Posted on 02/16/2021 2:24:35 AM PST by mabarker1
Splinters from bullets, bouncing bullets, organs moved about in the body, shockwaves — the bottom line is, actual damage from the bullet is what occurs!
Preparation is priceless.
While we may choose the proper handgun and ammunition, as well as a proper holster, we ignore dealing with the worst scenario.
Let’s talk about what happens if there is a gunshot wound.
Editor’s note: This article isn’t meant to be medical advice. Consult a doctor for a professional opinion and always call 911 or seek emergency assistance if there is a life-threatening gunshot wound.
Why Gunshot Wounds Happen
Getting shot may happen at any number of junctures. There have been negligent discharges in shops, on the range and during training classes.
It isn’t always getting shot in a gun battle. It is always a good thing to be prepared and know how to take care of a gunshot wound.
No matter how much training, whether it be personal-defense classes or just time on the range you have had, an accident can happen.
At home, at the range, anywhere, at any time.
Nobody wants to end up in that situation, but always be ready to take care of yourself if you end up taking a bullet or someone else is wounded.
On the bright side, only about 10 percent of gunshot wounds are fatal.
It is possible to survive a gunshot, maybe even multiple wounds, it all depends where the bullet goes once it enters your body.
Getting it under control is what matters, because almost all fatalities from gunshots are due to blood loss.
There are many myths concerning bullet wounds. Handgun bullets make an entrance wound of caliber diameter.
The bullet then penetrates to damage bones or organs. Secondary missiles thrown from the bullet are rare.
Bullets don’t bounce around in the body, although a round-nosed bullet may bounce off bone to an extent.
Bullets don’t have enough energy to bounce around in the body.
Secondary infection may be a real problem, but that is a concern after you treat the initial injury.
You can get shot anywhere, so I’m going to break down how to take care of different gunshot wounds on different areas of the body.
Some places could complicate issues a lot more, the head or chest for example.
Of course, your best option, if you can, is to make it to the hospital as soon as possible, if not, this should help you out.
If someone takes a shot to the head and is still conscious, start off by sitting them up and leaning them forward so blood isn’t getting caught in their throat.
If they are unconscious, lay them on their side and pull their knees forward to keep them in that position.
Keep applying pressure to the wound to slow down bleeding, make sure you don’t use tourniquets around their neck while applying pressure to their head as well.
I have arrived and witness an individual set bolt upright after a bullet flattened on his brow.
Another case saw a bullet follow the line of the skull and exit the rear of the scalp, with little permanent damage.
A gunshot wound to the chest can be very serious. A lot of people tend to call them “sucking chest wounds.”
The reason for that is you face a major issue of a lung collapsing.
The first thing you need to do is get some kind of occlusive dressing or bandage for it.
What that is, is an air and water-tight trauma medical dressing. They normally have a waxy coating to provide that seal you will need.
That way you are closing off anything from entering the lung.
Use that and some pressure when applying it and you can drastically help something that could quickly turn into a fatal issue.
Another thing to take into consideration with a chest shot is how far it went through them.
There is always a chance that it went far enough through to damage the spine.
That’s why it is important to have them sit upright and keep them as still as possible.
Sudden movements can cause serious damage to the spinal cord, which can ultimately result in permanent paralysis.
If the heart or major blood vessels get hit, there isn’t much you can do. You will definitely need medical help.
Now on to the arms and legs. Like before, the main thing with these wounds is to keep pressure on them.
Watch for skin discoloration, swelling and hemorrhaging. These can all be signs of internal bleeding.
This is when you need to be very careful, because it can be fatal.
Try elevating either the arm or leg as well, because this may help some with the bleeding. If the bleeding will not stop, you may have to use a tourniquet.
A tourniquet is a medical device that helps slow down, but not cut off, the blood flow to whatever limb you are using it on.
You can also make one out of a rope and stick if you don’t have a medical one. Fasten it high and tight on the limb.
You may have some side effects from using these, such as nerve damage or soft-tissue damage.
But, if the person you are helping is losing a lot of blood quickly and nothing else is working, it is better to try and use a tourniquet than for them to end up losing an arm or leg.
Even then, it is better to lose a limb than your entire life.
There is also a possibility that a bone was injured during the shot, and in that case you would need to apply a splint.
Another main issue is organ damage, which often results in organ failure. If that happens, there really isn’t much you can do at that point.
Tissue damage isn’t anywhere near as bad. The thing about bullets, is you never know where they are going to go.
Once they enter you, there is no promise that they will tear straight through. They may strike bone or they may stop in the solid organs.
They may even hit more than one organ, and tear through arteries and veins in your body.
Just one gunshot to the arm or leg in the wrong spot can kill you if you’re not lucky.
We will never know what path a bullet is going to take unless we have observed the exact angle.
All we can try to do is help the person once it’s happened.
I know you’re probably terrified by now, but think about it this way, statistics show that you only have about a one in 514,000 chance of dying from a gunshot wound in America — but then, the possibility is endless.
Keep in mind that number comes from a lot of deaths, such as mass murders, suicides and gun-handling accidents.
Some of which can’t be prevented. That’s really low and, like I said before, most of those deaths are from blood loss not being treated properly.
If you make it to the hospital with your heart still beating, you have a 95 percent survival rate!
Most survivors of gunshots say the worst feeling was their blood running down them, and said it feels like an “intense burning sensation.”
My friend Trevor remarked it was like getting hit by a strong boxer. (His was a 7.62 x39mm hit from a ‘Terr.’)
Most people’s problems come with dealing with the aftermath of a gunshot.
A lot of gunshot victims, survivors, suffer from PTSD afterward. Recovery can take from months to years.
Leaving the person emotionally scarred for a lifetime. About 77,000 people in America are recovering from gunshot wounds each year.
No one is alone in this. There are therapy groups for victims and special counseling they can go to that may help put their mind at ease.
All of the factors I showed above help out in gunshot survival, but there are many, many more that lead to recovery.
Physical and mental therapies are the main things that will lead and help to a road of recovery.
Wound-Packing Gauze 1-2 Pairs of Nitrile or Vinyl Disposable Gloves QuikClot or Celox Hemostatic Gauze Chest Spike or Decompression Needle (Only If Trained) Do you keep a trauma kit for gunshot wounds? What do you pack? Let us know in the comments below!
When Wilburn Roberts was a young peace officer, he adopted his present pen name at the suggestion of his chief, as some of the brass was leery of what he might write. This was also adopted out of respect for families of both victims and criminals. The pen name is the same and the man remains an outspoken proponent of using enough gun for the job.
He has been on the hit list of a well-known hate group, traveled in a dozen countries and written on many subjects, including investigating hate crimes and adopting the patrol carbine. He graduated second in his class with a degree in Police Science. It took him 20 years to work himself from Lieutenant to Sergeant and he calls it as he sees it.
a sucking chest wound while playing adult versions of Tag-yer-IT, is nature's way of telling you to slow down
She’s probably doing nails in L.A. hahaha
I’m assuming this was ‘65 or ‘66? Just curious how long the M-14’s were still being carried onto the boats.
LOL !!! YEAH, that’s for sure. I’ve been knocked out with Meds for itching and sinus drainage and it works but I just can’t stay awake.
Thank Y’All for the update and info.
I was always taught a saline flush was better on wounds.
In many westerns the good guy just shrug’s being shot off and is good as new by the end of the episode.
Ahhh..the power of good. ;-)
My personal experience was its Highly unpleasant
But a non life threatening wound in a fire fight or battle of some sort could be ignored if it doesn’t affect breathing or structural support like major bones..
Once I realized I wasn’t near death .....or at least i hoped though I wasn’t convinced till emergency room located the butlet
I’m saying I can see how people fight on....wounded....
Now a sucking chest wound ...or perforated liver or kidneys or major digestive tract damage or sexual organs or bladder damage ....and of course major cranium damage...
It would be hard to keep,fighting ..mine was minor cranium intrusion and luckily with a 20 caliber....if it had been a 35 Whelen I wouldn’t be here ..no life....no kids...not hot wyfe......
Thank You, I didn’t know that. So would Saline be better to rinse IF needed (dirt in wound) or just pack and pressure ?
I was wondering about that part when I read it. I’m thinking more like immobilized and loaded on a Backboard and/or Stretcher. And if still under fire keep low to the ground like a snake.
Yikes!!! I’m glad that You made it Home safely.
6 weeks later ? Interrogation or just happened to run into her ?
Thank You for Your Service.
Very true.
Bttt
Thank you I appreciate kind words
Wow, I’m glad You made it.
I’m guessing that Your Dog collection is over the years, pretty Rotties. I’ve had numerous Dobies and want another one if We can ever get a fence completed because 3 big Dogs in the house all the time just won’t work with the 2 We have now, a deaf Boxer and rescue Cane Corso Italian Mastiff are underfoot and neurotic enough without adding in a high strung Dobie Puppy.
Stay Safe and Take Care.
Just pack and pressure. If the person lives the wound will be cleaned when treatment is rendered. You have no idea where the wound goes or what you would stir up with your irrigation and the priority in the field is to save a life. Others will worry about infection later.
Got it, Thank You!
“6 weeks later ? Interrogation or just happened to run into her ?”
She sent a note to my commanding officer from the Qui Nhon Womens POW Camp asking to meet and thank the GI that saved her life. I and another GI took a jeep and drove about 10 or 12 miles to the prison to meet her. We spoke for about a half hour, she thanked me for getting the medical help and then we went back to our base.
That’s amazing and good on You. God was watching Y’all during that and saying to Himself that is what I want All humanity to do. And You were in the middle of a war. Triple Kudos to You. Glad You made it Home.
Stay Safe and Take Care.
You and I like the same dogs......great choices
My dogs in order and I’m 63
Weimaraner ....gave to someone
German Shepherd.....car
German shepherd ....killed several dogs city mandated exile
Giant Schnauzer......great dog....old age
Several dobies....old age and car on one
Male and female Rotts from reviled Kimnertal but they were a really great great specimens ....the Malle saved the life of my ex girlfriend from a rapist murderer ....after we split amd she kept them....old age...the female lasted to 20
Hoyt Doberman with some training...red.....a smart home defender....truly a T Rex of a dog.....but terrified of my 100 pound mother ..lol..he was my dads last dog...he smelled my dads death on me and it scared him into trembling in the corner so scared I’d killed big boss ...we took him to the hospital and docs let him see my terminal dad and he was much better....
Scott style American bulldog...
Black .....a champion....he bit everyone so I sold him to a French breeder where he was at stud for a decade....he would have made a serious fighting dog in the 1700s....I do not like that activity but he was a pugilist
Then I had a big male black face Rott...maybe my closest dog...
He got killed by car.....I sobbed for only time in my post 12 years of age life which scared my kids
He had gone everywhere with me for four years every day
Then we had a big female Johnson america bulldog....she was dangerous to everything but humans ...no guarding instinct but beautiful ....
Sugar taffy rose....you can Google her
Then two brother rotties.....who we still have ....great big 140-150 pound dogs.....my wife adores them
Then a son of the aforementioned pugilist ...then he started fighting the Rotts ..I gave him to a SF vet pal from Bragg
He triaind him and breeds him....he’s a great one person dog
And believe it or not....my oldest daughter got married and put her geriatric chihuahua with me....cataracts and grizzled...she goes everywhere with me
And I never lied little dogs....she sleeps between wife and I...by our heads
Spoiled rotten
We also had a few quail and duck dogs over the years.....English labs being the best for ducks in my opinion
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