There are three types of drowning. Drowning can be primary wet, dry or secondary. In addition to drowning, death in water sometimes occurs due to various injuries, heart diseases, brain disorders and so on.

Drowning is possible under a variety of circumstances:

1. From an injury received in water.
2. In case of sudden cardiac arrest.
3. In case of violation cerebral circulation.
4. Spasm of the larynx and inability to inhale and exhale:
- from fear;
- sharp when suddenly hitting a very cold water.

Types of drowning.

Primary (true) drowning.

This is the most common species drowning. A drowning person does not immediately plunge into the water, but tries to stay on the surface; in panic, he begins to make feverish and erratic movements with his arms and legs. It is the most common type of water accident.

With it, fluid enters the respiratory tract and lungs, and then enters the blood. When a drowning person inhales, he swallows a large amount of water, which fills the stomach and enters the lungs. The man loses consciousness and sinks to the bottom. Oxygen starvation- hypoxia - gives the skin a bluish color, which is why this type of drowning is also called “blue”.

When victims drown in fresh water, the blood is quickly diluted with water, the total volume of circulating blood increases, red blood cells are destroyed, and the balance of salts in the body is disrupted. As a result, the oxygen content in the blood sharply decreases. After rescuing a drowning person and providing him with first aid, the phenomenon of pulmonary edema is often noted, in which mouth goes bloody foam.

Drowning in sea water has a very different effect on the victim’s body than drowning in fresh water. U sea ​​water salt concentration is higher than that of plasma human blood. As a result of sea water entering the human body, the amount of salts in the blood increases and its thickening develops. At true drowning in sea water, pulmonary edema quickly develops, and white “fluffy” foam is released from the mouth.

"Dry" drowning.

Also quite common. With this type of drowning, a reflex spasm of the glottis occurs. Water does not enter the lower respiratory tract, but suffocation occurs. This usually occurs in children and women, and also when the victim gets into dirty or chlorinated water. In such a drowning, the water in large quantities enters the stomach.

Secondary or “pale” drowning.

Occurs due to cardiac arrest when the victim falls into cold water, which is called ice cold. This is based on the body’s reflex reaction to water entering the windpipe or in the ear when there is damage eardrum. Secondary drowning is characterized by pronounced spasm of peripheral blood vessels. Pulmonary edema, as a rule, does not develop. Such drownings occur when a person does not try or cannot fight for his life and quickly goes to the bottom.

This often happens during shipwrecks at sea, capsizes of boats, rafts, when a person is immersed in water in a state of panic fear. If the water is also cold, this can lead to irritation of the pharynx and larynx, which in turn often leads to sudden cardiac and respiratory arrest. This type of drowning can also occur if a person in the water has a head injury or has already fallen into the water with one. In this case, a rapid loss of consciousness occurs. The skin is characterized by increased pallor, hence the name of the type.

Rescue of drowning people.

When rescuing a drowning person, you should not grab him by the hair or head. The most reliable and safe way- grab him under the armpits, turn his back to you and swim to the shore, trying to keep the victim’s head above the water.

Condition of drowning victims.

Associated with the duration of stay under water, with type of drowning and the degree of cooling of the body. In mild cases, consciousness is preserved, but agitation, trembling, and repeated vomiting are noted. With a prolonged stay in water, with true or “dry” drowning, consciousness is impaired or completely absent, the victims are very excited, there may be convulsions, and the skin is bluish. In case of secondary drowning, pronounced pallor of the skin is noted, the pupils are dilated. The victims have bubbling, rapid breathing.

When drowning in sea water, pulmonary edema quickly develops and the heart rate increases. When drowning is prolonged and secondary, the victim can be removed from the water in a state of clinical or biological death. True drowning in fresh water can be complicated by impaired kidney function in the form of blood in the urine. During the first 24 hours, pneumonia may occur. With pronounced breakdown of red blood cells in the body, acute renal failure develops.

Urgent Care when drowning.

Regardless of the type of drowning, assistance must be provided immediately, otherwise irreversible changes brain In case of true drowning, this occurs within 4-5 minutes, in other cases after 10-12 minutes. First aid on shore will be different for blue and pale drowning. In the first case, it is necessary first of all to quickly remove water from respiratory tract. To do this, standing on one knee, place the victim on the bent second leg so that he rests on it. bottom part chest, and upper part the torso and head hung down.

After this, you need to open the victim’s mouth with one hand, and with the other pat him on the back or gently press on the ribs from the back. These steps must be repeated until the rapid flow of water stops. Then perform artificial respiration and indoor massage hearts. In case of pale type of drowning, artificial respiration is needed immediately, and in case of cardiac arrest - closed massage. Sometimes large particles end up in the respiratory tract of a drowned person. foreign bodies, which get stuck in the larynx, as a result of which the airways become obstructed or a persistent spasm of the glottis develops. In this case, a tracheostomy is performed.

In case of any type of drowning, it is strictly forbidden to turn the victim’s head, as this can cause additional injury at possible fracture spine. To prevent the head from moving, place cushions of tightly twisted clothing on both sides of it, and if necessary, turn the victim over, while one of those providing assistance should support the head, preventing it from moving on its own.

Resuscitation, in particular artificial respiration, must be continued even if the victim begins to breathe spontaneously, but there are signs of pulmonary edema. Artificial respiration is also carried out when the victim has a breathing disorder (i.e., its frequency is more than 40 per 1 minute, irregular breathing and sudden blueness skin). If breathing is maintained, then the patient should be allowed to breathe in vapors. ammonia. If the rescue of the victim was successful, but he is feeling chills, you need to rub his skin and wrap him in warm, dry blankets. Do not use heating pads in the absence or impairment of consciousness.

In severe types of drowning, the victim must be taken to the intensive care unit. During transportation, artificial ventilation should be continued. Emergency physician or intensive care unit In case of impaired breathing and pulmonary edema in the victim, the hospital inserts a breathing tube into the trachea and connects it to a device or ventilator.

First, a probe is inserted into the victim's stomach. This will prevent stomach contents from entering the respiratory tract. The patient must be transported in a position lying on his side, with the headrest of the stretcher lowered. It is dangerous to stop artificial ventilation prematurely. Even if a person develops independent breathing movements, this does not mean recovery normal breathing, especially with pulmonary edema.

When drowning in fresh water, a victim in a hospital with sudden blueness and swelling of the neck veins is sometimes bled. In case of pronounced breakdown of red blood cells, sodium bicarbonate solution, red blood cell mass, and blood plasma are transfused intravenously. To reduce swelling, diuretics, such as furosemide, are administered. A decrease in protein levels in the body is an indication for transfusion of concentrated albumin.

With the development of pulmonary edema against the background arterial hypertension 2.5% benzohexonium solution or 5% pentamine solution, glucose solutions are administered intravenously. Large doses of hormones are used: hydrocortisone or prednisolone. Antibiotics are prescribed to prevent pneumonia. To calm motor agitation, 20% sodium hydroxybutyrate solutions, 0.005% fentanyl solution or 0.25% droperidol solution are administered intravenously.

Based on materials from the book " Quick help in emergency situations."
Kashin S.P.

Today I want to continue the topic summer holiday, but with a bias about water.

Of course, I would like the essence of the article to be as easy as its beginning, but, unfortunately, it won’t work out that way. After all, the sun is getting hotter and hotter. The water in the sea and other bodies of water is warming up. The number of picnics is increasing. The temperature in the body of many people rises, and sanity often fades into the background. The result is drowning. Moreover, as statistics and news reports show, people, despite all the warnings and other preventive measures, continue to drown. The reason in most cases is heat, alcohol, water - convulsion, loss of consciousness...

Our minds can replace the ellipsis in the previous paragraph with “drowned man,” but I want to replace them with “saved person,” who next time will be more conscious about the issue of his own safety on the water.

Let's look, dear readers, at how we can help in a situation when a person begins to drown and needs the help of another person. Moreover, after pulling a person out of the water, it is also necessary to provide him with first aid. So…

Help for a drowning person. What to do?

If you see a drowning person, no matter how trite it sounds, you must:

1. Pull a person out of the water;
2. Call an ambulance;
3. Provide him with pre-medical care.

These 3 points, if performed correctly and quickly, are actually the key to a successful completion of the situation. Delays are not acceptable!

1. We pull a drowning person out of the water

A drowning person in most cases panics, does not hear words, and does not understand what is happening. He grabs onto everything he can and thereby becomes dangerous for the person who wants to save him.

If the person is conscious

To pull a person out of the water, if he is conscious, throw him a floating object - an inflatable ball, board, rope, etc. so that he can grab onto it and calm down. This way you can easily pull it out.

If the person is unconscious or exhausted:

1. While still on the shore, get as close to the drowning person as possible. Be sure to take off your shoes, excess clothes (or at least heavy ones), and empty your pockets. Jump into the water and approach the drowning man.

2. If the person has already gone under water, dive after him and try to see him or feel him.

3. Once you find the person, turn him over onto his back. If the drowning person starts to grab onto you, quickly get rid of his grip:

- if a drowning person grabs you by the neck or torso, then grab him by the lower back with one hand, and with the other hand push his head away, resting on his chin;
- if you grab the hand, then twist it and pull it out of the hands of the drowning person.

If such methods do not help get rid of the grip, then take air into your lungs and dive, the drowning person will change the grip, and you can free yourself from it at this time.

Try to act calmly and do not show cruelty to the drowning person.

4. Transport the drowning person to shore. There are several methods for this:

- being from behind, clasp your chin with your palms on both sides and row your feet towards the shore;
- stick yours in left hand under the armpit of the drowning man's left hand, at the same time, grab his wrist with your left hand right hand, row with your feet and one hand;
- take the victim’s hair with your hand and place his head on your forearm, row with your feet and one hand.

2. First aid for a drowning person (First aid)

When you have pulled the victim ashore, urgently call ambulance and begin immediately providing him with first aid.

1. Get down on one knee next to the injured person. Place him on your knee, belly down, and open his mouth. At the same time, press with your hands on his back so that the water he swallowed flows out. The victim may experience and - this is normal.

If a person is semi-conscious and begins to vomit, do not allow them to lie on their back, otherwise they may choke on the vomit. If necessary, help remove vomit, mud, or other substances that are interfering with normal breathing from his mouth.

2. Lay the victim on his back and remove any excess clothing. Place something under his head to raise it a little. To do this, you can use his own clothes, rolled into a roller, or your knees.

3. If a person does not breathe for 1-2 minutes, it can be fatal.

Signs of cardiac arrest are: absence of pulse, breathing, dilated pupils.

If these signs are present, immediately begin to take action. resuscitation measures- do mouth to mouth and...

Take a deep breath into your lungs, pinch the victim's nose, bring your mouth close to the victim's mouth and exhale. It is necessary to make 1 exhalation every 4 seconds (15 exhalations per minute).

Place your palms on top of each other on the victim's chest, between his nipples. In pauses between exhalations (during artificial respiration), do 4 rhythmic presses. Press on the chest quite firmly so that the sternum moves down by about 4-5 cm, but no more, so as not to aggravate the situation and further harm the person.

If the injured person is elderly, then the pressure should be gentle. If the victim is a child, apply pressure not with your palm, but with your fingers.

Perform artificial respiration and chest compressions until the person comes to his senses. Don't give up and don't give up. There have been cases when a person came to his senses even after an hour of such measures.

It is most convenient for two people to resuscitate, so that one does artificial respiration, and the other.

4. After breathing has been restored, until the ambulance arrives, place the person on his side so that he is lying steadily, cover him and warm him.

If the ambulance cannot arrive, but you have a car, complete all the above points in the car while driving to the nearest medical facility.

May the Lord protect us all, dear readers, from such situations.

Help for a drowning person - video

The drowning statistics are alarming - according to various estimates, every year from 3,000 to 10,000 people drown in Russia, this is the population of a small town. Most common cause Experts call the cause of death on water alcohol intoxication, which accounts for about 40% of all drowning cases. The second most common reason is self-confidence, no matter how strange it may sound. People overestimate their capabilities and underestimate the risks associated with swimming in bodies of water, and this sometimes leads to tragic consequences.

To avoid drowning, the Water Rescue Society urges you to follow the following rules of conduct:

1. Do not enter the water while intoxicated;
2. Do not dive in an unfamiliar place;
3. Do not approach vessels by swimming, do not be on the course of a vessel, even if this vessel is a small boat, motor boat or pedal boat;
4. Do not swim far on inflatable mattresses, circles, toys, etc.;
5. Don't arrange dangerous games in water, associated with comic drowning, grabs, fright, being pulled under water;
6. Children should be near water, and especially in water, only accompanied by adults and under their constant supervision.

Compliance with these simple rules could prevent the lion's share of tragedies associated with the death of a person on the water. Unfortunately, understanding the importance of this sometimes comes too late.

What to do if an accident occurs? You should immediately begin providing first aid, because in this case a person’s life directly depends on how fast and correct the rescuer’s actions were.

How to properly pull a victim ashore

The rescuer’s task is not only to save the drowning person, but also to save his own life, and since everything needs to be done quickly and there is no time to think, you need to clearly know the following:

1. It is necessary to approach the victim from behind, to grab him in such a way that he cannot grab onto the rescuer (this happens reflexively, the drowning person is not able to control his actions). It is considered classic among rescuers to grab the victim from behind by the hair, if its length allows. No matter how rude it may sound, nevertheless, this option is effective, as it allows you to move quite comfortably and quickly, keep the victim’s head above the water and protect yourself from the fact that by clinging with a death grip, he will drag the rescuer into the depths;
2. If, nevertheless, the drowning person grabs onto the rescuer and pulls him down, you should not fight back, but dive - in this case, the drowning person will instinctively unclench his hands.

Source: Methods of capturing a victim in water

Types of drownings

When the victim is pulled ashore, it is necessary to quickly assess what type of drowning was encountered, since the first aid algorithm will depend on this.

There are two main types of drowning:

1. Blue, or wet (sometimes also called true drowning) - when a large amount of water has entered the stomach and respiratory tract. The victim’s skin turns blue because water, quickly entering the bloodstream, dilutes the blood, which in this state easily seeps through the walls of blood vessels, giving the skin bluish tint. Another sign of wet or blue drowning is that a large amount of pink foam is released from the victim’s mouth and nose, and breathing becomes bubbling;
2. Pale or dry (also called asphyxial drowning) - when during the process of drowning the victim experiences a spasm of the glottis and water does not penetrate the respiratory tract. In this case everything pathological processes associated with shock and suffocation. Pale drowning has a more favorable prognosis.

First aid algorithm

After the victim is pulled ashore, the upper respiratory tract must be quickly cleared of foreign objects (mud, dentures, vomit).

Since during a wet or blue type of drowning, there is a lot of liquid in the victim’s respiratory tract, the rescuer must place him on his knee with his stomach, face down, to allow the water to drain, put two fingers in the victim’s mouth and press on the root of the tongue. This is done not only to induce vomiting, which will help free the airways and stomach from water that has not had time to be absorbed, but also to help start respiratory process.

If everything worked out and the rescuer achieved the appearance of vomit (their hallmark is the presence of undigested pieces of food), this means that first aid arrived on time, was carried out correctly, and the person will live. However, you need to continue to help him remove water from the respiratory tract and stomach, without stopping pressing on the root of the tongue and causing the gag reflex again and again - until water stops being released during the process of vomiting. At this stage, a cough appears.

If several attempts in a row to induce vomiting are unsuccessful, if at least shortness of breath or cough does not appear, this means that free liquid It’s not in the respiratory tract or stomach, it’s absorbed. In this case, you should immediately turn the victim onto his back and begin resuscitation.

Providing first aid for dry drowning differs in that in this case resuscitation should begin immediately after the upper respiratory tract is cleared, skipping the stage of inducing vomiting. In this case, you have 5-6 minutes to try to start the respiratory process in the victim.

So, in a condensed form, the algorithm for providing first aid for drowning is as follows:

1. Free the upper respiratory tract (mouth and nose) from foreign substances;
2. Throw the victim over the knee, allow the water to drain, induce vomiting and remove water from the stomach and respiratory tract as completely as possible;
3. If breathing stops, begin resuscitation (artificial cardiac massage and mouth-to-mouth or mouth-to-nose breathing).

When drowning is of the pale or dry type, the second stage is skipped.

Actions after first aid

After spontaneous breathing has been started, the victim is laid on his side and covered with a towel or blanket to keep him warm. It is imperative to call an ambulance. Until the doctor arrives, the victim must be constantly monitored; if breathing stops, resuscitation measures should be resumed.

The rescuer must insist on medical care to the victim, even if he is able to move independently and refuses it. The point is that dire consequences drowning, such as cerebral or pulmonary edema, sudden stop breathing, etc., can occur several hours and even several days after the accident. The danger is considered to have passed only when, 5 days after the incident, no serious problems There were no health problems.

Drowning - view mechanical asphyxia(suffocation) as a result of water entering the respiratory tract.

The changes that occur in the body during drowning, in particular, the timing of death under water, depend on a number of factors: on the nature of the water (fresh, salty, chlorinated fresh water in swimming pools), on its temperature (ice, cold, warm), on the presence of impurities (silt, mud, etc.), on the state of the victim’s body at the time of drowning (overwork, excitement, alcohol intoxication, etc.).

There are three types of drowning: primary (true, or “wet”), asphyxial (“dry”) and syncope. In addition, in case of accidents, death in water may occur that is not caused by drowning (trauma, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, etc.).

Primary drowning occurs most often (75-95% of all accidents in water). It involves aspiration of fluid into the respiratory tract and lungs, and then its entry into the blood. When drowning in fresh water, pronounced hemodilution and hypervolemia quickly occur, hemolysis, hypokalemia, hypoproteinemia, hyponatremia, and a decrease in the concentration of calcium and chlorine ions in the plasma develop. Severe arterial hypoxemia is characteristic. After removing the victim from the water and providing him with first aid, pulmonary edema often develops with the release of bloody foam from the respiratory tract. When drowning in sea water, which is hypertonic in relation to blood plasma, hypovolemia, hypernatremia, hypercalcemia, hyperchloremia develops, and blood thickening occurs. True drowning in sea water is characterized by the rapid development of edema with the release of white or pink, persistent, “fluffy” foam from the respiratory tract.

Asphyxial drowning occurs in 5-20% of all cases. With it, reflex laryngospasm develops and aspiration of water does not occur, but asphyxia occurs. Asphyxial drowning occurs more often in children and women, as well as when the victim gets into contaminated, chlorinated water. At the same time, water enters the stomach in large quantities. Pulmonary edema may develop, but not hemorrhagic.

Syncopal drowning develops as a result of cardiac arrest due to the victim getting into cold water (“ice shock”, “immersion syndrome”), a reflex reaction to water entering the respiratory tract or the middle ear cavity with a damaged eardrum. Syncopal drowning is characterized by pronounced spasm of peripheral vessels. Pulmonary edema, as a rule, does not occur.

The condition of victims removed from the water is largely determined by the duration of their stay under water and the type of drowning, the presence of mental trauma and cooling. In mild cases, consciousness may be preserved, but patients are agitated, trembling is noted, frequent vomiting. With a relatively long period of true or asphyxial drowning, consciousness is confused or absent, sudden motor agitation, convulsions. The skin is cyanotic. Syncopal drowning is characterized by severe pallor of the skin. The pupils are usually dilated. Breathing is bubbling, rapid, or during a long stay under water, infrequent with the participation of auxiliary muscles. When drowning in sea water, pulmonary edema quickly increases. Severe tachycardia, sometimes extrasystole. In case of prolonged and secondary drowning, the victim can be removed from the water without signs of breathing or cardiac activity.

Complications. In case of true drowning in fresh water, hematuria develops already at the end of the first hour, sometimes later. Pneumonia and pulmonary atelectasis can develop very quickly, at the end of the first day after drowning. With severe hemolysis, hemoglobinuric nephrosis and acute renal failure can occur.

First aid the victim should be started immediately after the drowned person’s face is raised above the water, and continued while being towed to the boat or to the shore. In this case, the rescuer tilts the victim’s head back, from time to time blowing air into the lungs from the mouth to the nose. After delivering the victim ashore, it is necessary to assess his condition. If consciousness and breathing are preserved, he must be warmed and calmed (indicated sedatives and tranquilizers). If there is no consciousness, but the pulse is rhythmic, satisfactorily filled and spontaneous breathing is preserved, it is necessary to free the chest from constricting clothing, allow the ammonia vapor to breathe, and tug on the tongue to activate breathing. Victims who are in unconscious, if there are signs of respiratory and circulatory disorders (frequent or rare pulse, rapid or rare breathing, motor agitation, cyanosis) or in the absence of spontaneous breathing, it is necessary to urgently begin artificial ventilation of the lungs, without wasting time trying to remove all fluid from the respiratory tract, since this is not feasible. The victim is placed on his back, trying to overcome trismus masticatory muscles open the mouth slightly, clean the oral cavity with a finger wrapped in gauze or a handkerchief, and begin artificial respiration. If water is released from the respiratory tract, you need to turn your head to the side and raise the opposite shoulder, press on the epigastric region with your palm or fist. Artificial respiration is carried out until full recovery consciousness. If trained medical staff and the necessary instruments are available, prehospital stage It is recommended to intubate the trachea as early as possible and use a portable valve of the AMBU type, which allows you to create an adjustable expiratory resistance (up to 10 - 20 cm of water column), which helps straighten the alveoli and reduce the flow of unoxygenated blood from the system pulmonary artery into the pulmonary veins. The timeliness of artificial respiration and the usefulness of its implementation determine the further course of the post-resuscitation period and its outcome. If there is no pulse in the large arteries, a heartbeat cannot be heard, the pupils are dilated, the skin is pale or cyanotic, and indirect cardiac massage is performed simultaneously with artificial pulmonary ventilation (ALV). After recovery from the state clinical death the victim is warmed up if the body temperature is below 30 - 32 ° C, and massage of the upper and lower limbs. Body temperature is maintained within 32-33 °C (moderate hypothermia increases the resistance of the central nervous system to hypoxia). Due to the danger of development late complications even with minimal pathological symptoms, hospitalization and observation in a hospital for at least 24 hours are necessary. Resuscitation measures do not stop during transportation. When transporting to the hospital, clear continuity must be ensured. Therapy in a hospital setting (preferably an intensive care unit) should primarily be aimed at combating hypoxia using oxygen inhalation or oxybarotherapy, and if there is no effect, mechanical ventilation is used (100% oxygen for the first 1-2 hours) with positive pressure on exhalation or high-frequency ventilation. Shown early correction metabolic acidosis, antihistamines. In order to prevent acute renal failure, forced diuresis with Lasix is ​​performed (in case of developing renal failure- extracorporeal hemodialysis). To prevent cerebral edema, local hypothermia is used, corticosteroids and barbiturates are administered; inflammatory process in the lungs - antibiotics are prescribed parenterally wide range actions. In case of true drowning in fresh water and the presence of severe cyanosis, indicating overload of the right parts of the heart, perform urgent bloodletting. To remove hemolysis products, mannitol is administered dropwise, and to reduce hyperkalemia, a glucose solution with insulin is administered. When aspirating seawater, the loss of fluid is compensated intravenous administration plasma replacement solutions, glucose and sodium bicarbonate. With high venous and blood pressure ganglion blockers and diuretics are recommended; with low blood pressure - glucocorticoids, dopamine. To improve metabolism and contractility myocardium, cardiac glycosides, panangin, cocarboxylase, vitamins C, group B are prescribed. If fibrillation of the ventricles of the heart occurs, defibrillation is indicated.

During the rehabilitation period, relapses of severe parenchymal respiratory failure, pulmonary edema and aspiration pneumonia are possible, and cerebral edema often occurs.

In the scorching summer months, even if you are not on vacation, but have a river (pond, stakes, lake, sea...) near your home, few people will refuse to cool off and swim in order to relieve the heavy feeling of stuffiness and heat from their bodies. Having reached the relief of coolness, people lose caution and do not think at all about the consequences. As a result, it is quite possible that someone left on shore will be required to provide first aid for drowning for a person unable to get out of the water. Since we all (less or more often) visit the banks of water bodies, it would be nice for everyone to know what to do in critical situations.

Types of drowning

As in any other highly specialized matter, when rescuing drowning people, a forced rescuer could use at least a small theoretical base. It is necessary to at least slightly distinguish between the types of drowning - the first aid that must be provided before the arrival of doctors very much depends on how exactly the victim drowned. IN general outline We can say that there are three types of drowning:

1. Imaginary. It is also called white asphyxia, based on the color of the skin. Another name is syncopal drowning. Water in respiratory organs very little hits: it immediately causes a spasm, and the person stops breathing.
2. True drowning, also known as blue asphyxia. The skin turns blue, especially around the ears and fingertips. Water enters the lungs and organs adjacent to them in large quantities.
3. Asphyxial drowning. Water does not penetrate into the respiratory organs at all - the spasm (and possible subsequent death) is caused by other factors. External signs, one might say, are somewhere in the middle between blue and white asphyxia. And, by the way, this type of drowning is the most difficult to rehabilitate.

If you are able to provide first aid in case of drowning, first of all, you should pay attention to the skin tone - with its help you can determine what exactly needs to be done first.

Syncopal drowning

Most often it occurs when unexpectedly immersed in water. The overwhelming majority of those who drowned during disasters are from this category. A person is suddenly lost and does not even try to fight for his life. Literally a teaspoon of water entering the larynx causes it to spasm, as a result of which breathing stops and, almost immediately, the heartbeat stops. Accordingly, the first medical care in case of syncope-type drowning, it requires immediate artificial respiration, accompanied by indirect massage hearts. Don’t think that such drowning can only happen when an airliner crashes. A person who is suddenly pushed into the water may also find himself in this position and will need exactly the same first aid for drowning. Ice shock from unexpected immersion in ice water has similar manifestations.

True drowning: first stage

In a “real” drowning, a person manages to realize what is happening to him and actively fights for life. He is able to hold his breath the next time he plunges into the water, and makes every effort to rise to the surface. If rescuers managed to pull out a drowning person at this stage, first aid for drowning is to warm him up ( stressful situation can manifest itself in severe chills), control of vomiting, which removes water that has entered the body, and calming down: the victim can be either severely depressed, or, conversely, overly excited. Despite the bluishness of the skin, breathing and normal heartbeat are restored quickly, although headaches, weakness and cough can last up to a week.

True drowning: second stage

It is called agonal. The person is unconscious, but the pulse and breathing are preserved, although the pulse can only be felt in large arteries. The skin is cold and blue, pinkish foam comes from the nose and mouth. Rescuers (and simply those who are nearby) have very little time for resuscitation: it has a chance of success only if the person has been under water for a maximum of six minutes. Breathing ability must be restored urgently, and the first first aid for drowning at this stage is to remove water from the respiratory system.

The third stage of true drowning

Clinical death. External signs are similar to those of the second stage, but are supplemented by the absence of breathing and pulse, dilated pupils that do not respond to light. The skin becomes purple and pale. Only first aid for drowning performed by a professional can help the victim. However, even the actions of a competent physician can rarely help in case of clinical death.

Asphyxial drowning

Its causes may be pre-overheating in the sun, drinking alcohol shortly before swimming, hitting the water, an epileptic seizure, a heart attack, and even diseases like a sore throat or flu. Breathing stops due to a spasm not caused by water. It may subsequently end up in the lungs, but it flows there after drowning. Providing first aid for asphyxial drowning is complicated by the difficulty of determining the reason why a person drowned. Even if they are able to regain consciousness and breathing is stable, it is recommended that the victim be taken to the hospital in case he is having a heart attack.

The very first actions

Immediately after quickly determining what type of drowning the rescuer is dealing with, first aid for drowning is provided. We briefly list the necessary actions:

1. The tongue is extended so that the victim does not suffocate because of it. You may need to secure it with a loop to keep it from sticking. The very first aid for drowning (suffocation) is to free the clogged mouth and nose. When a person drowns, they may contain silt or sand. So before carrying out further measures, it is necessary to check the external respiratory organs.
2. Water is removed from the body of the drowning person (in case of true drowning). To do this, the person is placed on his knee and pressure is applied to his back until water stops flowing from his mouth.
3. The victim turns over on his back; He is given artificial respiration. The most effective method is “mouth to mouth”. If the jaws are clenched and it is impossible to open them, they resort to the “mouth to nose” method.
4. If there is no pulse, an indirect (also known as closed) cardiac massage is performed.
5. When a person comes to, they wrap him up, give him a hot drink (if available) and send him to the hospital.

When first aid is provided for drowning, you should not resort to either the drug "Atropine" to eliminate bradycardia, or any sedatives to relieve chills. All medications should be prescribed by a doctor after assessing the condition of the drowning person.

Artificial respiration and cardiac massage

Every person should know how it is done, at least in general terms. First of all, the victim is pressed on the stomach - if there was air in the lungs, it will come out. Then the resuscitator blows the collected air through the mouth (nose) of the “patient”. A sign that the procedure was successful is the rise of the victim's chest. You need to blow air at least a dozen times a minute. If you are not sure that the air spontaneously leaves the lungs, after blowing the stomach is pressed again.

To massage the heart, one hand is placed in the area where it is located, the other is across it, and pressure is applied using the weight of the entire body. Large people efforts must be proportionate - there have been cases when a person with a lot of weight broke a rib of the person being rescued. There should be 4-5 pushes for each artificial breath. Since these resuscitation measures are quite physically difficult, first aid for drowning is usually provided by several people replacing each other.

For children under eight years of age, the massage is done with one hand at a speed of one hundred pushes per minute, for infants - with two fingers, and the frequency is increased to 120 pressures.

Injuries associated with drowning

The most difficult first aid for drowning is provided in cases where the drowning person was injured while diving. The most common injuries are to the skull and cervical vertebrae. Determine the presence of damage spinal cord possible due to lack of sensitivity in the limbs. The victim must be immediately placed on his back, on a flat and preferably hard surface. Under no circumstances should you turn your head. If there is a danger that a person will suffocate on vomit, one must carefully turn the whole body on its side, holding the head. In the supine position, the head is gently fixed with bolsters placed on the sides. Additional actions This cannot be done until the ambulance arrives.