Asphyxia - what is it? Types, signs and consequences of asphyxia

For sure, every person at least once in his life heard the term "asphyxia". What it is? This word means oxygen starvation, which arose as a result of actions that interfere with the inhalation of air, and entailing various violations of blood circulation and CNS abnormalities.

Types of asphyxia

There are the following varieties of mechanical asphyxia: strangulation (strangulation, compression of the neck with a rope, the result of manual manipulation), obturation (blockage of the airways by various objects, drowning, closing of the mouth and nose), compression (the result of finding something on the abdomen and chest is too heavy) .

Signs of oxygen starvation

There are signs on which it is possible to recognize oxygen starvation. This blue skin, increased pupils and their lack of response to sunlight, stopping breathing, darkening of the blood. It should be noted that the heart is still beating for some time, and the victim needs emergency resuscitation measures.

Hanging

Strangulation asphyxia is something that forensic experts often have to face. Consider what it is called.

Hanging is when the rope wrapped around the throat is tightened by the weight of the body. In order to correctly diagnose and correctly assess the death caused by this kind of asphyxiation, it is necessary to thoroughly understand the circumstances of the incident, to examine the material evidence and the place where it happened to examine the corpse.

A knot and a rope around the neck can be arranged in completely different ways. However, there is a variant that occurs most often. The rope site is located in the nape of the neck. There are also more rare, atypical variants. In such cases, the node is under the chin or on the side of the neck. Because of the rope, asphyxiation occurs. What it is, you already know.

Rope removal

This squeezing of the throat by a knot, tightened by his hand or with the help of an outsider, also this can occur by means of some massive object or moving car. It should not be confused with hanging. At the last knot on the throat is tightened due to the weight of the person hanging in the loop. The fact that it was actually a rope deletion is evidenced by the strangulation furrow. It completely repeats its outlines and the number of turns. When removed, this furrow is in a horizontal position relative to the longitudinal axis of the corpse. But when hanging the situation is completely different. In this case, the furrow is not so. It should be understood that all this is mechanical asphyxiation. What it is? In short, the oxygen starvation.

Handcuffing

Practice is also the removal with the help of hands. As a result, a person loses consciousness in a matter of seconds, since the neurovascular bundles turn out to be compressed. When inspecting the body of the deceased soon after the death, you can see that his face has a blue tint. In conjunctiva there are large and small hemorrhages. In addition, you can see signs that indicate the removal with the help of hands. This is the presence of a large number of large and small bruises of various shapes, located on the side of the neck, and in some cases in front, on the lower jaw, chin. Also, abrasions can be around the lips and nose, when the removal by the hand is carried out together with the overlapping of the airways.

Closing the nose and mouth

Obstructive asphyxia is not less common. Often it becomes the cause of death. Often practice overlapping mouth and nasal openings. As a result, oxygen starvation occurs, after which a person dies. Oral and nasal apertures can overlap with the hands. On the body after that, you can notice certain traces from the impact of your fingers: bruises, scratches, bruises. Often there are small lesions of the mucous membrane of the lips, usually on the inside. Why are they formed? Usually because the teeth press too hard against the lips. As a result, bruises, bruises and all kinds of wounds on the mucous membrane occur. From lack of air and asphyxia begins. What is it, the students-medka learn as early as the first year.

Blocking of the respiratory tract by foreign matter

Sometimes there is also a blockage of the airways by any objects. This, too, can cause death. The object somehow finds itself in the respiratory tract. After that, he closes the entrance to them. In addition, the object can partially or completely block their lumen. Very unpleasant situation. And in some cases, small objects do not block the airways, but simply irritate the vocal cords and larynx. And even in such a situation, the pulse may stop, and then the death of a person. To diagnose this type of strangulation can be quite simple. Near the entrance to the larynx is a foreign object that is easy to see and extract. It can be located in the lumen of the bronchi or trachea. Because of this ill-fated object, asphyxiation occurred. What is it, every forensic scientist knows.

Drowning

Often, death occurs as a result of drowning. This is a blockage of the respiratory openings and paths with water. Forensic experts often have to deal with this. To drown, it is not necessary to completely lie down in the water or immerse the whole head there. For example, a person who is in a state of intoxication can easily choke in a puddle.

If the death occurred as a result of drowning, then during internal and external examination of the body certain signs of asphyxiation become visible. They, however, are not always observed. With regard to external signs, the most eloquent is the presence in the nose, mouth and respiratory tract of a foam consisting of small vesicles. It occurs because of the combination of water, oxygen and mucus in bronchial spasms. This happens at the convulsive stage of drowning. If there is no foam on the body that is taken out of the water, then after exposure to the chest, it can come out of the respiratory tract. This is an important point, it should be remembered. As for the other signs, they only say that the body was in the water. Internal examination of the corpses reveals: a strong swelling of the lungs, fuzzy light scarlet hemorrhages located beneath their pleura, the presence of water in the small intestine, and also in the stomach, foreign bodies (seaweed, clay, ooze, sand) penetrating deep into the respiratory tract. The most eloquent sign of drowning is the presence in the organs of bacillariophyte algae (bones of plankton). The following point is very important. Their composition should coincide with the algae of the reservoir, from where they extracted the body.

Strangulation as a way of obtaining pleasure

Autoerotic asphyxiation was fairly widespread. The purpose of this action is to block the access of oxygen. On the neck is put on a suffocating bandage or squeezing device, and then a person begins to engage in masturbation or sex. Usually, the overlap of oxygen is carried out by the partner. Although a person can do it himself. The dressing or device is removed only after reaching orgasm.

About asphysophilia a wide range of people became aware in 1856, when this was told by the French doctor de Boisson. He drew attention to the fact that men who died on the gallows often had an erection and ejection of the seed during the squeezing of the neck.

To date, many people practice autoerotic asphyxiation in order to enhance their sexual experiences and gain new impressions.

Oxygen starvation of the fetus

The employees of the maternity homes know firsthand what is the antenatal asphyxia of the fetus. It can develop with all sorts of diseases of a woman, as well as severe childbirth, during which the gas exchange of a child and blood circulation in the placenta are disturbed. There are two types of antenatal asphyxia: developing and threatening. In the case of the last signs of asphyxiation , there may not be a first, but symptoms that indicate a change in the reactivity of the child are necessarily present. It begins to move more or less, there are no responses when performing functional actions, for example, when the pregnant woman exhales or inhales, holds her breath, or when a cold object is applied to the stomach. More eloquent and often appearing signs of the beginning antenatal asphyxia of the fetus are: increased frequency of the child's heart beat or, conversely, an irregular pulse, the appearance of noise, the separation of meconium. There is also another characteristic symptom. It's muffled heart tones. This feature should be paid special attention. So, the most characteristic symptom of asphyxiation is a malfunction in the work of the heart. Therefore, you need to constantly listen to how it beats to recognize alarm signals in time and do everything possible to prevent tragedy. As soon as the initial, albeit poorly expressed, symptoms of asphyxiation are found, immediate action should be taken. In case of woman's illnesses and severe childbirth, which may lead to a violation of the child's gas exchange, preventive measures should be taken, without waiting for the disturbance of the fetal heart and other signs of suffocation.

Children who have had asphyxia (whether serious or light) are too active or passive in the first year after birth, they may have abnormal intracranial pressure, encephalopathy, seizures or other abnormalities. Therefore, after discharge from the hospital, the child should be observed regularly with a neurologist. One way or another, the consequences of asphyxiation will necessarily make themselves felt. Affected children must certainly pay a lot of attention, monitor their well-being.