How long does it take for a bleeding cut to stop when tightly compressed?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Evo
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cut
AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the duration of bleeding after a cut is tightly compressed. Participants share experiences and advice on managing bleeding, emphasizing the importance of maintaining pressure and proper bandaging. One user reports that their cut continues to bleed heavily once pressure is released, raising concerns about the depth of the injury. Suggestions include using improvised bandaging techniques and elevating the injured area. The conversation highlights the need for adequate first aid supplies and the potential necessity of seeking medical attention if bleeding persists. Users also discuss factors that may affect bleeding, such as medications that inhibit clotting. Ultimately, if bleeding does not stop with home care, professional medical assistance is recommended.
Evo
Staff Emeritus
Messages
24,029
Reaction score
3,323
How long should it take to stop bleeding after you have it tightly compressed? It's not bleeding as long as I keep it closed and keep pressure on it, but the second I remove the pressure, it bleeds like crazy.

This is me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxIBk1a3qdQ&feature=related
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Then keep the pressure on it...
 
But generally mine stops bleeding after a couple of minutes with pressure on it, then I put a band-aid on it for good measure.
 
It's been an hour.
 
Not good, better get first aid, Evo
 
I would definitely go and grab the first aid kit. Out of curiosity, just how deep did you cut it that it has been bleeding for an hour? Because if you cut it completely off, I'd definitely advise a bit more than just first aid...:P
 
It's not a long cut, but it's deep, so if I had one of those butterfly things they use instead of stitches, that would work. I need to stock up on first aid supplies. If I had one of those and a rubber finger, I think it would be ok.

If the car I am driving wasn't a stick, I might go to the drug store, but of course it's my right hand.

The Evo Child used up all of my bandages last time she was here because her new shoes were rubbing her feet.
 
What is it with the PF all of a sudden. Between you Evo and the golden retriever in the Medical Sciences forum, there's been a lot of bleeding going on this afternoon.

Are you taking any meds (OTC or prescription) that inhibit clotting? Are you on the baby-aspirin-a-day regimen? (If any of these questions are too personal for the open forum, PM me).

How deep and long is the cut? How did you wash it out? What bandaging materials do you have on hand?

If you washed it out well, and can seal it and bandage it shut, I'd leave it like that overnight. It might require stitches, though.
 
berkeman said:
What is it with the PF all of a sudden. Between you Evo and the golden retriever in the Medical Sciences forum, there's been a lot of bleeding going on this afternoon.

Are you taking any meds (OTC or prescription) that inhibit clotting? Are you on the baby-aspirin-a-day regimen? (If any of these questions are too personal for the open forum, PM me).

How deep and long is the cut? How did you wash it out? What bandaging materials do you have on hand?

If you washed it out well, and can seal it and bandage it shut, I'd leave it like that overnight. It might require stitches, though.
I just saw the dog tongue cut, poor thing.

Funny you should mention it Berkeman, I'vd had a lot of blood work' done recently and evey time they take blood, when they stop, they ask me if I am on blood thinners because I keep bleeding. I'm not on any that I know of and no aspirin.

I'm using a paper towel.
 
  • #10
Okay, so I see the issue may be not enough bandaging stuff to make a good seal. Maybe knock on some neighbor doors? If you knocked on mine, I have plenty of EMT stuff handy...
 
  • #11
berkeman said:
Okay, so I see the issue may be not enough bandaging stuff to make a good seal. Maybe knock on some neighbor doors? If you knocked on mine, I have plenty of EMT stuff handy...
Yep, I'm out of everything.
 
  • #12
Maybe try this as an improvised butterfly. Take a big bandaid (you do have that at least, I hope), and cut off one side of the tape (leaving behind the center bandage and the other side of tape. Use that tape piece as a butterfly, applying it directly over the cut. Then apply other bandages and dressing around that. The tape should keep the cut closed. Use direct pressure and elevation, and stay that way for an hour (sorry). After that you should be sealed up enough to last until you can get better dressings. I wouldn't remove the original one for a day or two, if that's practical. And be gentle when you do remove it, pulling from the edge nearest one end of the cut, and pulling the tape off parallel to the cut.
 
  • #13
Evo said:
Yep, I'm out of everything.

Well, you're going to need *something*! Can you call somebody to bring you some stuff, or else the neighbor knock thing?

EDIT -- Looks like the golden retriever is okay now.
 
  • #14
Oh, I found the little portable first aid kit that I bought the Evo Child for her purse. It has a couple of bandaids in it. I'll keep holding the paper towel on it for awhile longer then try a bandaid.

Nice to have an online EMT here. :-)
 
  • #15
Evo said:
Nice to have an online EMT here. :-)

Expanding to doggie EMT, apparently :smile:
 
  • #16
Stop trying to kill yourself.
 
  • #17
Kurdt said:
Stop trying to kill yourself.
:smile: Well the first bandaid attempt failed miserably, soaked through with blood. Paper towel has been re-applied.
 
  • #18
berkeman said:
Expanding to doggie EMT, apparently :smile:
I'm impressed with your doggie skills. Lucky I live almost within walking distance of an after hours animal emergency room. I've spent thousands of dollars there rescuing stray animals.
 
  • #19
Depends on how bad you cut it, Evo - when I put that drill through my thumb, it bled continuously for a few days (when not tightly wrapped), then off and on for the rest of the week.
 
  • #20
Evo said:
:smile: Well the first bandaid attempt failed miserably, soaked through with blood. Paper towel has been re-applied.

I'm assuming that you've been elevating well this whole time (right?). Have you had some first aid instruction where pressure points were covered? Although, you pretty much need a 2nd person to be able to do direct pressure and the brachial pressure point at the same time. Plus you need to know how and when to moderate the pressure point, so that you don't starve the rest of your arm too much while the thumb wound clots.

Try this -- wrap your fingers around the base of your thumb and squeeze a bit to slow the flow of blood into the thumb, at the same time you squeeze the cut closed with your thumb and forefinger. Keep that elevated for 10 minutes, then ease off just a bit on the pressure and wait another 10 minutes, then see if you can close off the cut with the piece of tape I described cutting from a bandaid. Then apply another bandage over it, and dress with tape. Keep it elevated as best as you can.
 
  • #21
I have to bail for the night, Evo. If it doesn't clot up in the next hour or so, you should at least call a friend with some first aid experience who can bring over more bandages and dressing material. Or head to the ER for a couple of stitches and some clot-magic stuff.
 
  • #22
Good thing this didn't happen during the PF upgrade.
 
  • #23
Have you tried duct tape yet? That'll hold together anything. But if it's deep enough that it's still bleeding profusely enough to soak through band-aids or paper towels after an hour or two, it's probably time to find an ER or urgent care place that can toss in a couple stitches. A little bleeding if you mess with it would be normal, but to have it covered and still bleeding enough to soak through dressings sounds like it needs some medical attention.

(And for the record, when I first saw the thread title and Evo as the thread starter, for a moment I thought it read, "After you cut OFF your thumb." :rolleyes:
 
  • #24
berkeman said:
I'm assuming that you've been elevating well this whole time (right?). Have you had some first aid instruction where pressure points were covered? Although, you pretty much need a 2nd person to be able to do direct pressure and the brachial pressure point at the same time. Plus you need to know how and when to moderate the pressure point, so that you don't starve the rest of your arm too much while the thumb wound clots.another bandage over it, and dress with tape. Keep it elevated as best as you can.
:cry:

Moonbear said:
Have you tried duct tape yet? That'll hold together anything. But if it's deep enough that it's still bleeding profusely enough to soak through band-aids or paper towels after an hour or two, it's probably time to find an ER or urgent care place that can toss in a couple stitches. A little bleeding if you mess with it would be normal, but to have it covered and still bleeding enough to soak through dressings sounds like it needs some medical attention.

(And for the record, when I first saw the thread title and Evo as the thread starter, for a moment I thought it read, "After you cut OFF your thumb." :rolleyes:
I have no duct tape. :frown:

I may have to concede defeat on this one, although my cheapskate employer changed medical plans and what was a $40 ER copay is now a $125 copay.

MB, have you seen Greg's announcement that he's doing a MAJOR upgrade tomorrow or Tuesday? I mean MAJOR.

RUT RO, the BIG storm is hitting, I'm SOL now.
 
  • #25
Evo, go get it looked at by a professional. If it hasn't quit bleeding on its own with pressure and whatnot by now, it probably needs stitches. Get help. 'kay? :smile:
 
  • #26
My squash plants just got squashed. :cry:

I do believe this will need stitches. CRUD.

And my squash! :cry:
 
  • #27
Evo said:
My squash plants just got squashed. :cry:

I do believe this will need stitches. CRUD.

And my squash! :cry:

What squashed your squash?

Sorry to hear you may need stitches! If you still think you might be able to get by with just first aid but you're out of bandages, don't hesitate to call the fire department / medics. You've already paid for them through your taxes, and they're very qualified to bandage a cut - and of course they will recognize if you need stitches.

Besides, sometimes they're cute :!) .
 
  • #28
If you have any kind of tape, e.g. Scotch tape, that should work. I sliced my left thumb open on some sheet metal one time. I just wrapped it firmly, and kept it elevated. I don't think I went to the emergency room. I did put some ice on it.

If the blood is not clotting, the perhaps one is low on vitamin-K.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/vitamins/vitaminK/
 
  • #29
lisab said:
What squashed your squash?
I'm too upset to even talk about it. :cry: I will assess the damage tomorrow. I was in such a hurry to get them inside away from the winds and hail and with blood running down my arm, I failed to make sure they were steady. :cry:

I have managed to finally stop the bleeding. I have a bandaid wrapped tightly enough around my thumb to stop it.

But my squash plants...:cry:
 
  • #30
Any history of hemophilia in the family?
 
  • #31
binzing said:
Any history of hemophilia in the family?
Nope.
 
  • #32
Evo said:
I'm too upset to even talk about it. :cry: I will assess the damage tomorrow. I was in such a hurry to get them inside away from the winds and hail and with blood running down my arm, I failed to make sure they were steady. :cry:

I have managed to finally stop the bleeding. I have a bandaid wrapped tightly enough around my thumb to stop it.

But my squash plants...:cry:

Sorry to hear about your squashed squash plants, but glad you finally got your thumb to stop bleeding. With wind and hail, I can see why you were reluctant to run out to get more bandages.

On the other hand, how could you not have duct tape around? turbo's never going to let you move into his shack (or was it under his bridge? now I can't remember) if you don't have the sense to keep around a healthy supply of duct tape!

In the future, any sort of tape will work around a paper towel, or even rubber bands will hold the towel in place long enough to drive to a store for proper bandages. You better pick up supplies to restock your first aid kit on your way home from work tomorrow. You're too accident-prone not to have a fully stocked first aid kit. :rolleyes:
 
  • #33
I can't believe I don't have duct tape either.

I need to go out and get fully stocked.
 
  • #34
Evo... Rambo... Evo... Rambo...

Rhymes.

I am thinking needle and thread. :wink:
 
  • #35
Evo said:
It's been an hour.

how did you cut your thumb exactly? (the seriousness of the cut would determine what measures need to be taken => this may be a little late since I see the thread is 3 pgs long but :rolleyes:)

I remember that I once had to open a tuna can and it was one of those ones with crackers and whilst peeling off the lid I just pushed my pinky into the lid. (correct that, I dug my pinky into the lid)

and you could take some (not too much) vitamin K OR eat veggies that have it until your cut heals ^___^
http://www.answers.com/topic/vitamin-k?cat=health
 
Last edited:
  • #36
~christina~ said:
how did you cut your thumb exactly? (the seriousness of the cut would determine what measures need to be taken => this may be a little late since I see the thread is 2 pg long but :rolleyes:)

I remember that I once had to open a tuna can and it was one of those ones with crackers and whilst peeling off the lid I just pushed my pinky into the lid.
OUCH! That's bad!

Miine was stupid, I was washing a butcher's knife and it slipped and went through my thumb.
 
  • #37
Evo said:
OUCH! That's bad!

Miine was stupid, I was washing a butcher's knife and it slipped and went through my thumb.

:eek: wow...ouch! (you had a bigger ouch than me)

I added to the post above that you could eat more veggies that have vitamin k since they would help your cut heal. Hope your cut gets better..the only thing I could recommend is to not get the bandaid wet. (I hate when that happens, because the cut could reopen that way)

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=112
might as well throw in another link for good vitamin k..I like that spinich has vitamin k yum!
 
Last edited:
  • #38
Vitamin K is not a bad idea.
 
  • #39
Did anyone watch the video?

I *love* that video.
 
  • #40
Evo said:
I can't believe I don't have duct tape either.

Judging from earlier experience, duct tape was used by Evo Child.
 
  • #41
Evo said:
Did anyone watch the video?

I *love* that video.
I'm not a big TV watcher, but that was funny.

Glad to hear you stopped leaking. :smile:
 
  • #42
You need to eat spinach Evo. Before you do you have to say "I can'ts stands no more".
 
  • #43
Is that true that teh percentage of women who suffer hemopholia is so low that we can almsot say there's none female hemophilia?I mean they just pass hemophilia to their descendants!
binzing said:
Any history of hemophilia in the family?
 
Last edited:
  • #44
I know haemophilia is a recessive X chromosome disease so men get it far more often since we only have one X and women have 2. So for a woman to have haemophilia both parents have to be carriers whereas for men only the mother needs be a carrier. I'm not sure what percentage of women have both recessive genes though.
 
  • #45
Prolly kept bleeding cause you were typing on the damn computer Evo!
 
  • #46
binzing said:
Prolly kept bleeding cause you were typing on the damn computer Evo!
:smile: :redface:
 
  • #47
I cut my thumb pretty badly once while trying to open a can of soup. It was one of those newer cans that have the pull tab. I had to hold it for quite a while before it stopped. It had me worried, and I was |--this--| close to finding medical assistance.
 
  • #48
How are you typing? One hand? Wow Evo, I hope you're Ok there.
 
  • #49
Last edited:

Similar threads

What are some common Hollywood medical faux pas?
2
Replies
77
Views
9K
B How long does it take to reach harmful CO2 levels in a room?
Replies
11
Views
5K
I Calculate Liquid Flow Rate in Isolated Pipes
Replies
2
Views
2K
How can I calculate flow rate for leaking pressure vessel during maintenance?
Replies
4
Views
3K
Distribution of Energy when work is done on a system of 2 masses connected by a spring
Replies
17
Views
2K
I What Keeps Water in a Straw When It's Removed from a Glass?
Replies
12
Views
5K
I Yet again about (real) gas compression
Replies
20
Views
3K
How Fast Will You Return to Dining After Getting Vaxed?
Replies
6
Views
1K
How long will it take for compressed air to reach 29 psi?
Replies
5
Views
2K
Is This the Craziest Pilot Maneuver Ever Caught on Camera?
Replies
19
Views
5K

Hot Threads

Recent Insights

Back
Top