Most of us are somehow connected with water bodies, especially in the summer in the heat or during the holidays (boating, fishing, sea vacations). But such a rest sometimes brings not only joy, but, unfortunately, grief. The cause of the tragedy in this case is most often drowning. A person’s death occurs when water enters the lungs, causing their edema. Due to lack of oxygen, the whole body suffers. And if first aid to drowning people is not provided on time, then the heart stops and the brain dies.
There are several types of drowning :
- Primary
- Asphytic.
- Secondary
The reason for the primary drowning is, as a rule, the ingress of water into the lungs, such cases more than 70%. The face and neck of the drowning person become bluish. As a rule, pinkish foam is released from the nose and mouth: it is a plasma that foams when it enters the glottis, thereby causing pulmonary edema. A strong cough appears. Assisting a drowning person at the initial stage is to prevent choking when vomiting occurs. Then feel the pulse and examine the pupils. Next, you need to put the victim so that the head is below the pelvis and with two fingers to free the mouth. After that, push as far as possible on the root of the tongue and cause a gag reflex. If vomiting ensues, empty the lungs and stomach from the fluid as soon as possible. To do this, press for 5-10 minutes on the root of the tongue and simultaneously pat on the back. After completing the procedure, put the person on his side.
If vomiting and coughing did not appear, then the first aid to the drowning person should begin with the fact that the victim should be immediately transferred to the back and as soon as possible proceed to massage the heart, alternating with mouth-to-mouth breathing. Resuscitation, as a rule, begins with a precordial stroke. The victim is laid on any surface and inflicted a short strong blow in the region of the lower third of the sternum (it is necessary to remember the ratio of age and body weight). After that, immediately check the pulse on the carotid artery. It happens that one beat is enough to “start” the heart. If the precordial stroke did not bring the desired result, it is necessary to begin resuscitation in full. You need to kneel to the left of the victim and put both palms on the lower part of the sternum, but not more than 1.5-2 cm to the left of the midline. Then, with short shocks and with a frequency of 60-80 beats per minute, press on the sternum. It is necessary to ensure that it moves inward in adults by 3-5 cm, in adolescents by 2-3 cm, in infants by 1 cm. For a child up to 1 year old, such a heart massage should be done with one thumb. It must be combined with artificial respiration. When first aid is provided to people drowning by non-specialists, it is often forgotten that after two "blowing" of air in a row it is necessary to produce 15 heartbeats. This procedure is carried out for 30-40 minutes, even if there are no signs of improvement. After the appearance of a pulse and breathing, the victim is turned on his stomach.
Asphytic drowning occurs in only 10-30% of cases. This happens when the victim is physically unable to resist drowning (intoxication, a strong blow to the water). Due to irritating effects, such as from cold water, spasm of the glottis occurs. Death occurs due to hypoxia, i.e., from oxygen starvation. Such drowning is also called dry. First aid for drowning people in this case comes down to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is believed that in iced water the victim has more opportunities to escape than in warm water. This is due to the fact that in cold weather the body temperature drops sharply, so the victim's metabolism almost stops, and due to this, the time reserve for salvation increases.
Secondary drowning occurs as a result of cardiac arrest when the victim enters cold water. A reaction occurs when water enters the cavity of the middle ear, provided that the eardrum is damaged , or in the respiratory tract. With secondary drowning, pulmonary edema does not occur, but there is a spasm of peripheral vessels. External signs are pale skin and dilated pupils. Breathing will be quicker, and after a long stay under water it will be rare. When it enters the sea water, pulmonary edema, tachycardia or extrasystole quickly occur. First aid for drowning people in this case consists in measures for resuscitation of the pulse and breathing.
Do not forget! First aid to drowning people can save their life. The main thing is to understand the reason from the beginning and not to panic. If possible, provide resuscitation for at least 40 minutes, even if there are no improvements.