Medical Health Encyclopedia

Bleeding

Abdominal wounds can be very serious because of the possibility of severe internal bleeding, which may not be obvious from looking at a person, but which may result in shock.

Seek medical care immediately for any penetrating abdominal wound. If organs are showing through the wound, do not try to push them back into the abdomen unless they slide back in without your assistance. Cover the injury with a moistened cloth or bandage, and do not apply more than very gentle pressure to stop the bleeding.

Always seek emergency assistance if internal bleeding is suspected. This can rapidly become life-threatening. Immediate medical intervention may be needed. This can range from medications and intravenous fluids, to use of an internal scope (endoscope), to surgery.

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Seek emergency assistance for severe bleeding, loss of a body part, or any serious head injury.

Causes:

Bleeding can be caused by injuries or can occur spontaneously. Spontaneous bleeding is most commonly caused by problems with the gastrointestinal or urogenital tract.

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