For bruises, when should you call EMS?

• A. Have someone call EMS & get AED if you think force that caused injury was enough to cause serious damage or life-threatening bleeding
• B. Cool injured area, placing cloth or towel b/w cold source & skin to prevent freezing
• C. Apply for 20 min on then 20-30 min off as long as person feels pain
• D. Elevation of the injured area above heart level

Answer: (A)

The main idea is recognizing when blunt trauma could hide a serious or life-threatening injury and needing emergency help. If you think the force that caused the bruise could have caused serious damage or life-threatening bleeding, you should call EMS and have an AED ready if one is available. Bruises themselves are common and often manageable with simple care, but you don’t assume it’s minor when the mechanism of injury suggests possible internal damage or severe bleeding.

Applying cold with a cloth barrier helps protect the skin and reduces swelling, and elevating the injured area above heart level also helps with swelling. These are appropriate care steps for minor bruises, but they don’t replace the need for EMS when there’s a risk of serious injury. Short, controlled icing (not long, continuous application) is the typical approach, rather than treating pain alone as a guide for duration.