Physical Education

Bleeding

Bleeding (hemorrhage) is the escape of blood from capillaries, veins, and arteries. Capillaries are very small blood vessels that carry blood to all parts of the body. Veins are blood vessels that carry blood to the heart. Arteries are large blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart. Bleeding can occur inside the body (internal), outside the body (external) or both. Blood is a fluid that consists of a pale yellow liquid (plasma), red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), and platelets (thrombocytes). Plasma is the fluid portion of the blood that carries nutrients. Red blood cells give color to the blood and carry oxygen. White blood cells defend the body against infection and attack foreign particles. Platelets are disk shaped and assist in clotting the blood, the mechanism that stops bleeding. There are three types of bleeding. Capillary bleeding is slow, the blood "oozes" from the (wound) cut. Venous bleeding is dark red or maroon, the blood flows in a steady stream. Arterial bleeding is bright red, the blood "spurts" from the wound. Arterial bleeding is life threatening and difficult to control.

In small wounds, only the capillaries are damaged. Deeper wounds result in damage to the veins and arteries. Damage to the capillaries is usually not serious and can easily be controlled with a Band-Aid. Damage to the veins and arteries are more serious and can be life threatening. The adult body contains approximately 5 to 6 quarts of blood (10 to 12 pints). The body can normally lose 1 pint of blood (usual amount given by donors) without harmful effects. A loss of 2 pints may cause shock, a loss of 5 to 6 pints usually results in death. During certain situations it will be difficult to decide whether the bleeding is arterial or venous. The distinction is not important. The most important thing to remember is that all bleeding must be controlled as soon as possible.