What to do if someone falls into 'Shock'? (Shock) Let's learn exactly about first aid!

Imagine that someone in your area suddenly turns pale, sweats, has difficulty breathing, and seems to lose consciousness. Although we usually call this 'shock', medically this is a very serious and life-threatening condition. In such a situation, not panicking and providing proper first aid can save someone's life. So today we will talk about this condition called 'Shock' and what exactly we should do at such a time.

What exactly is 'Shock'?

Simply put, shock is the lack of adequate blood flow to the body's vital organs. Think about it, organs like our brain, heart, and kidneys need a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood to function properly. In shock, this blood supply is suddenly cut off.

Low blood pressure means low oxygen. This can lead to organ damage and loss of function. If not treated promptly, this condition can lead to cardiac arrest. It is so serious that about one in five people who go into shock will die. So it is not a condition to be taken lightly.

Why does someone go into shock?

There is not one single cause of 'Shock', but several factors can contribute to it. The main ones are:

• Low blood volume: Due to a cause such as excessive bleeding from an accident.
• Inadequate pumping action: In a condition like a heart attack, the heart is unable to pump blood properly.
• Excessive dilation of blood vessels: When blood vessels suddenly become larger, blood pressure suddenly drops.
• Certain medications: This condition may also be caused by certain medications that reduce heart function.
• Damage to the nervous system: Due to something like a serious accident to the spine.

There are four main types of 'shock'

Shock can be divided into four main types based on how it occurs. It is important to be aware of this, as treatment depends on the type.

How do you know if someone is in shock? What are the symptoms?

The symptoms of shock can vary slightly depending on the cause and type. However, there are some common symptoms. If one or more of these are present, it may be shock.

• Extremely low blood pressure: This is the main symptom.
• Dizziness, blue eyes, fainting: This is what it feels like when blood flow to the brain decreases.
• Skin becomes cold, clammy, and pale: Reduced blood flow causes the skin to receive less blood.
• Lips and fingernails turning blue/gray: This means that the amount of oxygen in the blood is very low.
• Fast but weak heartbeat: The heart beats faster to compensate for the reduced blood supply, but the beat is weak.
• Shallow breathing: You start breathing quickly and shallowly.
• Confusion and Anxiety: When blood flow to the brain decreases, consciousness becomes impaired and anxiety begins.
• Excessive sweating.
• Decreased or complete cessation of urination.

What should we do if someone suddenly goes into shock? (First aid)

In a situation like this, every second you take, every right action you take is very important. Don't panic, just follow these steps.

1. Call emergency services immediately: The first and most important thing to do is to call the 1990 (Suvaseriya) ambulance service or take the patient to the nearest hospital Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) as soon as possible. While administering first aid on your part, it is essential to seek medical help.

2. Check breathing: Check to see if the victim is breathing. If not, start chest compressions immediately if you know how to do CPR. If breathing, check breathing every 5 minutes until medical help arrives.

3. Place in the correct position:

• If the patient does not have a serious injury to the head, neck, back, or legs , have him/her lie face down on his/her hands and raise his/her legs about a foot. This can be done using something like a pillow or bag. Never raise the head.
• If the patient feels pain when raising their legs, do not do so. Keep them lying down normally.

4. Keep the body warm: Loosen the patient's tight clothing. Cover him/her well with a blanket or dry clothing to maintain body heat.

5. Control bleeding: If there is bleeding from a visible wound, try to control the bleeding by pressing on the area with a clean cloth.

6. If the patient vomits: If the patient starts vomiting or has mucus/blood coming out of the mouth, if you are sure that there is no spinal injury , turn his/her head to the side. This will prevent the vomit from going into the lungs. If there is a suspicion of spinal injury, turn the entire body to the side at once (log roll) so that the head, neck, and spine are in one line.

Never do these things!

Sometimes we can do the wrong thing thinking we are helping. These are things you should never do to someone who is in shock.

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