Dry drowning threatens people’s lives outside the water.. Know its symptoms

With the approach of summer and the accompanying rise in temperatures, the sea and swimming pools become the first refuge for the general public.

As people turn to beaches and seas, the rate of people drowning, especially children, is also rising, as drowning, according to the World Health Organization, is the third most important cause of deaths from unintentional injuries around the world, accounting for 7 percent of all deaths.

Traditional and malignant drowning
But what many people do not know is that there are two types of drowning, the first is “traditional drowning” known by all people, and the second type is “malignant” bearing the description of “dry drowning.”

Dr. Rabie Itani reveals, in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”, that the term “dry drowning” is not a medical term, but rather comes in the descriptive framework of the accident, as doctors scientifically call it “post-immersion syndrome.”

Itani explained that “dry drowning” is a situation in which a person dies 24 hours or more after swallowing or inhaling water, without any “severe” signs that show that the person suffers from serious respiratory problems.

a passing accident

“Dry drowning” occurs when an adult or child experiences a fleeting accident in a swimming pool, for example, as it is normal for him to inhale and swallow some water, and once this person is rescued from the water and is sure that he is breathing normally, we think that the danger may be Still, what happened was just an accident.

But what happens here is that after the water enters through the nose or mouth, and despite not reaching the lungs, the muscles of the trachea and a defensive reaction begin to gradually shrink, and then the body begins to deprive itself of oxygen gradually, bringing the person to death if the situation is not remedied. Soon.
2% of drownings

As for Dr. Adel Khoury, he says, in his speech to “Sky News Arabia”, that “dry drowning” is the result of complex factors and an involuntary reaction of the body, indicating that it is rare, as it constitutes less than 2% of drowning cases in the world and affects Children especially.

Khoury stressed that “dry drowning” requires immediate attention, otherwise it becomes fatal, calling on parents and adults to be aware of any symptoms that appear after a fleeting drowning accident, such as feeling severe lethargy, fatigue and persistent coughing, in addition to dizziness, drowsiness, chest pain and difficulty breathing, which means that The body is not getting enough oxygen.

deceiving the body

According to Khoury, not neglecting the aforementioned symptoms and obtaining medical care in the necessary time allows the human body to overcome this “malignant killer”, which depends on deceiving the body, by making it perform an involuntary reaction by depriving itself of oxygen, thinking that it is drowning.