this post was submitted on 03 Aug 2023
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Last few times I did my first aid certificate I was taught not to use tourniquet; in fact it wasn't taught at all. I guess in most situations it makes sense not to use it, in situations where it would make sense to use it I would not have first aid kit handy.
Most people in military combat end up dying from bleeding caused by an injury. It can happen in two minutes where they lose enough blood to die. A tourniquet will stop that bleeding as long as the injury is in an extremity and can be left on for hours without further damage, giving you enough time to get to a hospital.
Military combat is pretty different from the sort of injury you might get around the house.
Not if you live in America.
Only half joking, but you could easily slice yourself on some glass and hit an artery in your arm. Or in the kitchen with a knife slipping. It's just good to have around because it could save your life.
I'm a paramedic. The last time I used a tourniquet was on a teenager that put arms through a window. Their sibling locked them out of the house, so they were trying to force their way back in.
It's uncommon, but things like that happens more often than you think. Plate glass and any sort of powered (and to a lesser degree: unpowered) cutting tool are probably the worst offenders.
Though if you're going to carry a tourniquet make sure you're trained on how and when to use it properly.
I believe that is the only place I learned about tourniquets in first aid cert. In that case you can use a shirt and a piece of stick. I'm doubtful of "hours without further damage" though. They definitely have their place but for understandable reasons they're not recommended for regular first aid.
Interesting point about tourniquets is that improper use can be worse than just not using one. If it's tied too loose you compress the superficial veins but not the deeper arteries, increasing blood loss.