When an emergency occurs, the ability to handle injuries is necessary. If you’re ever in a situation where you have to apply a tourniquet, you must keep your cool. In the heat of the moment, it’s easy to forget what you’re doing and make mistakes.
To be safe, get familiar with all the steps in advance. Practice this procedure until you can do it without hesitation. And then practice again. This way, when the time comes, you’ll be able to apply a tourniquet quickly and easily without uncertainty or doubt.
Here are the steps to follow on how to apply a tourniquet:
Step 1: Find The Wound
It was heavily studied in 2005 and 2006 that using a tourniquet in combat was helpful for survival. Look for blood and damaged tissue to find the wound from the accident. If you can see the wound, apply the tourniquet over it. If the injury is under clothing or in an area difficult to reach, cut away the clothing and use the tourniquet to expose the skin.
After finding the wound, place a clean cloth or pad over it to stop the bleeding. Then, use another piece of cloth or bandage to create a donut shape around the injured limb just above where you want to put your tourniquet.
Step 2: Apply Direct Pressure
The first step in learning how to use a tourniquet is to apply direct pressure. This can be done by placing a clean cloth against the wound and applying pressure with the palm of your hand. Have someone else hold the cloth while you continue with the other steps.
If you have no one else available to help you, you may need to make two trips back and forth between applying pressure and applying a tourniquet. However, this can be dangerous if you’re bleeding heavily or injured.
While applying direct pressure on the wound, take a second piece of cloth and wrap it around your arm or leg below the wound area. Tie this tightly enough so that it’ll not slip off under its weight but not so tight that it cuts off circulation or causes numbness or tingling in your fingers or toes.
Step 3: Press The Tourniquet Against Skin
You must press the tourniquet against the skin, but not too hard. If you press too hard, you’ll cut off your circulation and cause more harm than good after the accident.
It’s best to use two hands when applying a tourniquet and put one hand on the other. This way, you can ensure that both hands apply equal pressure to the tourniquet.
Pressing against the skin with two hands helps prevent any slipping or movement of the tourniquet, which could cause fewer effective results. Press as hard as you need to stop the blood flow through that limb.
Step 4: Twist Until The Bleeding Stops
After you have applied the tourniquet, you must twist it until the bleeding stops. You can usually tell when this has happened when you see a dark red blood clot in place of the wound.
Once you have stopped the bleeding, it’s time to release your hands to tend to other injuries. After releasing your hands, ensure the tourniquet is tight enough to stop the bleeding. If it isn’t, tighten it again and then check after a minute or two.
The twist tourniquet is a simple and efficient method of stopping severe bleeding in the field. This technique involves twisting a tourniquet around an extremity and then tightening it until the bleeding stops. It’s particularly useful for stopping arterial bleeding in an arm or leg.
It’s important to remember that this technique should not be used on patients who have already lost consciousness, have amputated limbs or other serious injuries, or who aren’t breathing normally.
Step 5: Check For Infection
The fifth step is to check for signs of infection as soon as the tourniquet is applied. Remember not to touch anything that could further infect the wound. Infection is typically indicated by the formation of pus around the wound or by discoloration.
If either of these signs appear after applying a tourniquet to yourself or another person in an emergency situation, a doctor should be consulted right away to prevent the infection from getting worse.
If you have cuts or abrasions on your skin, the tourniquet may cause them to bleed more than usual. This is also normal and will resolve as the cut heals.
Infection is a serious complication that can occur with any wound on the body. It’s important to check for additional signs of infection after you apply a tourniquet. These include:
- Redness around the wound that lasts longer than 24 hours
- Swelling in or around the wound that lasts longer than 24 hours
The tourniquet can cause the skin to turn red and swell, but this is normal and should go away in a few days.
Step 6: Go To The Nearest Hospital
The final step is to go to the nearest hospital. If you have a friend or family member with you, this person can drive you there. If not, call 911 and wait for emergency personnel to arrive.
The EMTs or paramedics will evaluate your injury and determine if they need to cut off your clothing or tourniquet in order to treat it. They may also place another tourniquet above the one you applied if it has slipped off during transit.
Final Thoughts
Remember, it’s important to stay calm and focused in an emergency. The best way to do that is by learning how to apply a tourniquet before you find yourself in a situation where you must use one, be sure to practice beforehand with a friend.
Don’t forget to share this information with everyone in your family, so they know how to help if someone gets injured in an emergency. When you’re dealing with a medical emergency, every second counts; that’s why it’s so important to know how to apply a tourniquet.
