Emergency assistance for drowning

Relaxing by a pond is not always pleasant. Improper behavior in water or emergency situations can lead to drowning. Young children are especially susceptible to this risk, but even adults who know how to swim well can become victims of strong currents, convulsions, and whirlpools. The sooner the victim is removed from the water and given first aid for drowning (removing fluid from the respiratory tract), the higher the chance of saving a person’s life.

What is drowning

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines drowning as respiratory problems caused by immersion or prolonged exposure to water. As a result, breathing problems and asphyxia may occur. If first aid to a drowning person is not provided on time, death occurs. How long can a person go without air? The brain can function for only 5-6 minutes during hypoxia, so it is necessary to act very quickly, without waiting for the ambulance team.

There are several reasons for this situation, but not all of them are accidental. Sometimes incorrect human behavior on the surface of the water leads to undesirable consequences. Key factors include:

  • injuries from diving in shallow water, in unexplored places;
  • alcohol intoxication;
  • emergency situations (seizures, heart attack, diabetic or hypoglycemic coma, stroke);
  • inability to swim;
  • neglect of a child (when children drown);
  • getting into whirlpools, storm.

Signs of drowning

The symptoms of drowning are easy to spot. The victim begins to flounder or gasps for air like a fish. Often a person spends all his energy to keep his head above water and breathe, so he cannot scream for help. Spasm of the vocal cords may also occur. A drowning man panics and gets lost, which reduces his chances of self-rescue. When the victim has already been pulled out of the water, the fact that he was drowning can be determined by the following symptoms:

  • bloating;
  • chest pain;
  • blue or bluish tint to the skin;
  • cough;
  • shortness of breath or shortness of breath;
  • vomiting

Types of drownings

There are several types of drowning, each with its own characteristics. These include:

  1. “Dry” (asphyxial) drowning. A person dives under water and loses orientation. Often a spasm of the larynx occurs, and water fills the stomach. The upper respiratory tract becomes blocked, and the drowning person begins to suffocate. Asphyxia sets in.
  2. "Wet" (true). When immersed in water, a person does not lose his breathing instinct. The lungs and bronchi fill with fluid, foam may be released from the mouth, and cyanosis of the skin appears.
  3. Fainting (syncope). Another name is pale drowning. The skin acquires a characteristic white, white-gray, bluish color. Death occurs as a result of a reflex cessation of the work of the lungs and heart. This often happens due to a temperature difference (when a drowning person is immersed in ice water) or a blow to the surface. Fainting, loss of consciousness, arrhythmia, epilepsy, heart attack, and clinical death occur.

Rescue of a drowning man

Anyone can notice the victim, but it is important to provide first aid in a short time, because someone’s life depends on it. When on the shore, the first thing to do is call a lifeguard for help. The specialist knows exactly how to act. If he is not nearby, you can try to pull the person out yourself, but you need to remember the danger. The drowning person is in a stressful state, his coordination is impaired, so he can involuntarily cling to the rescuer, not allowing him to grab him.

Emergency assistance for drowning

There is a high probability of drowning together (if they behave incorrectly in the water).

  1. When an accident occurs, you need to act quickly. If there is no professional rescuer or medical worker nearby, then first aid for drowning should be provided by others. The following steps should be followed:
  2. Wrap your finger in a soft cloth and use it to clean the rescued person’s mouth.
  3. If there is fluid in the lungs, you need to put the person on his knee with his stomach down, lower his head, and make several blows between the shoulder blades.
  4. If necessary, perform artificial respiration and cardiac massage. It is very important not to put too much pressure on your chest to avoid breaking your ribs.

When a person wakes up, you should free him from wet clothes, wrap him in a towel, and let him warm up.

Difference between sea and fresh water for drowning An accident can occur in various water sources (sea, river, pool), but. What is the difference? Inhaling sea fluid is not as dangerous and has a better prognosis. The high salt concentration prevents water from entering the lung tissue. However, the blood thickens, causing pressure on the circulatory system. Complete cardiac arrest occurs within 8-10 minutes, but during this time it is possible to resuscitate a drowning person.

As for drowning in fresh water, the process is more complicated. When fluid enters the cells of the lungs, they swell and some cells burst. Fresh water can be absorbed into the blood, making it thinner. Capillaries rupture, which impairs cardiac function. Ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest occur. This whole process takes a few minutes, so death occurs much faster in fresh water.

First aid on the water

A specially trained person must be involved in rescuing a drowning person. However, it is not always nearby, or several people may drown in the water. Any vacationer who knows how to swim well can provide first aid. To save someone's life, you should use the following algorithm:

  1. You need to gradually approach the victim from behind, dive and cover the solar plexus, taking the drowning person by the right hand.
  2. Swim to the shore on your back, row with your right hand.
  3. It is important to ensure that the victim's head is above the water and that he does not swallow any liquid.
  4. On the shore, you should put the person on his stomach and provide first aid.

First aid rules

The desire to help a drowning person does not always bring benefits. Misbehavior by a third party often only makes the problem worse. For this reason, first aid for drowning must be competent. What is the mechanism of PMP:

  1. After the person is removed from the water and covered with a blanket, symptoms of hypothermia (hypothermia) need to be checked.
  2. Call an ambulance.
  3. Avoid deformation of the spine or neck, do not cause damage.
  4. Secure the cervical spine with a rolled up towel.
  5. If the victim is not breathing, artificial respiration and cardiac massage should be started.

In case of true drowning

Approximately in 70 percent of cases, water goes directly into the lungs, true or “wet” drowning occurs. This can happen to a child or a person who cannot swim. First aid for drowning includes the following steps:

  • palpation of the pulse, examination of the pupils;
  • warming the victim;
  • maintaining blood circulation (raising legs, bending the body);
  • ventilation of the lungs using breathing apparatus;
  • if the person is not breathing, artificial respiration must be performed.

With asphyxial drowning

Dry drowning is somewhat atypical. The water never reaches the lungs, but instead the vocal cords spasm. Death can occur due to hypoxia. How to provide first aid to a person in this case:

  • perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately;
  • call an ambulance;
  • when the victim came to his senses, warm him up.

Artificial respiration and cardiac massage

In most cases of drowning, a person stops breathing. To bring him back to life, you should immediately begin active steps: perform a heart massage, perform artificial respiration. A clear sequence of actions must be followed. How to do mouth-to-mouth breathing:

  1. The victim’s lips should be parted, mucus and algae should be removed using a finger wrapped in a cloth. Allow fluid to drain from the mouth.
  2. Grasp your cheeks so that your mouth does not close, tilt your head back, lift your chin.
  3. Pinch the rescued person’s nose and breathe air directly into his mouth. The process takes a split second. Number of repetitions: 12 times per minute.
  4. Check the pulse in the neck.
  5. After some time, the chest will rise (the lungs will begin to function).

Mouth-to-mouth breathing is often accompanied by cardiac massage. This procedure should be performed very carefully to avoid damaging the ribs. How to proceed:

  1. Place the patient on a flat surface (floor, sand, ground).
  2. Place one hand on the chest, cover with the other hand at an angle of approximately 90 degrees.
  3. Apply rhythmic pressure on the body (approximately one pressure per second).
  4. To start the baby’s heart, you should press on the chest with 2 fingers (due to the baby’s small height and weight).
  5. If there are two rescuers, artificial respiration and cardiac massage are performed simultaneously. If there is only one rescuer, then every 30 seconds you need to alternate these two processes.

Actions after first aid

Even if a person has regained consciousness, this does not mean that he does not need medical care. You should stay with the victim, call an ambulance or seek help from a doctor. It is worth knowing that when drowning in fresh water, death can occur even after a few hours (secondary drowning), so you should keep the situation under control. If you remain unconscious and without oxygen for a long time, the following problems may occur:

  • disorders of the brain and internal organs;
  • neuralgia;
  • pneumonia;
  • chemical imbalance in the body;
  • permanent vegetative state.

To avoid complications, you should take care of your health as quickly as possible. A person rescued from drowning should take the following precautions:

  • learn to swim;
  • avoid swimming while intoxicated;
  • do not go into too cold water;
  • do not swim during a storm or in deep water;
  • Don't walk on thin ice.

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