Why does holding a cut over the head reduce bleeding?

Answer 1

The blood flow won't reach over your head.

Answer 2

The blood flows back down to your heart and your body. It doesn't flow very well above the head.

Stopping Bleeding
For deep cuts the most important first aid is to apply pressure with a thick dressing or a clean towel to stop the bleeding. If a person has cut their arm, lift the arm above their head — if it's their leg that has been hurt, sit the person down and lift their leg up higher than their heart — this will slow down the blood flow and limit blood loss. Take them to a doctor if the cut won't stop bleeding, if it is unusually long or ragged or if it is too big for skin closures to keep it together.

Answer 3

It's not so much "over your head", but it's the concept of keeping the wound above your heart, so blood does not flow so easily thru the wound. If you hang it down to your side, you would feel it throb....thus keeping it above heart level would reduce that and help stop bleeding.

Answer 4

It's not really holding it over your head that is critical, it is just holding it over your heart. Your heart has to work harder courtesy of gravity to pump blood to points above the heart.

Answer 5

Because it reduces the heart's ability to pump blood to that location. It essentially has to pump blood uphill.

Answer 6

The blood has trouble trying to pump the blood when the arm is elevated.

Answer 7

if its anywhere above your heart the flow to the area slows its just a matter of your blood flow not being strong enough to fight gravity i suppose

Answer 8

You actually wasted 5 points to ask a stupid a** question like that?

Answer 9

limits blood flow

Answer 10

gravity.