Bleeding (Hemorrhage)

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• QWhat is mild, moderate and severe bleeding?

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  A Dr. Keith Roach, MD , Internal Medicine, answered

  Mild bleeding describes an everyday occurrence – a small cut from a slipped knife or from shaving, or a nosebleed. The body is normally able to stop these quickly through platelets, a special blood cell, and through clotting factors. Mild bleeding can be handled at home with a bandage.
  
  Moderate bleeding usually involves a larger blood vessel than a small bleed. The cut may have unluckily gone through a vein, or it may be that a small bleed can continue to bleed due to deficiencies in the clotting systems. Aspirin in particular can make a small bleed into a moderate bleed. Moderate bleeding can usually be taken care of at home with direct pressure, often for several minutes until bleeding stops, then a pressure bandage. Bleeding that cannot be controlled this way requires medical attention.
  
  Severe bleeding is often life-threatening. All bleeding can be both internal or external, but internal bleeding, because it may not be recognized and can’t be easily stopped, is more serious. Severe bleeds include lacerations to arteries, serious internal bleeding or a major injury over an extended area. Severe bleeding needs immediate medical attention.

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• QHow did ancient physicians deal with hemorrhaging?

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  A Discovery Health answered

  Physicians in ancient Greece and Rome responded to the problem of hemorrhaging by introducing a technique of ligating, or tying off, blood vessels during surgery. Oddly, their techniques were apparently forgotten for centuries. During those times, blood vessels were cauterized instead, using boiling oils or hot irons.

• QWhat is hemorrhaging?

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  A Discovery Health answered

  Hemorrhaging is the uncontrollable loss of blood that results from cutting healthy arteries. Early amputations were limited to removing dead tissue because of problems with hemorrhaging.

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• QWhat causes hemorrhaging?

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  A Sigma Nursing answered

  Hemorrhaging is caused by the blood's inability to form clots. Normally, when blood vessels are injured and bleed, the blood is able to react by having blood platelets stick together and form a clot that stops the bleeding. When blood platelets are unable to do this in a normal way, excessive bleeding may occur even from a slight injury.

• QHow does hemorrhaging affect the body?

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  A Sigma Nursing answered

  Hemorrhaging caused by the disorders that prevent the formation of blood clots can affect the body in many ways. How the body is affected may depend on the type of disorder and the extent to which the body is able to form blood clots that stop bleeding. Bleeding can occur externally or internally. Excessive external bleeding may cause unexplained bruises and bleeding on the skin, excessive nosebleeds, and too much bleeding from a small injury. Excessive internal bleeding may cause bleeding in the internal organs, joints, and brain, causing muscle and joint pain and headaches.

• QShould I exercise if I have a hemorrhaging disorder?

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  A Sigma Nursing answered

  Regular exercise may be beneficial if you have a hemorrhaging disorder. The joints may be particularly vulnerable to excessive bleeding. Non-contact activities such as walking or swimming can help to protect joints.

• QDoes my heredity play a role in hemorrhaging disorders?

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  A Stacy Wiegman, PharmD , Pharmacy, answered

  Yes, heredity can play a role in hemorrhaging or, as they are more commonly called, blood-clotting disorders. The most common inherited clotting disorders are hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Clotting disorders can be acquired and caused by vitamin K deficiency, liver disease and inappropriate dosing of anticoagulation with warfarin or heparin.