Facts about Bleeding

Hemorrhaging (haemorrhaging in British English) is the technical term for an excessive bleeding in a short period of time whereby the loss of blood might threaten the health or life of the animal or person.

Before the advent of modern medicine, the technique of bloodletting, or phlebotomy, was used for a number of conditions: causing bleeding intentionally to remove a controlled amount of excess or "bad" blood.

The most recognizable form of internal bleeding is the contusion or bruise.

Medical bleeding is that associated with an increased risk of bleeding due to an underlying medical condition.

Bleeding involves the escape of blood from blood vessels.

Symptoms of internal bleeding include pale, clammy skin, an increased heart rate, and a stupor or confused state.

Hemoptysis, or coughing up blood, may be a sign that the person is at risk for serious bleeding.

Traumas such as a puncture wound can result in rupture of blood vessels and bleeding.

Bleeding from a bodily orifice, such as the rectum, nose, ears may signal internal bleeding, but cannot be relied upon.

Most protocols advise the use of direct pressure, rest, and elevation of the wound above the heart to control bleeding.

Traumatic bleeding is caused by some type of injury.

Bleeding has been used as a medical treatment.

Antibodies to Factor VIII can also inactivate the Factor VII and precipitate bleeding that is very difficult to control.

Bleeding can be stopped with direct pressure and elevation, and the wound should be washed well with soap and water.

Among other diseases that can result in bleeding are peptic ulcers, scurvy, and hemorrhoids.

NSAIDs inhibit the activation of platelets, and thereby increase the risk of bleeding.

Bleeding can have a wide variety of causes, including trauma or underlying medical conditions.

Internal bleeding occurs entirely within the confines of the body and can be caused by a medical condition (such as aortic aneurysm) or by trauma.

Platelets are small blood components that form a plug in the blood vessel wall that stops bleeding.

Simultaneous externalized bleeding from the ear may indicate brain trauma if there has been a serious head injury.

Often, the source of bleeding is difficult to distinguish and usually requires detailed assessment by an emergency physician.

One of the most common causes of increased bleeding risk is exposure to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (or "NSAIDs").

Bleeding from a medical procedure also falls into this category.

When the blood vessels are damaged, bleeding can occur.

Bleeding is the discharge of blood from blood vessels (arteries, veins, capillaries), whether the blood escapes into internal tissues or outside the body.

When there is bleeding, a complex process known as coagulation, or clotting, works to close the opening by which the blood is escaping.

Chronic diseases such as atherosclerosis also can affect the walls of blood vessels and result in bleeding.

Causes of bleeding can be placed into two major categories: trauma and underlying medical conditions.

The body has a remarkable ability to repair itself in cases of light bleeding, involving a complex and intricately coordinated process known as coagulation.

Severe bleeding poses a very real risk of death to the casualty if not treated quickly.

Deficiencies in other factors, such as factor XIII or factor VII are occasionally seen, but may not be associated with severe bleeding and are not as commonly diagnosed.

One of the most common causes of warfarin-related bleeding is taking antibiotics.

Von Willebrand disease is another common bleeding disorder.

A cerebral hemorrhage (or intracerebral hemorrhage, ICH), is a type of bleeding that occurs within the brain tissue itself and has a high mortality rate.

Bleeding may not be readily apparent; internal organs such as the liver, kidney, and spleen may bleed into the abdominal cavity.

Minor bleeding is bleeding that falls under a Class I hemorrhage and the bleeding is easily stopped with pressure.