Dry Drowning Symptoms To Watch For

Dry drowning is a somewhat rare condition that can occur when an individual inhales water when in a panicked situation. For instance, when a child falls into water unexpectedly, their first reaction would likely be to panic, which would cause them to gulp down a substantial amount of water. In most cases, this shouldn't cause any additional problems once they've been rescued. However, it's possible an individual's windpipe muscles could close up to protect the lungs once water is taken in through the mouth or nose. This is considered a medical emergency that can cause massive complications if they don't obtain treatment immediately. Although this condition is possible in adults, it's most common among younger children. Understanding the various symptoms that can occur with dry drowning should help individuals identify when medical attention is crucial.

Issues Breathing Or Speaking

Among the most common symptoms of dry drowning is breathing issues or problems speaking. Since dry drowning causes the vocal cords to close, patients will undoubtedly experience some form of breathing or speaking problems. Keep in mind the extent of the problems depends on the severity of the patient's condition. When the vocal cords close over an individual's windpipe, this is referred to as laryngospasm. Cases of laryngospasm can differ in severity. Individuals suffering from a mild case of the condition could simply experience shortness of breath. A more serious restriction of the windpipe can keep patients from speaking altogether and can make it difficult for oxygen to get in and out of their lungs. With the mildest cases of this condition, it's possible for these symptoms to dissipate on their own. However, treatment is commonly needed to make sure the patient's issues with breathing or speaking don't worsen.

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Chest Pain

Chest pain is a common symptom with a wide range of different conditions and diseases, which is why it's important this symptom is accompanied by others on this list before a patient is determined to be suffering from dry drowning. Issues with airways can cause additional problems with the lungs. If an individual is coughing regularly and experiencing shortness of breath because of dry drowning, it's likely they will start to experience pain in their chest as well. This pain can feel very strange if they've never encountered it before, and in some situations, it may seem as though they are having a heart attack. While this is certainly possible, dry drowning can cause a mild chest pain that worsens if patients don't get it treated quickly. This pain can also feel different depending on the exact cause for the pain. When it comes to dry drowning, it's common for the pain to be dull or achy.

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Low Energy After Incident In The Water

The first symptom many individuals experience when suffering from dry drowning is low energy after an incident in the water. They should look out for signs of sleepiness and fatigue directly after swimming or falling into the water. While it's possible this fatigue is simply because of overexertion, it's also possible the reason for low energy is because oxygen circulation is cut off throughout the body, which means the necessary oxygen won't be entering the bloodstream properly. Patients want to avoid going to sleep following the water incident until they have received a checkup. Patients may also wish to visit the emergency room immediately to make sure their problems with low energy don't worsen. If the patient's windpipe remains closed, the oxygen levels in their blood will continue to deplete, which is why immediate treatment is necessary.

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Increased Irritability

Among the main effects of dry drowning is the patient's brain won't be receiving the amount of oxygen it needs to function as it should. While this issue can be very dangerous if it's not corrected quickly, the first sign someone's brain isn't receiving the right amount of oxygen is if they begin to display sudden swings and shifts in their mood, which will often be punctuated by increased irritability. This feeling of agitation will cause patients to become upset or frustrated at the smallest of provocations. A clear sign a patient is suffering from increased irritability as opposed to a natural change in mood is if there's really no reason for them to be irritable. These sudden mood shifts occur without any forewarning and can come with other symptoms like fast breathing and a racing heart. The only problem with using this symptom to determine if someone is suffering from the dry drowning condition is a boost in how irritable someone is can occur for any number of reasons, which is why other symptoms on this list should accompany it.

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Unexplained Coughing

Patients who have started to have breathing issues or problems with speaking, will likely also experience unexplained coughing. While it's easy to identify a chronic case of coughing, some of the causes of acute coughing include pneumonia, the development of a common cold, and inhaling an irritant. In the event individuals aren't suffering from any of these issues, it's possible their unexplained coughing is due to dry drowning. The coughing will likely be persistent and won't dissipate even when they drink a large amount of water. While the cough itself shouldn't worsen, it also likely won't improve until patients have received treatment. Even though the coughing will be consistent, it shouldn't come with any additional problems like mucus or blood. The cough should display itself as a dry cough.