A pressure bandage (also called a pressure dressing) is a bandage that’s designed to apply pressure to a particular area of the body.
Typically, a pressure bandage has no adhesive and is applied over a wound that’s been covered with an absorbent layer. The absorbent layer may or may not be held in place with an adhesive.
Pressure bandages are used to control bleeding and encourage blood clotting without constricting normal blood circulation. They help:
Keep reading to learn when and how to apply a pressure bandage as well as precautions.
Doctors often use pressure bandages following surgical procedures. They’re also used by emergency medical responders.
If you or someone you’re with has a deep wound that’s profusely bleeding, you may need to apply a pressure bandage. But first, here are the initial steps you should follow:
At this point, the wound should be more stable. However, if you see blood soaking through the bandage or dripping out from underneath it, you need to apply a more effective pressure bandage to prevent excessive blood loss.
Excessive blood loss can result in:
If elevation, gauze, and manual pressure haven’t adequately stopped the bleeding, here are your next steps:
You can also use a pressure bandage to treat venomous snake bites.
According to Queensland Children’s Hospital, applying firm pressure over the blood vessels at the site of the poisonous snake bite can slow the venom from progressing into the bloodstream.
If the pressure bandage is tied too tightly around an extremity, the pressure bandage becomes a tourniquet.
A tourniquet cuts off the blood supply from the arteries. Once that blood supply has been cut off, the tissues separated from oxygen-rich blood flow — such as the nerves, blood vessels, and muscles — can be permanently damaged and result in loss of the limb.
If you’ve applied a pressure bandage, continually check around it to make sure you haven’t tied it too tightly or swelling hasn’t made it too tight, but try to maintain a proper amount of pressure.
For some wounds, a pressure bandage may be used to help control bleeding and better allow the blood to clot over a wound.
It’s important, however, for a pressure bandage not to be too tight, as you don’t want it to halt blood flow from the arteries.
You can also use pressure bandages in the treatment of venomous snake bites to help stop the venom from getting into the bloodstream.
Last medically reviewed on February 28, 2020
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