Hemorrhage: main types and what to do

Hemorrhage is the loss of blood that occurs after an injury, stroke or illness due to the rupture of blood vessels. The hemorrhage can be external, when the bleeding is visualized outside the body, or internal, when it happens inside some cavity of the organism, as in the abdomen, skull or lung, for example.

Since external bleeding can cause a large loss of blood in a short time, it is important to go to the emergency room as soon as possible, especially if it is a very large wound or if you do not stop bleeding after 5 minutes.

In the case of internal bleeding, bleeding may be more difficult to identify, but it should still be evaluated by a doctor. Therefore, if bleeding is suspected, you should always go to the hospital.

How hemorrhage happens

Hemorrhage occurs due to an injury to different blood vessels, which can be classified as:

1. Capillary

It is the most common bleeding, which happens on a daily basis, usually due to small cuts or abrasions, in which only the small vessels that reach the surface of the body, called capillaries, are affected.

• What to do: as this type of hemorrhage is light and of small amount, the bleeding usually stops only with the application of some pressure in the place for 5 minutes. After stopping, you can wash the area carefully, using soap and water and then cover with a clean, dry dressing.

2. Venous

It is the hemorrhage that happens due to a large or deeper cut, with bleeding in a continuous and slow flow, sometimes of great volume, through the wound.

• What to do: this type of bleeding is only serious when it reaches a large caliber vein, and therefore it usually stops with the compression of the site, with a clean cloth. The emergency room should be sought because it is usually necessary to perform a suture of the wound so that there is no risk of infection or further bleeding.

3. Arterial

It is the type of hemorrhage in which the arteries are affected, that is, the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body and, therefore, have bright red blood, with great flow and intensity. Arterial bleeding is the most serious type, and can even cause blood jets to places far from the body and risk of death.

• What to do: as it is a severe bleeding, it must be stopped as soon as possible, with strong compression of the place with clean cloths or with the execution of a tourniquet, as it is a hemorrhage that is more difficult to control. You should quickly go to the emergency room or call 192. If the bleeding is from an arm or leg, you can raise the limb to facilitate restraint.

The tourniquet should not be impeding circulation for a long time, as if it is absent for a long period, it can cause death of the tissues of that member, which reinforces the importance of getting to the emergency room quickly.

There is also hemorrhage of the mixed type, which is when more than one type of vessel is reached, usually due to an accident or a strong blow, and may be more difficult to identify.

See more about how to do first aid for bleeding and other common home accidents.

Signs and symptoms of bleeding

The symptoms caused by bleeding depend not only on the origin, but also on its location, and can be classified into:

External bleeding

When the hemorrhage is external, its presence can easily be noticed by the externalization of blood. Its quantity and intensity depends on the type of vessel affected, and whether it is a region of the body with many vessels. For example, cuts on the scalp cause more bleeding, even if they are small, as it is a very vascularized region.

Internal bleeding

When it is internal, it can be more difficult to identify, but the signs that indicate the presence of a hemorrhage of this type are:

• Paleness and tiredness; Fast and weak pulse; Rapid breathing; Very thirsty; Drop in pressure; Nausea or vomiting with blood; Mental confusion or fainting; Lots of pain in the abdomen, which becomes hardened.

If an internal hemorrhage is suspected, the emergency room should be sought as soon as possible, so that the necessary procedures or surgeries are performed to contain it.

One of the most frequent forms of internal bleeding is cerebral, which leads to the appearance of a hemorrhagic stroke. Learn how to identify the first signs of stroke.

Other types of bleeding

There are also some examples of internal bleeding that occur, and the most common include:

• In the stool, due to an injury to the intestine or hemorrhoids, for example, which is lower digestive bleeding; In cough, also known as hemoptysis, which happens due to respiratory infections, lung damage or cancer, for example; In the uterus, due to menstrual changes or fibroids, for example; In the urine, caused by infections or urinary stones; In the nose, or epistaxis, due to sneezing or irritation of the lining of the nose, for example. Know what to do to stop nose bleeding.

In the presence of these types of bleeding, the emergency room should also be sought, so that the doctor orders tests that indicate the cause of the bleeding.