Rules for providing emergency first aid for drowning

Drowning is accompanied by mechanical suffocation after filling the lungs with water. The onset of clinical death depends on the endurance of the body and the factors that accompany the accident. According to statistics, the largest number of victims are children, adolescents and men.

Timely assistance to a drowning person increases the level of survival and maintaining an adequate psychological state.

Timely assistance to a drowning person increases the level of survival and maintaining an adequate psychological state. What to do to save the victim after a prolonged extraction from the water?

What is drowning

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines drowning as respiratory distress 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.

Rescue a person on the water

Rescue of a person takes place in two successive stages: quick extraction from the water and assistance to the drowning person already on the shore. In the first case, it is necessary to pull the victim out of the pond as soon as possible and avoid drowning yourself. Therefore, it is very important to adhere to the following activities:

1. When drowning, you need to swim up to the person from behind and grab him so that he does not reflexively grab onto his savior. Otherwise, two people may die at once.
2. It's best to grab the hair and pull. This is the most convenient method, which is not very painful for the victim, but practical for the savior for the purpose of quickly moving through the water towards the shore. In addition, you can comfortably grab your arm just above the elbow.
3. If a drowning victim still grabs onto his savior as a reflex, you should not push him away or resist. It is necessary to take in as much air as possible into the lungs and dive deeply, then he reflexively unclenches his fingers and increases the chances of his salvation.
4. If the patient has already gone under water, you need to dive, grab his hair or hands, and then lift him to the surface of the water. The head should be elevated to avoid further entry of excess water into the lungs and systemic circulation.
5. It is only necessary to drag a drowning person through the water face up, so that he does not drink even more water. Thus, it turns out to significantly increase the chances of the unfortunate person being rescued already on the shore of the reservoir.
6. Before first aid is provided to a drowning person, it is necessary to assess the characteristics of the reservoir - fresh or salt water. This is very important for the implementation of further actions of the rescuer.
7. Place the patient on his stomach and provide first aid depending on the specific type of drowning (wet or dry).

Article on the topic: Cyst of the transparent septum of the brain: symptoms, treatment, consequences

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 uses 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.

Classification

The person providing assistance must know the types of drownings, since the specifics of his first emergency actions depend on them.

There are 3 types of drowning:

1. True, which has a number of other names: primary, blue or wet;
2. Asphyxial, called false or dry;
3. Syncope, caused by a reflex reaction of the body.

Manifestations and specific features of each type are presented in the table.

If the drowned have retained consciousness, then the liquid that has entered the respiratory tract and stomach will come out in the form of vomit. They often have a foamy appearance.

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

Emergency assistance for drowning

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:

1. Wrap your finger in a soft cloth and use it to clean the rescued person’s mouth.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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, swimming pool), but drowning in fresh water is different from immersion in a salty environment. 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.

• Turnips - health benefits and harms. Medicinal properties, contraindications of white, green and black root vegetables
• Simple cut tunic pattern
• Inflammation of the sciatic nerve - symptoms and treatment with medications and folk remedies

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.

How to properly pull a victim ashore

First aid for drowning is used after reaching land. They approach a drowning person quickly, but try to preserve their own strength as much as possible. The best position is from the back so that the person cannot grab the rescuer if he is still conscious. The head is raised above the surface of the water to reduce the motor convulsive activity of a drowning person.

The victim is placed on the water with his back, palms are placed under the jaw, and fingers are held on the chin.

The victim is placed on the water with his back, palms are placed under the jaw, and fingers are held on the chin. The arms are straightened and placed on the back, moving towards the shore with breaststroke. It is also possible to save a person from drowning while lying on his side.

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

In approximately 70 percent of cases, water enters directly into the lungs, causing true or “wet” drowning. 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.

Primary or “wet” drowning

When, with the last of his strength, a person grasping at the opportunity to escape flounders in panic and tries to stay on the surface, he swallows huge volumes of liquid. By filling the space inside the alveoli, water does not allow oxygen to penetrate into the blood, thus disrupting the natural oxygen cycle in the body. This causes a state of oxygen deprivation called hypoxia, which can cause the skin to turn blue. Also noticeable signs will be swollen veins in the neck and pink foam from the throat.

Figure 2. After you have pulled the drowning person out of the water, clean his mouth from algae and other dirt, and then proceed to remove fluid from the stomach and respiratory tract

To avoid death, you need to know how to provide first aid to a drowning person (Figure 2):

1. Spending extra time checking your pulse can play a cruel joke, so it’s better to skip this moment;
2. Begin the procedure of cleansing the stomach of excess fluid;
3. Throw the adult belly down over a thigh or bench, then press firmly onto the back. A small child can be turned upside down and shaken;
4. Clean the oral cavity from sand and algae;
5. Next, trigger the gag reflex by sticking two fingers deep into the throat and pressing on the tongue;
6. If vomiting occurs, you can relax, because this indicates the presence of a pulse;
7. If the gag reflex does not follow, you need to start the procedure of chest compressions;
8. When the moment has come to remove water from the lungs, grab the person by the armpits from behind and begin to squeeze the sides of the chest. At the same time, insert two fingers into the drowned man’s throat;
9. As soon as the victim stops coughing up liquid, turn him on his side and cover him with something warm: a blanket, a towel, outerwear.

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.

Reasons that increase the risk of an accident

The main causes of drowning in water:

1. Being in the water away from people.
2. Swimming in bad weather or in areas with strong currents.
3. During an unsuccessful dive or in unfamiliar places, you can hit your stomach or head hard on the surface of the water.
4. Overestimation of one's capabilities, for example, after drinking alcohol.
5. Cold water, muscle cramps.
6. Swimming on a full stomach or next to flotation devices.
7. Unexpected fall and fright.
8. Deviations in health with the possibility of fainting.
9. Diving with faulty equipment.