How to Treat Bleeding From a Minor Head Wound

Head wounds tend to bleed a lot more than wounds on other parts of the body, as there are several blood vessels in the head between the scalp and the skin. It's possible to stop this bleeding and treat the head wound at home if the wound is superficial and no other complications arise.

Instructions

1. Encourage the injured person to lie down and relax. Make them as comfortable as possible as you treat their wound.

2. Remove any hats or items that are near the wound. Take a close look to ensure the wound is superficial and doesn't require immediate medical attention.

3. Place firm but gentle pressure on the head wound using sterile gauze. If sterile gauze isn't available, use a clean cloth or towel.

4. Keep pressure on the wound for a straight 15 minutes. Do not lift the gauze to check on the status of the wound. Keep the pressure steady, adding more gauze if blood begins to soak through. The full 15 minutes ensures the blood time to clot. If you lift the gauze sooner, the clotting process is disrupted and the wound bleeds even more.

5. Contact a medical professional if the bleeding has not stopped or subsided after a full 15 minutes. Lift the head slightly higher than the heart as you wait for instructions on what to do next.

6. Watch the injured person carefully after treating the head wound to be sure that there is no lasting injury, concussion or shock.

Tips & Warnings

• Get emergency medical attention if there appears to be a skull fracture or serious head injury of any kind. If there is bleeding or clear fluids coming from the mouth or nose, call 911 immediately.