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If someone needs immediate help with head bleeding, use emergency mode.
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DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — The scalp is bleeding from a cut, fall, or blow. Head wounds often bleed heavily because the scalp has many blood vessels.
The essentials if you need to act right now.
Press on the head wound. Call 112 if heavy bleeding or they seem confused. Do not move the neck.
What might I see? Observable signs — no diagnosis required.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Heavy bleeding that does not slow with firm pressure.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Person was knocked out, even briefly, or cannot remember what happened.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Confusion, slurred speech, severe headache, vomiting, or one pupil larger than the other.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Clear fluid or blood coming from nose or ears after head injury.
Optional deeper explanation — not required to act.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Scalp cuts bleed a lot but may look worse than they are. However, the force that caused the wound may also have injured the brain.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Bleeding on the outside does not tell you whether there is bleeding or swelling inside the skull.
Check the scene before you approach.
If a fall from height or vehicle crash is suspected, avoid moving the head or neck.
Civilian-safe actions you can take.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Keep the person still. Support their head in a neutral position.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Place a thick cloth on the wound and press firmly — do not press into a depressed area of skull.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Ask someone to call 112 if the injury was serious or the person seems altered.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Maintain steady pressure. Add cloth on top if soaked — do not remove the first layer.
When and how to get professional help.
Any head injury with loss of consciousness, confusion, repeated vomiting, or heavy bleeding needs emergency evaluation.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Control bleeding and monitor alertness. Do not diagnose brain injury or remove deep objects.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Call 112. Say: "Head injury with bleeding" and whether they were unconscious or confused.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Tell dispatch how the injury happened — fall, hit, road accident.
Dangerous actions, when not to attempt rescue, and common myths.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT wash deep scalp wounds with running water if bleeding is active.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT remove embedded objects from the head.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT let the person sleep or leave them alone after a significant head injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Do NOT move the neck if a fall or crash caused the injury.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If they can talk, the head injury is minor
Other scenarios in the same family.
After crush release
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person has just been released from a crush injury. They may look okay initially but can deteriorate rapidly.
Amputation
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A finger, toe, hand, foot, or larger part of a limb has been partially or completely severed in an accident.
Impaled object
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A knife, rod, glass shard, or other object is embedded in the body and must not be removed by civilians.
Chest wound
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A penetrating or open wound to the chest wall. The person may have trouble breathing or bubbling blood at the wound.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Talk to the person: ask their name, what day it is, and what happened.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — If vomiting, roll them carefully as one unit (head and body together) onto their side if trained to do so.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Any head injury with loss of consciousness, confusion, worsening headache, or repeated vomiting needs emergency care.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Even scalp bleeding that stops needs medical assessment if the injury was from a fall, blow, or crash.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — A person with a serious brain injury may speak normally at first and then worsen. Monitor closely.
DEVELOPMENT FIXTURE — Delaying emergency care because the person seems okay initially.