First aid for drowning

Pull the drowning man out of the water - is half the battle. And then, at first glance, a happy rescue the victim may stop the heart, cause edema of the lungs, brain, or acute renal failure.

Only 3-5 days after the incident, we can say that the lives of drowning nothing more threatening.

Therefore we repeat: the emergency call to the man who had just been pulled out of the water required. But while the doctors go, you yourself can save someone's life. The main thing - to act quickly.

1. Determine the type of drowning

EMERCOM of Russia experts distinguishFirst aid drowning two options. They called on the person's skin color, who had just drowned.

"Blue" drowning

It occurs when a person up to the last He is fighting for his life. Usually so drowning people who can not swim, and happened to be at depth. Or, for example, children who had fallen into the pool. Or swimmers who claimed a strong current.

In an effort to escape, they hold their breath for a long time, but actively moving, even when are under water. Oxygen is consumed rapidly, there comes a brain hypoxia. The person loses consciousness, at which point the water in large quantities penetrate into the stomach and lungs. Then absorbed into the blood stream, dilutes it, and that seeps through the walls of blood vessels. Because of this, the skin gets bluish color characteristic.

In addition, developing life-threatening disorders:

• Heart overstrained. It would be hard to pump through itself to increase blood volume, but also because of the lack of oxygen is not enough energy to do it. If time does not pull the man out of the water and begin resuscitation, the heart can stay;
• In the lungs, worsening gas exchange. liquid has been spilled in these foams. This can be seen: pinkish frothy sputum stands out from the mouth and nose when you exhale, or attempts to cough. Additional feature - bubbling breath, as if in his chest something is boiling. Again: in the absence of timely medical care is fraught with stopping breathing.

"Pale" drowning

It happens when a person is drowning in an unconscious state. For example, if you fell into the water, slipping and hitting his head on the side of the pool. Also, the "pale" drowning observed in the case of shock (when a person, say, falls under the ice) or if the water is heavily chlorinated.

In such situations arise laryngospasm - completely closed glottis. This defensive reaction: thus blocked the flow of water into the lungs. In this case, the sinking is not inhaling liquid, which means that it almost does not penetrate, and into the stomach.

"Pale" drowning is considered more favorable than the "blue". Yes, breathing completely stopped in humans and bloodstreamBut if you begin resuscitation for 5 minutes after the spasm, severe consequences will be much less.

2. Remove water from the lungs and stomach drowning

If you encounter a "pale" waterboarding, proceed to the next step.

In the "blue", and if the victim is conscious, but swallowed the water, you must proceed as follows:

• perekin'te drowning person through the knee bottom;
• unclench his teeth, stick two fingers into his mouth and strongly push the root of the tongue to cause a gag reflex.

If a person began to vomit, he had a cough, continue to apply pressure on the root of the tongue for 5-10 minutes, until the mouth and nose will not cease to pour water. Your task - to help the victim as much as possible to get rid of trapped in the lungs and stomach fluid.

If no vomiting reflexOr cough is not there, and if we are talking about less complex cases, continue in accordance with the general algorithmDrowning Treatment first aid.

3. Check if there are breathing

Lean as close as possible to the person affected. If breathing is, you will feel it on my cheek. Also breathing can be fixed by the movements of the chest drowning.

4. Determine whether there is a pulse

Place the fingertips to the wrist of the victim or another place where arteries are close to the skin (the list can be found here), And press them to feel the tremors. Try to find the pulse of more than 10 seconds.

5. If necessary, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation

If not breathing, give artificial respiration mouth to mouth.

EMERCOM of Russia experts recommendCPR and first aid to the victims ON WATER proceed as follows:

• Place the victim on his back on a hard surface.
• Make sure that the head was slightly thrown back (chin lifted up). This is necessary to allow air into the lungs instead of the stomach.
• Cover the mouth with gauze or a thin man with a handkerchief. Pinch his nose.
• With the power of the exhaled air to the victim in her mouth. The frequency of breaths - about 17 times per minute.
• Keep an eye on the chest of the victim. If it goes up and down, you're doing correctly.

If there is no more drowning and pulse, CPR should be supplemented with chest compressions.

Attention! Chest compressions can be performed only when the victim does not have heart. If a pulse is present, massage denied!

• Place the palm of one hand in the center of the chest at the nipple line.
• The palm of the second hand position over the first. If we are talking about the baby, place two fingers on his chest.
• Press down on the sternum three or four times between breaths. It is more convenient to do it together, one holding artificial respiration, the other performs massage.

6. Continue resuscitation until the resumption of breathing and heart rate, or the ambulance

I repeat: the medical cause you have to be sure! Even if both you and the most affected seems that nothing terrible has happened - they say, it just pulled out and he just "swallowed the water." This is the case when it is better perebdet.

If breathing and pulse was restored, as well as if drowning feels well, lay it on its side and wait for doctors. Physicians appreciate the condition of the victim and his or hospitalized, or tell what to do next.