The symptoms of bleeding are bright-red ~blood~ pumping from an injured |artery|, or darker ~blood~ if a large |vein| has been injured. Bleeding caused by any serious injury should be treated in an emergency facility. After calling for emergency assistance, elevate the wounded area above the heart (have the victim lie down if the wound is in the lower body), cover the entire injured area with a cloth (or bare hands if no cloth is available) and apply strong pressure on the injured area for at least 10 minutes while awaiting help or transporting to an emergency facility. If direct pressure and elevation of the wound do not control brisk bleeding, apply pressure to one of the main pressure points to help control the blood flow. Only as a last resort should one use a tourniquet. Use of a tourniquet incorrectly can result in permanent damage to the nerves and blood vessels of the wounded area. Make a tourniquet from a length of cloth or similar material, wrap and tie the tourniquet around the body above the wound. Place a stick or other rigid object between the cloth and the body; twist the stick until gentle but firm pressure has been applied and the bleeding stops. Note how long the tourniquet is in place so that emergency medical personnel can take appropriate action. Again, use of a tourniquet should only be done as a last resort when all other methods have failed to control the bleeding. Incorrect use of a tourniquet can have dire consequences for the victim, such as severe damage to a limbs tissues.
