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Tourniquets are considered dangerous for several reasons. However, the with proper training and application they can be one of the most effective life saving devices in an emergency care givers arsenal. Anyway here's a few answers to your question:

1) Immediately after the application of a tourniquet everything distal to the site is cut off from it's blood supply and is no longer being oxygenated. This WILL lead to cell death and nerve damage.

2) Without blood flowing through the injured extremity, the blood remaining stagnant within it will begin to clot. If these clots aren't removed or dissolved and the tourniquet isn't removed properly(preferably in a controlled hospital setting) they can enter the circulatory system and block vessels which can cause all kinds of problems(stroke, cardiac arrest, etc).

3) Toxins, caused by cell waste, build up in the blood below to the tourniquet. The patients natural waste disposal might be overwhelmed after the tourniquet is removed, leading to organ and respiratory failure.

These are the major complications with tourniquet use. I hoped it helped a little bit.

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13y ago
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10y ago

Much of what was once taught about the dangers of tourniquet use has in recent years been debunked. Combat experience has shown that limbs are rarely lost because of their use as we once believed. Tourniquets have proven to be a vital tool in controlling severe bleeding which cannot be controlled with direct pressure, elevation and hemostatic agents. Some now think they should be the first step, particularly after their effective widespread deployment during the first minutes after the Boston Bombing. In many cases the potential dangers and complications of tourniquet use are outweighed by the potential loss of life if bleeding is not controlled.

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Q: Why are tourniquets dangerous?
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How do you use tourniquets in a sentence?

I'd like to see this cabinet filled with tourniquets, before your shift is over.


Why can you only leave a tourniquet on for 60 seconds?

Tourniquets are dangerous when used improperly, such as having them applied too long, as they restrict blood flow to the extremity or limb, therefore resulting in failure of that limb or extremity.


What is used to treat a non-life threatening extremity hemorrhage when a pressure dressing is not effective?

If direct pressure does not work, a tourniquet can be used. However, tourniquets are dangerous because they block off the blood supply to the extremity.


Why do football players wear tourniquets?

they don't, what you are seeing are braces to compress the muscle


How do you control a major external bleed?

Tourniquets are useful first-aid tools to control bleeding.


How do you control major external bleeding?

Tourniquets are useful first-aid tools to control bleeding.


What phobia is the fear of loss of blood circulation and or tourniquets?

I have this fear too! I would really like to know what it is called!


When applying the combat application tourniquets how many times is the windlass rod twisted?

No more than three times


When is it advisable to loosen a tourniquet?

Modern medicine frowns on any use of tourniquets. Unless its for phlebotomy purposes. Applying pressure is a much better method.


What is dry phlebotomy?

Dry phlebotomy is rotating tourniquets. It's generally performed to pool blood in the extremities, which finally causes a reduction in cardiac load.


What can an emt training course offer me?

A reputable EMT training course can offer you training in a variety of life saving techniques such as amputation, tourniquets, heimleich manouver and others.


What is the difference between a blue tourniquet and a yellow tourniquet?

While there may be exceptions for the most part yellow or tan colored tourniquets are made from latex and blue tourniquets are made from nitrile or similar synthetic. Latex allergies can be severe and life-threatening so using a latex tourniquet on a latex-sensitive patient can have serious complications. That is why many healthcare providers have switched to non-latex alternatives which are usually blue.