Ice Pack for bleed control?

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EMS_cavalier25

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How effective is an ice pack at slowing bleeds?

anyone have experience in using one on a bleed, also is that something to consider doing on an Aterial bleed ?
 
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No, I would not do it. If you can't control it with direct pressure and wound packing, apply a tourniquet. Better yet, just apply the tourniquet and let the hospital worry about it. If it works and it's safe, don't screw around trying to make something more complicated than it needs to be.
 
usafmedic45 said:
If it works and it's safe, don't screw around trying to make something more complicated than it needs to be.
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Can not argue with that ^^

i was studying for NREMT-b exam and a question came up involving Bleeding controll and one of the choices were ice packs, along with direct pressure etc and the correct choice was D. All of the above.

which got me curious as to ice packs.
 
Eh....it theoretically could help, but not enough that it's a primary task that one would want to utilize. The localized cold-induced vasoconstrictive effect, especially in older (>30-40 yoa) adults, isn't as strong as a lot of people believe.
 
So lets say you have an age 17 Female with a laceration to her forearm after applying starndard first aid would breaking out the ice pack be benifitial , or hardly noticble ?
 
Hardly noticeable in most instances. To get a significant degree of vasoconstriction (read as "appreciable decrease in rate of bleeding") you'd have to get the arm a lot colder than what you would achieve with a standard ice pack. As I said, if it's an extremity wound, tourniquet it and let the hospital deal with it if it doesn't stop with direct pressure.
 
Ice packs can be fantastic for a basic-level pain management tool though, especially with abrasions or minor lacerations.
 
usafmedic45 said:
Hardly noticeable in most instances. To get a significant degree of vasoconstriction (read as "appreciable decrease in rate of bleeding") you'd have to get the arm a lot colder than what you would achieve with a standard ice pack. As I said, if it's an extremity wound, tourniquet it and let the hospital deal with it if it doesn't stop with direct pressure.
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I wonder whether you would get the coagulopathy of hypothermia with just local cooling?
 
Probably not. I have never heard of it being an issue with local cold therapy.
 
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