Emergency IndiaKnow what to do. Act fast. Save a life.

Severe Bleeding

Press hard and do not stop pressing. Call 112.

criticalHIGH-CONFIDENCE GUIDANCEReviewed 2026-08-18
Read aloud

RECOGNIZE

  • Blood spurting, pouring, or soaking through clothing and dressings.
  • A pool of blood forming, or bleeding that does not slow with pressure.
  • Signs of shock: pale, cold, clammy skin, fast breathing, confusion, fainting.

CALL

  • Call 112 for any bleeding you cannot control, spurting blood, or a large wound.
  • Call 112 if the person shows signs of shock.

DO NOW

  1. 1PROTECT YOURSELFWear gloves or use a plastic bag as a barrier if you can do so instantly.
  2. 2CALL 112 NOWCall or send someone to call while you start pressing.
  3. 3PRESS HARD ON THE WOUNDPut a clean cloth or dressing on the wound and press firmly with both hands.
  4. 4KEEP PRESSINGDo not lift the dressing to look. Add cloth on top if it soaks through.
  5. 5IF A LIMB IS BLEEDING UNCONTROLLABLYIf pressure fails and a tourniquet is available and you know how to use it, apply it above the wound and note the time.
  6. 6WATCH FOR SHOCKKeep the person lying down and warm with a blanket, and keep talking to them.

DO NOT DO

  • DO NOT keep removing dressings to check the wound.
  • DO NOT remove an object embedded in the wound — press around it instead.
  • DO NOT wash a large deep wound; controlling bleeding comes first.
  • DO NOT apply a tourniquet loosely or use thin string or wire.
  • DO NOT delay calling 112 while searching for supplies.

WHILE WAITING FOR HELP

  • Maintain firm, continuous pressure until the ambulance crew takes over.
  • Keep the person lying flat and warm.
  • Note the time the tourniquet was applied, if one was used, and tell the crew.
  • Do not give food or drink.

WHEN TO ESCALATE

  • Unresponsive with abnormal breathing → Cardiac Arrest flow.
  • Confusion, grey skin, very fast breathing → tell 112 the person is deteriorating.

AFTERCARE

  • All deep or heavily bleeding wounds need medical review, including for tetanus and infection.
  • Small wounds: clean with clean running water, cover with a sterile dressing, and watch for infection.

Special cases

Trained responders: wound packing and tourniquets
  • PROFESSIONAL-LEVEL INFORMATION — only for people trained in bleeding control.
  • For junctional or deep limb wounds, pack the wound with gauze and maintain firm pressure for at least 3 minutes.
  • Apply a manufactured tourniquet 5–7 cm above the wound, tighten until bleeding stops, record the time, and never loosen it once applied outside hospital.
Nosebleed
  • Sit upright, lean forward and pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 minutes without releasing.
  • Seek medical care if bleeding continues beyond 20 minutes or follows a head injury.
MEDICAL SOURCES

  • American Red Cross

    Focused Updates and Guidelines for First Aid

    Published / updated 2024 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

  • American Heart Association

    Guidelines for CPR and ECC — Basic Life Support / First Aid

    Published / updated 2020 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

    Open source

  • European Resuscitation Council

    ERC Guidelines — Basic Life Support and First Aid

    Published / updated 2021 · Evidence reviewed for this app on 2026-08-18

    Open source

This content is educational first-aid guidance and does not replace emergency medical care. Guidelines can change. Verify clinical guidance periodically.

Related emergencies

Burns and ScaldsRoad Accident / Major Trauma
112