Asphyxia
First Stage
Respiratory rate increases.
- Breaths become shorter and noisy.
- Chest movements of breathing are revered. The chest wall gets sucked in instead of moving out when the victim breathes in.
- The nostrils flare during breathing
- Neck veins get distended.
- Cyanosis develops. The face, lips, nails, fingers and toes turn blue.
- Pulse becomes faster and feeble.
Second stage
Consciousness is lost.
- Frothing occurs at the mouth and nose.
- Convulsions may occur.
- Urine and feces are passed involuntarily.
- Death may occur if not treated in time.
First aid
- Remove the cause, if possible.
- Place the victim on his back.
- Clear the airway.
- Loosen his collar.
- Put a finger in the mouth and throat and remove a foreign body, if present.
- Remove denture, if present.
- Hold the angle of the jaw forward and tilt the head backwards.
- Give artificial ventilation and external cardiac massage, if required.
- Send him to a hospital after he settles down.