Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is a Hemorrhage?What Are the Symptoms of a Hemorrhage?What Causes a Hemorrhage?When Is Bleeding a Sign of an Emergency?How Are Hemorrhages Treated?
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is a Hemorrhage?
What Are the Symptoms of a Hemorrhage?
What Causes a Hemorrhage?
When Is Bleeding a Sign of an Emergency?
How Are Hemorrhages Treated?
Hemorrhageis another word for bleeding. It most often refers to severe bleeding, though not all hemorrhages are serious.
A hemorrhage can be internal, such as in thebrainor abdomen, or external, from a cut or other wound to the skin.
This article will discuss the types, symptoms, causes, and treatment options for hemorrhages.
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Hemorrhages occur when blood escapes through damaged blood vessels. They can happen almost anywhere in the body because the circulatory system delivers blood to every part. Commonly, the term applies to sudden and severe blood loss. Hemorrhages can beinternalor external and are typically divided into three types:
The most serious level of hemorrhage is hemorrhagic shock, a medical emergency that can quickly turn fatal.Hemorrhagic shock is when the body loses so much blood that the heart cannot keep up, and vital systems begin failing. It can begin when you lose about 20% of your blood volume.
Types and Effects of Shock
External hemorrhage is usually very easy to spot, and you can quickly identify the source of the bleeding. Internal hemorrhage can be difficult to diagnose, even for medical professionals.
If an internal injury or illness is causing hemorrhaging, the symptoms depend on where the bleeding is. Some of the symptoms, which can also be symptoms of shock, are:
Hemorrhages can involve slight bleeding from a shaving nick, a bruise due to bleeding beneath the skin (bruises appear bluish because the skin affects the way the blood looks), and events like trauma, stroke, or aneurysm (a bulge in an artery).
Other than trauma, there are health conditions that increase the risk of serious hemorrhage. Death from hemorrhage can happen quickly if the blood loss is rapid. These conditions include:
Postpartumhemorrhage is severe bleeding after the vaginal delivery of a child. It can be a serious complication and is the leading cause of mortality in childbirth.
In Americans below 40, hemorrhage from trauma, such as car accidents or gunshot wounds, is the leading cause of death.
Go to the ER or call 911 if you think there may be internal bleeding or you seesigns of shocklike rapid breathing, pale skin, confusion, or loss of consciousness.
You should get medical help for external hemorrhaging if:
Treatment of a hemorrhage varies according to its severity and location.First aid for minor external bleeding includes:
In cases of severe external bleeding:
When to Seek Medical CareSee a healthcare provider if you see signs of infection or the injury carries a risk of infection, including:RednessPainThe wound oozes pus or fluidSwollen glandsFeverRed streaks appear from the wound in the direction of the heartInjury is from a bite, whether human or animalTetanus vaccinationis not up to date (within the past five to 10 years)
When to Seek Medical Care
See a healthcare provider if you see signs of infection or the injury carries a risk of infection, including:RednessPainThe wound oozes pus or fluidSwollen glandsFeverRed streaks appear from the wound in the direction of the heartInjury is from a bite, whether human or animalTetanus vaccinationis not up to date (within the past five to 10 years)
See a healthcare provider if you see signs of infection or the injury carries a risk of infection, including:
Internal Bleeding
A person with severe hemorrhaging may need intravenous (IV) fluids or a blood transfusion.They may need surgery to stop the bleeding. In less severe cases of external hemorrhage,stitches or surgical gluemay be used to close a wound.
The “lethal triad” of hemorrhage from trauma, which can quickly result in death, includes:
Summary
Hemorrhage is a term for any type of bleeding, but it’s most commonly associated with severe bleeding. External hemorrhages from a cut or wound can be minor or serious. Minor wounds may respond to pressure and stop bleeding, but steady, significant bleeding requires urgent medical attention.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American AED CPR Association.First aid for bleeding.Faria I, Thivalapill N, Makin J, et al.Bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, and the global blood supply.Crit Care Clin. 2022;38(4):775-793. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.013American Red Cross.Whole blood and what it contains.MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Long D, Koyfman A, Long B.The thunderclap headache: approach and management in the emergency department.Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(6):633-641. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.01.026Liabeuf S, Scaltieux LM, Masmoudi K, et al.Risk factors for bleeding in hospitalized at-risk patients with an INR of 5 or more treated with vitamin K antagonists.Medicine (Baltimore).2015;94(52):e2366. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002366World Health Organization.WHO postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) summit.Savioli G, Ceresa IF, Caneva L, et al.Trauma-induced coagulopathy: overview of an emerging medical problem from pathophysiology to outcomes.Medicines.2021;8(4):16. doi:10.3390/medicines8040016Northwest Career College.The three types of bleeding and how to stop them.Mount Sinai.Bleeding.Chang R, Holcomb JB.Optimal fluid therapy for traumatic hemorrhagic shock.Crit Care Clin.2017 Jan;33(1):15-36. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2016.08.007
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American AED CPR Association.First aid for bleeding.Faria I, Thivalapill N, Makin J, et al.Bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, and the global blood supply.Crit Care Clin. 2022;38(4):775-793. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.013American Red Cross.Whole blood and what it contains.MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Long D, Koyfman A, Long B.The thunderclap headache: approach and management in the emergency department.Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(6):633-641. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.01.026Liabeuf S, Scaltieux LM, Masmoudi K, et al.Risk factors for bleeding in hospitalized at-risk patients with an INR of 5 or more treated with vitamin K antagonists.Medicine (Baltimore).2015;94(52):e2366. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002366World Health Organization.WHO postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) summit.Savioli G, Ceresa IF, Caneva L, et al.Trauma-induced coagulopathy: overview of an emerging medical problem from pathophysiology to outcomes.Medicines.2021;8(4):16. doi:10.3390/medicines8040016Northwest Career College.The three types of bleeding and how to stop them.Mount Sinai.Bleeding.Chang R, Holcomb JB.Optimal fluid therapy for traumatic hemorrhagic shock.Crit Care Clin.2017 Jan;33(1):15-36. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2016.08.007
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American AED CPR Association.First aid for bleeding.Faria I, Thivalapill N, Makin J, et al.Bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, and the global blood supply.Crit Care Clin. 2022;38(4):775-793. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.013American Red Cross.Whole blood and what it contains.MedlinePlus.Bleeding.Long D, Koyfman A, Long B.The thunderclap headache: approach and management in the emergency department.Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(6):633-641. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.01.026Liabeuf S, Scaltieux LM, Masmoudi K, et al.Risk factors for bleeding in hospitalized at-risk patients with an INR of 5 or more treated with vitamin K antagonists.Medicine (Baltimore).2015;94(52):e2366. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002366World Health Organization.WHO postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) summit.Savioli G, Ceresa IF, Caneva L, et al.Trauma-induced coagulopathy: overview of an emerging medical problem from pathophysiology to outcomes.Medicines.2021;8(4):16. doi:10.3390/medicines8040016Northwest Career College.The three types of bleeding and how to stop them.Mount Sinai.Bleeding.Chang R, Holcomb JB.Optimal fluid therapy for traumatic hemorrhagic shock.Crit Care Clin.2017 Jan;33(1):15-36. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2016.08.007
American AED CPR Association.First aid for bleeding.
Faria I, Thivalapill N, Makin J, et al.Bleeding, hemorrhagic shock, and the global blood supply.Crit Care Clin. 2022;38(4):775-793. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2022.06.013
American Red Cross.Whole blood and what it contains.
MedlinePlus.Bleeding.
Long D, Koyfman A, Long B.The thunderclap headache: approach and management in the emergency department.Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2019;56(6):633-641. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2019.01.026
Liabeuf S, Scaltieux LM, Masmoudi K, et al.Risk factors for bleeding in hospitalized at-risk patients with an INR of 5 or more treated with vitamin K antagonists.Medicine (Baltimore).2015;94(52):e2366. doi:10.1097/MD.0000000000002366
World Health Organization.WHO postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) summit.
Savioli G, Ceresa IF, Caneva L, et al.Trauma-induced coagulopathy: overview of an emerging medical problem from pathophysiology to outcomes.Medicines.2021;8(4):16. doi:10.3390/medicines8040016
Northwest Career College.The three types of bleeding and how to stop them.
Mount Sinai.Bleeding.
Chang R, Holcomb JB.Optimal fluid therapy for traumatic hemorrhagic shock.Crit Care Clin.2017 Jan;33(1):15-36. doi:10.1016/j.ccc.2016.08.007
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