Why do we apply direct pressure on small wounds but apply pressure above the big wounds?

Question

Why do we apply direct pressure on small wounds but apply pressure above the big wounds?

In: Biology

Answer 1

The big wounds often involve a severed artery (high-pressure pipe that carries blood away from the heart). Direct pressure is often not enough to stop the bleeding in these right away, and the injured person is losing a lot of blood fast, so you don’t have the time to wait for it to work. Tieing a tourniquet above the bleeding will stop the bleeding if done correctly, and ideally, you would be holding direct pressure while doing this.

This would work for smaller wounds, too, but a tourniquet is very painful for the patient and could lead to what’s called a crush injury, where toxins build up over time in the blocked off extremity that cause serious complications.