Cuts, puncture wounds and heavy bleeding
Direct pressure first, keep it up, and treat heavy bleeding as an emergency.
Call 112 territory
What to do now
- 1Press firmly and continuously on the wound with a clean pad or gloved hand.
- 2Keep the injured part raised above the heart where possible.
- 3Add more padding on top if it soaks through — never remove the first layer.
- 4Call 112 for spurting, pooling or non-stopping bleeding.
- 5If bleeding from a limb cannot be controlled, apply a proper tourniquet high and tight and note the time.
Do not
- 1Do not remove an embedded knife, hook or splinter — pad around it.
- 2Do not keep lifting the pad to look.
- 3Do not use a tourniquet on the neck or torso.
Seek urgent help if
- 1Bleeding is heavy, pulsing, or does not stop after 10 minutes of pressure.
- 2Pale, clammy, drowsy or confused — signs of shock.
- 3The wound gapes, exposes fat or muscle, or was caused by a dirty or rusty object.
Aftercare
- 1Clean under running water, dry, close with strips only if edges meet easily, and cover.
- 2Change dressings daily and keep the wound dry on the water.
- 3Check tetanus cover and watch for infection.
This page is general first-aid guidance for anglers. It cannot diagnose an injury and does not replace professional emergency care. If you are unsure, call 112.