtoanop5.shtml
17. http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/40001334

ArticleInfo

Categories:FeaturedArticles|FirstAidandEmergencies
Inotherlanguages:

Featured
Article

Italiano:CurareunaFeritad'ArmadaFuoco,Espaol:curarunaheridade
bala,Deutsch:EineSchussverletzungbehandeln,Portugus:TratarumFerimentoa
Bala,:
,Franais:traiteruneblessureparballe

Thankstoallauthorsforcreatingapagethathasbeenread559,874times.

http://www.wikihow.com/TreataBulletWound

7/7