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Asphyxia

“Oxygen” the key component of life, the existence of life would not be possible in absence of oxygen. Our body needs it to regulate our daily activities, a moment without it can melt your eyes, and can be prove fatal. The same condition is of our body when we are hit by asphyxia. Asphyxia is a condition when our body deprived of oxygen, causing unconsciousness or death; suffocation. Asphyxia is caused due to shortage of oxygen. In a very short span, it can lead to unconsciousness, brain injury or death. There are other causes too that causes asphyxia: drowning, asthma, choking and high pulse rate. There are around 35,600 deaths due to asphyxia in 2015 and in 2018 the deaths recorded were 18,924.

  • Very weak breathing or not breathing anyway.
  • Skin color that is bluish, grey, or lighter than normal.
  • Low heart rate.
  • Poor muscle tone.
  • Reflexes are weak.
  • Acid content in the blood increases (acidosis)
  • Amniotic fluid stained with meconium (first stool)
  • Seizures.

Asphyxia affects not only lungs but also functioning of the cell, brain, heart, blood vessels, gastrointestinal tract and lungs. Asphyxia is broadly segregated into two pairs suffocation, strangulation, mechanical asphyxia and drowning. Further suffocation has its subdivisions like smothering, choking and confined spaces/ vitiated atmosphere. The smell of asphyxiation can force you to lose your senses, it some what smells like Hydrogen sulfide which stinks like a rotten egg, it may come from sewage, liquid manure, hot springs of sulfur and natural gas. The case is so crucial that if you breathe in too much, it prevents oxygen from entering your cells much closer to cyanide.

 

Anaphylaxis is a chronic allergic reaction to insect bite, food and medicine. In this case the body thinks the substance to be invader and releases chemicals that cause symptoms like swelling and lack of oxygen. With no treatment the swelling gets worst and disrupt breathing.

  • Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR is a method which involves compressing the chest to promote blood and oxygen circulation. It is used when a patient’s heart stops beating.
  • Heimlich maneuver. The Heimlich maneuver is a first aid technique for choking. It needs an abdominal thrusts below the diaphragm to remove a foreign object from a person’s airways.
  • Oxygen therapy. The Oxygen therapy is responsible for providing oxygen to your lungs. It uses a ventilator, a breathing tube, or a mask or nose tube that provides oxygen.
  • Medication. Medication can helpful in easing the effects of an allergic reaction, severe attack of asthma or overdose of drug. As an example, epinephrine (EpiPen) can easily treat anaphylaxis.