Premergency First Aid, CPR and AED Manual

7 Bleeding, Wound Care and Trauma

Removing a leech • Identify the head of the leech. This is the narrower end of the body. • Slide something thin like a credit card or a fingernail along the skin and under the leech’s head, detaching it from the wound and pushing it away. • Detach the rest of the body the same way. • Quickly discard the leech before it reattaches. • Rinse the bite with clean water. It is normal for the bite to bleed a bit due to the anticoagulant from the leach. • Clean bite with antiseptic to avoid infection. If irritation develops or persists, apply a paste of 50/50 baking soda and water. Cover with an adhesive bandage. • If signs of infection develop, seek medical care.

Leeches Leeches feed on the blood of other animals. Leeches live in wet environments such as ponds, swamps, lakes, and rivers. Leeches attach themselves to a person when they bite, injecting an anticoagulant enzyme to prevent the wound from clotting while they feed. Once the engorged leech is full, it drops off after about 20 minutes. Removing a leech once it has bitten and is attached may be difficult. Do not use salt, heat, or bug spray to remove the leach as this can cause the leach to regurgitate infected blood and fluid into the patient. If a patient doesn’t want to wait for the leech to detach itself, it may be removed. Otherwise, once the leech has detached itself, rinse the area with clean water, apply an antiseptic, and use an adhesive bandage to cover the wound. If irritation develops or persists, apply a paste of 50/50 baking soda and water. If signs of infection develop, seek medical care.

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