Dry Drowning in Adults Definition
When water accumulates in the lungs is when dry drowning happens. In most cases, people suffer from dry drowning when they go for a swim. Dry drowning can occur one hour after the swim but it can happen to a person even after 24 hours have passed.
It is really important that a person discovers the symptoms on time because it is better to treat this inconvenience as soon as it happens. Even though it is extremely rare, dry drowning can be fatal. When a person is suffering from dry drowning there is very little fluid in the lungs at that moment. People tend to believe that at that time there is too much fluid in the lungs.
Dry Drowning Causes in Adults
It is very common that people who have illnesses like asthma or underdeveloped lungs are the ones that get affected by dry drowning. Apart from these people, people who have suffered from pneumonia at some time in the past have more chance of ending up with dry drowning.
If a person has a lung trauma like severe acute respiratory syndrome, for instance, he or she also has more chance of ending up with dry drowning. Some other causes of dry drowning include things like muscular paralysis, excess water reaching the lungs, and also if the diaphragm is not able to create respiratory movements.
Dry Drowning Symptoms in Adults
The discovery of symptoms is very important. It is also important that they are discovered on time. Some of the most common symptoms of dry drowning are constant coughing and shortness of breath. If a person feels pain while breathing that is also a symptom of dry drowning. Coughing points to dry drowning only if it lasts for a long period of time, some 30 minutes.
If a person has problems with breathing for more than an hour that is almost a sure sign of dry drowning. Chest pain is a symptom that occurs often as well. If a person spits water that is also a sure sign of dry drowning. Another thing that a person should look for is sudden tiredness. A person's skin can become sweaty and pale because of dry drowning.
Dry Drowning Treatment for Adults
The best thing a person can do in this situation is to provide more oxygen to the lungs. He or she can do this by means of ventilation. However, it is best that a person goes to the hospital.
Dry Drowning Prevention for Adults
If a person is not a good swimmer or is suffering from respiratory or lung problems, he or she should always go swimming with someone who is. Even though dry drowning does not occur that often, in adults it can be serious if it is not treated on time.
- Perhaps some victims suffer sudden cardiac death. It happens on land—why not in the water? Modell et al stated, “In the absence of the common finding of significant pulmonary edema in the victim’s respiratory system, to conclude his or her death was caused by ‘drowning without aspiration’ is unwise.”
- Laryngospasm is another proposed explanation. It could play a role in the fewer than 2% of cases in which no other cause of death is found on clinical examination or autopsy, but it does not occur in most cases of drowning, or it is brief and is terminated by the respiratory movements that allow the air in the lung to escape and water to be inhaled.
- Drowning is a process of aspiration leading to hypoxia and eventually cardiac arrest. However, it is not synonymous with death: it can be interrupted.
- Rescued victims should be warned that, although a rare condition, if they develop cough, breathlessness, or any other worrisome symptom within 8 hours of being in the water, they should seek medical attention immediately.
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