Blood normally circulates through vessels situated inside the body. Internal bleeding occurs when the vessels get ruptured. Although there is a system present to repair the damage through clotting of the blood, bleeding can still happen. Unlike external bleeding whereby you can see the symptoms, it is difficult to ascertain the condition when it is internal.
What Are the Symptoms?
There are several symptoms to watch out for including:
- Feeble pulse
- High blood pressure
- Vision loss
- Pain
- Irritation
- Inflammation
- Unconsciousness
There are several factors that affect the severity of the symptoms. The bleeding amount taking place is a major determinant of the pain level. The part of body affected should also be considered.
What Are the Causes of Internal Bleeding?
There are three main circumstances that may lead to this condition:
- When the vessel’s damage is excessive, repair cannot take place as expected.
- When there is insufficient clotting capability, the mechanisms will fail to repair the cause of bleeding.
- When the victim is taking other prescription medication, capability of blood clotting is undermined.
There are other causes that lead to this condition as well. Pregnant women are particularly prone to this type of bleeding. In most cases, the woman will mistake such a case for a miscarriage threat. Complications arising from surgical procedures can also lead to internal bleeding.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_jzN_2z9Mg” width=”220″]There are several real life situations that can affect the vessels. It’s wise to seek medical attention after such incidents to establish whether or not the case is present. They include:
Compression injuries that normally occur when the body is pressed against a hard surface. This is often witnessed in sports when a player is tackled, for instance.
Deceleration injuries that mostly happen during accidents. Since the body will be moving at that given speed, collision will result in numerous internal injuries.
Inherited disorders that cause some people to bleed spontaneously. The situation can be triggered by minimal injury or no reason at all in other instances.
What Are the Treatments for Internal Bleeding?
There are numerous medication treatments for this condition. There are prescription medication readily available over-the-counter. These mainly serve the purpose of thinning the blood so that clots can be avoided. Such medication, however, is only used when the bleeding has already stopped.
Some of the medications used are those meant for treating other related conditions like heart attacks and strokes. They include warfarin and heparin. It is advisable to refrain from other medication like ibuprofen and aspirin in particular. This is because the ingredients contained therein affect the internal linings leading to bleeding. Other factors that can also agitate the situation include cigarettes and alcohol.
All in all, ensure that you take dosages as instructed by the doctor. Internal bleeding can be managed effectively when the situation is diagnosed early enough for treatment to be administered. Ensure that you go for a checkup after getting involved in an accident, such as being hit by a motorist or cyclist, even when you feel okay.
Where to Learn More?
To learn more about managing circulatory emergencies such as external and internal bleeding enrol in a first aid course here. Courses such as standard and emergency first aid cover wound management and other major medical emergencies.