How To Decide to Use a Tourniquet (Home Remedy)

If there is serious bleeding in an emergency such that applying pressurecannot stop it, then try to get immediate assistance. Only decide to try to use a tourniquet to save a life, and then if you decide that you have adequate materials and reasonably think that you know how to do it. In case of severe bleeding of a wounded (or broken and torn) leg or arm of a person--or leg of an animal--then you may be ready to help. This guide will advise how to avoid using a tourniquet and advise using possible bandages and first aid or home remedies to consider and to do before applying an emergency tourniquet only to save a life.

Do not use a tourniquet at first

1. Call for help and do not leave the victim unless you are alone and haven't been able to call for emergency services (911 in the USA).
2. Try to use other methods--to do everything to avoid loss of a limb (leg or arm) caused by the tourniquet stopping circulation for too long--be sure that all other ways of stopping bleeding have failed, and never use a tourniquet until it is determined to be really necessary!

Methods to stop bleeding, while you decide

1. Cleanse the wound if possible. Apply direct pressure to the wound area. Be sure to wear gloves to protect you from blood borne infection and the injured person. Don't waste too much vital time cleansing the wound--this is a field emergency dressing, first aid and it is to save a life.
2. Take reasonable care and precautions, that you know (or should have known). Do try to clean it off with peroxide, alcohol or pure water. Perhaps another person can use antiseptics like Alcohol Swabs to clean the external skin about the wound only very quickly when working as a team. Do not apply the tourniquet yet.
3. Remember find a pressure point while applying direct pressure to the wound itself. First--place a layer of gauze or other material between your hand and the wound.

Also while deciding about the tourniquet

1. Elevate a bleeding arm or leg while maintaining pressure, if possible, but if you cannot elevate the limb, continue with direct pressure and skip elevation.
2. Try to apply pressure on an artery-compressing the artery against bone will help to impede the flow of blood to the area and reduce bleeding. If you do not know or find the location of the proper artery, continue direct pressure, while waiting for the arrival of EMS.

Study pressure points to remember them

1. Find a pressure point between the wound and the heart i.e.: find an artery or arteries and apply pressure against a bone. If a gauze pad pressed tightly on the wound with your hand for 5 minutes stops bleeding then find a way to maintain some pressure and do not move the person. See whether blood soaks through gauze pad but do not release pressure to apply another pad over the others until at least 5 minutes have passed.Click on the Picture to see a larger format -- and memorize the Pressure Points. 

Consider a tourniquet to save a life

1. Consider a tourniquet only if you can not stop serious bleeding by any other methods, if possible do not use a tourniquet.
2. Expect the loss of the limb or loss of use of the limb because a tourniquet causes severe damage of or killing tissues from stopping circulation for too long in that arm or leg but it may be necessary:
   • to keep the injured person alive until it is possible to get help, i.e.: when alone, or in a rural location, and
   • to apply the tourniquet only on an arm or leg
   • and above the bleeding (never on any other part of the body other than an arm or leg.)!
3. Use a wider material: never use wire, string or narrow material that will cause a new serious cut or bursting injuries and cause new bleeding when tightened.

Are you ready to decide about a tourniquet?

1. Do not remove the gauze, if there seems to be a chance of opening the wound or if it is stuck.
2. Look at the pad over the wound. Is it still bleeding seriously through or from under, around the pad?
   1. No: then Stop immediately! and
      • do not apply a tourniquet;
      • secure the pad and bandages with medical tape, wrap with rolled gauze, or use an elastic bandage.
      • Get the person to a doctor.
   2. Yes: then Prepare to apply a tourniquet--on a leg or arm only!

Consider choices for using a tourniquet

1. Never attempt to apply a tourniquet unless you are qualified to do so. A tourniquet is a last resort to stop bleeding and is used to save life at possible loss of limb.
2. Use an available tourniquet which must be wide enough to not cut the skin or muscles--long and strong enough as well.
   • Consider using a rope--perhaps padded with a shirt.
   • Consider using a flattened rolled shirt to form into a kind of rope.
3. If you use some kind of rope, determine how to tie the rope or similar material around the arm SECURELY but rather loosely in a loop.
4. If you use loop, then consider using a handle like a very strong stick perhaps about one ( 1) foot long ( 30 cm) (as a twisting handle) that you can tie inside the knot of the loop when making the loop--or you may decide to place the stick direct through the loose loop of rope material.
5. If so, then attempt to use the stick handle to twist the loop in such a way as to tighten the loop.

Permission for using the tourniquet

1. Get permission and it would be wise to have that permission in writing, if possible.
2. Get trustworthy witnesses that agree that you have permission, or that you must do the tourniquet,
3. Be as well trained and highly qualified as possible.
4. Be willing to take the risk.
5. Remember you are attempting to save a life, but you will cause severe loss of function or loss of a leg or arm because the circulation stopped for too long, beyond or below the wound...

Tips

• Be sure to get professional medical aid as soon as possible.
• Since the tourniquet is only to save a life, then it makes no sense to release it after securing it, if it were necessary to apply it. So it should stay in place to save the life. If released it might be difficult to re-tighten it, and then the bleeding which was unstoppable will evidently resume.
• The article and its steps, tips and warnings are intended as considerations--only as suggestions--to help you decide what to do, and should not be used in place of common sense.
• Consider using a strong belt as a tourniquet, if it can be tightened sufficiently and kept from slipping loose.

Warnings

• Make sure to wear gloves, for risk of Hepatitis or AIDS infection.
• If there is an embedded object do not remove it, or if a seizure occurs, and bleeding is serious then continue first aid while seeking professional help immediately (as soon as possible).

Things You'll Need

• Disinfectant
• Pure, clean water
• Gauze Pads
• Clean cloth
• Strips of bandages
• Roll of gauze
• Tape
• Safety pins
• Tourniquet as last resort (options)
• Elastic bandages