Hemorrhage: Causes, Emergency Symptoms, Treatment, Consequences of Untreated Hemorrhage

Bleeding or hemorrhage is used to describe blood loss from the body. Blood loss can occur from any area of the body. It can be internal or external. Internal blood loss occurs through a broken blood vessel or organ. External blood loss is when the blood leaks out of the body through a cut or a break in the skin.

Also, blood loss can occur from the natural opening in the body such as mouth, vagina, nose, and rectum. Hypertension or high blood pressure can be contributing factors in hemorrhage in the brain

The causes of hemorrhage are numerous and the most obvious cause can be trauma or injury to a blood vessel.

The possible causes are:

Injury or trauma can lead to traumatic bleeding. It can vary in severity. Common traumatic injuries include:

• Abrasions
• Hematoma
• Lacerations
• Puncture wounds i.e. from needles, nails, or knives
• Gunshot wounds
• Crushing injuries

There are a few medical conditions that can lead to bleeding and can be a common cause of hemorrhage.

The medical conditions that can cause harm and lead to hemorrhage include:

• Haemophilia
• Leukemia
• Liver disease
• Menorrhagia
• Brain trauma
• Colon diverticulosis
• Lung cancer
• Acute bronchitis
• Vitamin K deficiency
• Von Willebrand disease
• Thrombocytopenia

There are certain medications and treatments that can increase the chances of bleeding and can even cause bleeding.

Before giving the medicine the doctor explains the risks involved and how to manage if bleeding occurs.

The medications responsible for bleeding are:

• Blood thinners
• Antibiotics
• Radiation therapy
• Aspirin
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory

In case of severe bleeding, seek medical help, as it can be life-threatening.

People with bleeding disorders or those taking blood thinners should seek emergency help to stop bleeding.

Seek medical help if:

• The bleeding is not stopping using pressure
• A person has gone into shock or has a fever
• The wound requires a tourniquet
• Bleeding is caused by serious injury
• In the case where a foreign substance is stuck inside a wound
• If a wound requires stitches to stop bleeding
• A wound is infected and there is swelling, whitish-yellow discharge, or redness present
• The Injury occurs from the bite of an animal or a human

When calling emergency service tell them about the condition. They might tell you how to manage the bleeding until they arrive.

Immediate emergency medical aid is required, in case of the following symptoms:

• Bleeding cannot be controlled
• Internal bleeding
• Bleeding in case of serious injuries
• The paramedics will try to control bleeding before rushing the person to the hospital.
• The treatment of hemorrhage totally depends on the condition causing it.

If there is a traumatic injury and the person is bleeding, the first thing to do is to seek emergency medical care.

Calm the person so that his heart rate becomes normal and blood pressure are under control. If any or both of these vital signs are raised, it can speed up the bleeding. Remove the debris from the wound and put pressure on the wound with a clean cloth, a bandage, clean hands, or clothing. Maintain pressure on the wound until the bleeding has slowed down and stopped.

Wait for the emergency help or visit a doctor as soon as possible.

The treatment of hemorrhage is done depending on its cause. In case of any medical condition, along with the bleeding treatment, treatment for the condition is also given.

Those experiencing unexplained or uncontrolled hemorrhage should be examined by a medical professional.

Any bleeding that continues without medical treatment can be fatal. Such as, if someone has acute bleeding in a very short period of time and loses 30 percent or more of their blood volume, there are possibilities that the patient could bleed to death. In this case, an IV fluid and transfusion would be required.

Catastrophic internal hemorrhages such as ruptured blood vessels or aneurysms can lead to excess blood loss.

Also Read:

• Intracerebral Hemorrhage: Causes, Symptoms, Investigations, Treatment- Medications
• Subarachnoid Brain Hemorrhage: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment- CT Scan, Surgery
• Subconjunctival Hemorrhage: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment, Diagnosis
• Pulmonary Hemorrhage: Symptoms, Treatment, Causes, Prognosis, Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, Complications