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When a bullet enters the body, the speed at which it travels, the angle at which it hits the body, and the density of the tissue involved all contribute to the damage the shot can cause.
How a bullet wounds
Penetration – flesh is disrupted or destroyed by the bullet.
Cavitation – the bullet leaves a hole in the body, either temporary or permanent, depending on the elasticity of the tissue or organ struck.
Fragmentation – bullets may shatter on impact and send fragments through the body. The same thing may happen if the bullet strikes bone: chips of the bone may be driven through the body’s tissue, causing damage in their paths.
Once a bullet enters the body, it crushes and forces tissue apart. This becomes serious if a major organ or blood vessel is hit. Only the tissue that has come into direct contact with the bullet will be damaged.
Additional damage is caused by shock waves compressing the tissue in the bullet's path, causing a temporary cavity. Although temporary cavitation lasts for less than a second, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and bone can be damaged.
Gunshot wounds uncovered
Whether a gunshot wound is fatal depends on the type of gun used, the distance from which the bullet was fired and where on the body the victim was hit.
According to an article published in the NYU School of Medicine and Hospitals Journal, bullet wounds can range from small to huge depending on these factors. Also, one cannot assume that a bullet travels in a straight line: for reasons explained below, its trajectory can be unstable, and internal damage can be much worse.
Gunshot wounds are described as either "penetrating" or "perforating". The first is when the bullet enters the body and stays inside; in the second, the bullet passes through the body. A wound can be both - for instance, a bullet can penetrate a part of the body (say, the head) and perforate, say, the skull or brain.
A perforating wound creates an exit wound where the bullet leaves the body. It is easy to tell the difference between an entrance and an exit wound. Where the bullet entered the body, there will be a reddish-brown area of scraped skin, and only a little bleeding.
An exit wound is bigger, and is likely to push out tissue. There is also likely to be much heavier bleeding.
What to do in an emergency
Seek medical help as soon as possible. Ideally, anyone who has sustained a gunshot wound should receive medical attention within ten minutes. While waiting for assistance, there are first-aid procedures you can follow:
- Ensure that you're safe. Move as far away from the shooter as you can.
- If you're not the victim, make sure that the victim keeps completely still.
- Follow basic first aid procedures.
- Control bleeding by placing pressure on the wound.
How a bullet wounds
Penetration – flesh is disrupted or destroyed by the bullet.
Cavitation – the bullet leaves a hole in the body, either temporary or permanent, depending on the elasticity of the tissue or organ struck.
Fragmentation – bullets may shatter on impact and send fragments through the body. The same thing may happen if the bullet strikes bone: chips of the bone may be driven through the body’s tissue, causing damage in their paths.
Once a bullet enters the body, it crushes and forces tissue apart. This becomes serious if a major organ or blood vessel is hit. Only the tissue that has come into direct contact with the bullet will be damaged.
Additional damage is caused by shock waves compressing the tissue in the bullet's path, causing a temporary cavity. Although temporary cavitation lasts for less than a second, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and bone can be damaged.
Gunshot wounds uncovered
Whether a gunshot wound is fatal depends on the type of gun used, the distance from which the bullet was fired and where on the body the victim was hit.
According to an article published in the NYU School of Medicine and Hospitals Journal, bullet wounds can range from small to huge depending on these factors. Also, one cannot assume that a bullet travels in a straight line: for reasons explained below, its trajectory can be unstable, and internal damage can be much worse.
Gunshot wounds are described as either "penetrating" or "perforating". The first is when the bullet enters the body and stays inside; in the second, the bullet passes through the body. A wound can be both - for instance, a bullet can penetrate a part of the body (say, the head) and perforate, say, the skull or brain.
A perforating wound creates an exit wound where the bullet leaves the body. It is easy to tell the difference between an entrance and an exit wound. Where the bullet entered the body, there will be a reddish-brown area of scraped skin, and only a little bleeding.
An exit wound is bigger, and is likely to push out tissue. There is also likely to be much heavier bleeding.
What to do in an emergency
Seek medical help as soon as possible. Ideally, anyone who has sustained a gunshot wound should receive medical attention within ten minutes. While waiting for assistance, there are first-aid procedures you can follow:
- Ensure that you're safe. Move as far away from the shooter as you can.
- If you're not the victim, make sure that the victim keeps completely still.
- Follow basic first aid procedures.
- Control bleeding by placing pressure on the wound.
