Bleeding

Bleeding, technically known as hemorrhaging or haemorrhaging (see American and British spelling differences), is the loss of blood or blood escape from the circulatory system. Bleeding can occur internally, where blood leaks from blood vessels inside the body, or externally, either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, vagina or anus, or through a break in the skin. Desanguination is a massive blood loss, and the complete loss of blood is referred to as exsanguination. Typically, a healthy person can endure a loss of 10–15% of the total blood volume without serious medical difficulties, and blood donation typically takes 8–10% of the donor's blood volume.

Famous quotes containing the word bleeding:

“Love in fantastic triumph sat,
Whilst bleeding hearts around him flowed,”
—Aphra Behn (1640–1689)

“The wounded surgeon plies the steel
That questions the distempered part;
Beneath the bleeding hands we feel
The sharp compassion of the healer’s art
Resolving the enigma of the fever chart.”
—T.S. (Thomas Stearns)

“its crumbled yellow cup
and pale bleeding lips
fading to white
at the rim
of each bruised and heart-
shaped petal.”
—John Montague (b. 1929)