The man suffered before death. Why, before death, do people see the dead, empty themselves, and their nose sharpens? Increasing physical weakness

To our great regret, death always comes after life. Now science is unable to prevent old age and its inevitable lethal consequences. Relatives and friends of seriously ill patients need to be prepared for this. What does a bedridden patient experience before death? How do caregivers react to signs of impending demise? We will discuss this below.

Death phases

There are several phases of a person's state that arise before his death. The signs of the first stage ("pre-active phase") can begin 2 weeks before the terrible event. During this period, the patient begins to consume less food and liquids than usual, there are pauses in breathing, wound healing worsens, and swelling appears. Also, the patient can claim imminent death and report that he saw dead people.

Then the following phases follow:

• clinical death (signs of vital activity disappear, but metabolic processes still occur in the cells);
• biological death (almost complete cessation of physiological processes in the body);
• final death (final phase).

Signs of impending death

The symptoms of death in a bedridden patient may vary from case to case. There are several main ones:

Certain diseases cause specific symptoms. For example, signs of death in a cancer patient often manifest as pain, nausea, confusion, anxiety, and shortness of breath (less common in stroke).

It should also be noted that low blood pressure or prolonged respiratory arrest (or if the bedridden patient is constantly asleep) are not reliable indicators of imminent death in all cases. Some patients with these symptoms may suddenly recover and live for a week, a month, or even longer. God alone knows when death will come.

How to behave correctly with loved ones

What should family and friends do if they see signs of impending death? It is always very difficult to talk to a dying person. There is no need to make false promises and hopes of recovery. Tell the patient that his last wishes will be fulfilled. He should not think that they are hiding anything from him. If a person wants to talk about life and its last moments, you need to do it, and not try to gloss over the topic and say something detached. Before dying, make it clear to the patient that he is not alone, say words of comfort.

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It is not customary to talk about death out loud in our time. This is a very sensitive topic and far from for the faint of heart. But there are times when knowledge is very useful, especially if there is a cancer patient or a bedridden elderly person at home. After all, it helps to mentally prepare for the inevitable end and to notice the changes taking place in time. Let's discuss the signs of death of the patient together and pay attention to their key features.

Most often, signs of imminent death are classified into primary and secondary. Some develop as a consequence of others. It is logical that if a person began to sleep more, then he eats less, etc. We will consider all of them. But, the cases may be different and exceptions to the rules are permissible. As well as variants of normal median survival, even with a symbiosis of terrible signs of a change in the patient's condition. This is a kind of miracle that happens at least once a century.

Change in sleep and wakefulness

Discussing the initial signs of impending death, doctors agree that the patient has less and less time to be awake. He is often immersed in a superficial sleep and, as it were, dozing. This saves precious energy and reduces pain. The latter fades into the background, becoming, as it were, background. Of course, the emotional side suffers greatly.

The scarcity of expressing one's feelings, the isolation in oneself, the desire to be silent more than to speak, leave an imprint on relations with others. The desire to ask and answer any questions disappears, to be interested in everyday life and people around.

As a result, in advanced cases, patients become apathetic and detached. They sleep almost 20 hours a day if there is no acute pain and serious irritating factors. Unfortunately, such an imbalance threatens with stagnation, mental problems and accelerates death.

Puffiness

Swelling appears on the lower extremities.

Very reliable signs of death are swelling and the presence of spots on the legs and arms. We are talking about malfunctions of the kidneys and the circulatory system. In the first case, with oncology, the kidneys do not have time to cope with toxins and they poison the body. In this case, metabolic processes are disrupted, the blood is redistributed in the vessels unevenly, forming areas with spots. It is not for nothing that they say that if such marks appear, then we are talking about complete dysfunction of the limbs.

Problems with hearing, vision, perception

The first signs of death are changes in hearing, vision and the normal feeling of what is happening around. Such changes can be against the background of severe pain, oncological lesions, blood stagnation or tissue death. Often, before death, you can observe the phenomenon with pupils. The pressure in the eye drops, and when pressed, you can see how the pupil deforms like a feline.
With regard to hearing, everything is relative. It can recover in the last days of life or even worsen, but this is more of an agony.

Reducing the need for food

Decreased appetite and sensitivity are signs of imminent death.

When a cancer patient is at home, the signs of death are noted by all relatives. She gradually refuses food. First, the dose is reduced from a plate to a quarter of a saucer, and then the swallowing reflex gradually disappears. There is a need for feeding through a syringe or tube. In half of the cases, the system with glucose and vitamin therapy is connected. But the effectiveness of such support is very low. The body tries to use up its own fat stores and minimize waste. From this, the general condition of the patient worsens, drowsiness and shortness of breath appear.

Violation of urination and problems with natural needs

It is believed that problems with going to the toilet are also signs of impending death. As funny as it may seem, but in reality there is a completely logical chain in this. If defecation is not carried out every two days or with the regularity to which a person is accustomed, then feces accumulate in the intestines. Even stones can form. As a result, toxins are absorbed from them, which seriously poison the body and reduce its performance.
It's about the same story with urination. It is more difficult for the kidneys to work. They let in less and less fluid and, as a result, the urine comes out saturated. It has a high concentration of acids and even blood is noted. For relief, a catheter can be installed, but this is not a panacea against the general background of unpleasant consequences for a bed patient.

Thermoregulation problems

Weakness is a sign of imminent death

Natural signs before the death of a patient are a violation of thermoregulation and agony. Extremities begin to get cold. Especially if the patient has paralysis, then we can even talk about the progress of the disease. The circle of blood circulation is reduced. The body fights for life and tries to maintain the performance of the main organs, thereby depriving the limbs. They can turn pale and even become cyanotic with venous spots.

Weakness of the body

The signs of imminent death may vary for everyone, depending on the situation. But most often, we are talking about severe weakness, loss of body weight and general fatigue. A period of self-isolation begins, which is aggravated by the internal processes of intoxication and necrosis. The patient cannot even raise or stand up for natural needs on the duck. The process of urination and defecation can occur spontaneously and even unconsciously.

Blurred consciousness

Many see signs of impending death in how the patient's normal reaction to the outside world disappears. He can become aggressive, nervous, or vice versa - very passive. Memory is lost and attacks of fear on this basis can be noted. The patient does not immediately understand what is happening and who is nearby. The areas responsible for thinking die off in the brain. And obvious inadequacy may appear.

Predagonia

It is a defense reaction of all vital systems in the body. Often, it manifests itself in the onset of stupor or coma. The main role is played by the regression of the nervous system, which causes in the future:
- decrease in metabolism
- insufficient ventilation of the lungs due to breathing failures or the alternation of rapid breathing with a stop
- serious damage to organ tissue

Agony

Agony is characteristic of the last minutes of a person's life

Agony is usually called a clear improvement in the patient's condition against the background of destructive processes in the body. In fact, this is the last effort in order to preserve the necessary functions for continued existence. It can be noted:
- improvement of hearing and return of sight
- establishing the rhythm of breathing
- normalization of heart contractions
- restoration of consciousness in the patient
- muscle activity by the type of seizures
- reduced sensitivity to pain
Agony can last from a few minutes to an hour. Usually, it seems to portend clinical death when the brain is still alive, and oxygen stops flowing into the tissues.
These are typical signs of death in bedridden. But do not dwell on them too much. After all, there may be another side of the coin. It happens that one or two of these pointers are simply a consequence of an illness, but they are quite reversible with proper care. Even a hopeless bedridden patient may not have all these signs before death. And this is not an indicator. So it's hard to talk about obligation.

The death of a person is a very sensitive topic for most people, but, unfortunately, each of us has to deal with it in one way or another. If the family has bedridden elderly or cancer sick relatives, it is necessary not only for the guardian himself to mentally prepare for the imminent loss, but also know how to help and facilitate the last minutes of a loved one's life.

A person who is bedridden to the end of his life constantly experiences mental anguish. Being in his right mind, he understands what inconvenience he brings to those around him, imagines what he will have to go through. Moreover, such people feel all the changes taking place in their body.

How does a sick person die? To understand that a person has several months / days / hours left to live, you need to know the main signs of death in a bed patient.

How to recognize signs of impending death?

Signs of death of a lying patient are divided into initial and investigative. At the same time, some are the cause of others.

Note. Any of the following signs can be the result of long-term and there is a chance to reverse it.

Change of daily routine

The daily regimen of an immobile bedridden patient consists of sleep and wakefulness. The main sign that death is close is that a person is constantly immersed in a superficial sleep, as if he is dozing. With such a stay, a person feels less physical pain, but his psycho-emotional state seriously changes. Expression of feelings becomes scarce, the patient constantly withdraws into himself and is silent.

Swelling and discoloration of the skin

The next reliable sign that death is soon inevitable is the appearance of various spots on the skin. Before death, these signs appear in the body of a dying bed patient due to disruption of the functioning of the circulatory system and metabolic processes. Spots appear due to the uneven distribution of blood and fluids in the vessels.

Sensory problems

Older people often have problems with vision, hearing and tactile sensations. In bedridden patients, all diseases are aggravated against the background of constant severe pain, damage to organs and the nervous system, as a result of impaired blood circulation.

Signs of death in a bedridden patient are manifested not only in psycho-emotional changes, but also the external image of a person will certainly change. You can often observe the so-called "cat's eye". This phenomenon is associated with a sharp drop in eye pressure.

Loss of appetite

As a result of the fact that a person practically does not move and spends most of the day in a dream, a secondary sign of impending death appears - the need for food is significantly reduced, the swallowing reflex disappears. In this case, in order to feed the patient, a syringe or probe, glucose is used and a course of vitamins is prescribed. As a result of the fact that the bedridden patient does not eat or drink, the general condition of the body worsens, problems with breathing, the digestive system and "going to the toilet" appear.

Violation of thermoregulation

If the patient has a change in the color of the limbs, the appearance of cyanosis and venous spots, a lethal outcome is inevitable. The body spends all its energy reserves to maintain the functioning of the main organs, reduces the circle of blood circulation, which, in turn, leads to the appearance of paresis and paralysis.

General weakness

In the last days of his life, the bedridden patient does not eat, experiences severe weakness, he cannot move independently and even rise up to relieve his natural need. His body weight is sharply reduced. In most cases, the processes of bowel movement and can occur arbitrarily.

Altered consciousness and memory problems

If the patient develops:

• memory problems;
• a sharp change in mood;
• attacks of aggression;
• depression - this means damage and death of the parts of the brain that are responsible for thinking. A person does not react to the people around him and the events that take place, carries out inappropriate actions.

Predagonia

Predagonia is a manifestation of the body's defensive reaction in the form of a stupor or coma. As a result, the metabolism decreases, breathing problems appear, and tissue and organ necrosis begins.

Agony

Agony is a near-death state of the body, a temporary improvement in the physical and psycho-emotional state of the patient, caused by the destruction of all life processes in the body. A lying patient before dying may notice:

• improvement of hearing and vision;
• normalization of respiratory processes and heartbeat;
• clear consciousness;
• reduction in pain.

Symptoms of clinical and biological death

Clinical death is a reversible process that appears suddenly or after a serious illness and requires urgent medical attention. Signs of clinical death, manifested in the first minutes:

If a person is in a coma, attached to a ventilator (ventilator), and the pupils are dilated due to the action of medications, then clinical death can only be determined by ECG results.

With the provision of timely assistance, within the first 5 minutes, you can bring a person back to life. If you provide artificial support for blood circulation and respiration later, you can return the heart rate, but the person will never regain consciousness. This is due to the fact that brain cells die earlier than the neurons responsible for the vital activity of the body.

A dying bedridden patient may not have symptoms before death, but clinical death will be recorded.

Biological or true death is the irreversible cessation of the functioning of the body. Biological death occurs after clinical death, so all primary symptoms are similar. Secondary symptoms appear within 24 hours:

• cooling and rigidity of the body;
• drying out of the mucous membranes;
• the appearance of cadaveric spots;
• decomposition of tissues.

Behavior of a dying patient

In the last days of their lives, dying people often recall their past, tell the brightest moments of their lives in all colors and little things. Thus, a person wants to leave as much good as possible in the memory of loved ones. Positive changes in consciousness lead to the fact that a lying person is trying to do something, wants to go somewhere, indignant at the same time that he has very little time left.

Such positive mood swings are rare, most often dying people fall into deep depression, show aggressiveness. Doctors explain that mood changes can be associated with the use of narcotic painkillers of strong action, the rapid development of the disease, the appearance of metastases and irregularities.

A lying patient before death, being bedridden for a long time, but in a healthy mind, ponders his life and actions, evaluates what he and his loved ones will have to go through. Such reflections lead to a change in the emotional background and mental balance. Some of these people lose interest in what is happening around them and in life in general, others become withdrawn, others lose their sanity and the ability to think sanely. The constant deterioration of the state of health leads to the fact that the patient constantly thinks about death, asks to alleviate his situation by euthanasia.

How to ease the suffering of a dying person

Lying patients, people after, trauma or with cancer, most often experience severe pain. To block these, strong pain relievers are prescribed by the attending physician. Many pain relievers are only available with a prescription (such as morphine). In order to prevent the emergence of dependence on these funds, it is necessary to constantly monitor the patient's condition and change the dosage or stop taking the drug when an improvement appears.

How long can a bedridden patient live? No doctor will give an exact answer to this question. A relative or caregiver caring for a bedridden patient needs to be with him around the clock. For more and alleviating the suffering of the patient, you should use special means - beds,. To distract the patient, you can put a TV, radio or laptop next to his bed, and you should also have a pet (cat, fish).

Most often, relatives, having learned that their relative needs them, refuse him. Such bedridden patients also end up in hospitals, where everything falls on the shoulders of the workers of these institutions. Such an attitude towards a dying person not only leads to his apathy, aggression and isolation, but also exacerbates his health. In medical institutions and boarding houses, there are certain standards of care, for example, for each patient a certain amount of disposable products (diapers, diapers) is allocated, and bedridden patients are practically deprived of communication.

When caring for a lying relative, it is important to choose an effective method of relieving suffering, provide him with everything he needs and constantly worry about his well-being. This is the only way to reduce his mental and physical suffering, as well as prepare for his inevitable death. You cannot decide everything for a person, it is important to ask his opinion about what is happening, to provide a choice in certain actions. In some cases, when there are only a few days left to live, you can cancel a number of heavy drugs that cause inconvenience to the bedridden patient (antibiotics, diuretics, complex vitamin complexes, and hormonal agents). It is necessary to leave only those medications and tranquilizers that relieve pain, prevent convulsions and vomiting.

Brain reaction before death

In the last hours of a person's life, his brain activity is disrupted, numerous irreversible changes appear as a result of oxygen starvation, hypoxia and the death of neurons. A person may see hallucinations, hear something, or feel as if someone is touching him. Brain processes take a few minutes, so the patient in the last hours of life often falls into a stupor or loses consciousness. The so-called "visions" of people before death are often associated with past life, religion, or unfulfilled dreams. To date, there is no exact scientific answer about the nature of the appearance of such hallucinations.

What are the predictors of death according to scientists

How does a sick person die? According to numerous observations of dying patients, scientists have made a number of conclusions:

1. Not all patients develop physiological changes. Every third person who dies has no obvious symptoms of death.
2. 60-72 hours before death, most patients lose their reaction to verbal stimuli. They do not respond to a smile, do not respond to gestures and facial expressions of the guardian. There is a change in voice.
3. Two days before death, an increased relaxation of the cervical muscles is observed, i.e., it is difficult for the patient to keep his head in an elevated position.
4. Slow, also the patient cannot close the eyelids tightly, close his eyes.
5. You can also observe obvious disturbances in the work of the gastrointestinal tract, bleeding in its upper sections.

Signs of imminent death in a lying patient manifest themselves in different ways. According to the observations of doctors, it is possible to notice obvious manifestations of symptoms at a certain period of time, and at the same time determine the approximate date of death of a person.

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Cancer is a very serious disease characterized by the appearance of a tumor in the human body, which rapidly grows and damages the nearest human tissues. Later, the malignant formation affects the nearest lymph nodes, and at the last stage, metastases occur, when cancer cells spread to all organs of the body.

The terrible thing is that at stages 3 and 4, cancer treatment in some types of oncology is impossible. Because of this, the doctor can reduce the patient's suffering and slightly extend his life. At the same time, every day he gets worse, due to the rapid spread of metastases.

At this time, relatives and friends of the patient should roughly understand what kind of symptoms the patient is experiencing in order to help to survive the last stage of life and reduce his suffering. In general, those dying of cancer due to complete defeat by metastases experience the same pains and ailments. How do people die of cancer?

Why do people die of cancer?

Cancer occurs in several stages, and each stage is characterized by more severe symptoms and damage to the body by the tumor. In fact, not everyone dies of cancer, and it all depends on the stage at which the tumor is found. And here everything is clear - the earlier she was found and diagnosed, the more chances of recovery.

But there are many more factors, and even cancer at stage 1 or even 2 does not always give a 100% chance of recovery. Since cancer has many properties. For example, there is such a concept as the aggressiveness of malignant tissues - while the higher this indicator, the faster the tumor itself grows, and the faster the cancer stages begin.

The mortality rate increases with each stage of cancer development. The largest percentage is at 4 stages - but why? At this stage, the cancerous tumor is already huge in size and affects the nearest tissues, lymph nodes and organs, and metastases spread to distant corners of the body: as a result, almost all tissues of the body are affected.

In this case, the tumor grows faster and more aggressive. The only thing doctors can do is to slow down the growth rate and reduce the suffering of the patient himself. Usually, chemotherapy and radiation are used, then the cancer cells become less aggressive.

Death with any type of cancer does not always occur quickly, and it happens that the patient suffers for a long time, which is why it is necessary to reduce the patient's suffering as much as possible. Medicine cannot yet fight advanced cancer of the last degree, so the earlier the diagnosis is made, the better.

Causes of the disease

Unfortunately, scientists are still struggling with this question and cannot find an exact answer to it. The only thing that can be said is a combination of factors that increase the chance of getting cancer:

• Alcohol and smoking.
• Junk food.
• Obesity.
• Bad ecology.
• Working with chemicals.
• Improper drug treatment.

In order to somehow try to avoid cancer, you first need to monitor your health and regularly undergo a doctor's examination and take a general and biochemical blood test.

Symptoms before death

That is why the correct treatment tactics, chosen at the last stage of the disease, will help reduce pain and illness to the patient, as well as significantly prolong life. Of course, each oncology has its own signs and symptoms, but there are also general ones, which begin immediately at the fourth stage, when almost the whole body is affected by malignant formations. How do cancer patients feel before they die?

1. Constant tiredness. It occurs due to the fact that the tumor itself takes up a huge amount of energy and nutrients for growth, and the larger it is, the worse. Add metastases to other organs here, and you will understand how difficult it is for patients in the last stage. It usually gets worse after surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. At the very end, cancer patients will sleep a lot. The most important thing is not to disturb them and give them a rest. Subsequently, deep sleep can develop into a coma.
2. Decreased appetite. The patient does not eat, because general intoxication occurs when the tumor produces a large amount of waste products into the blood.
3. Cough and shortness of breath.Often, metastases from any organ cancer damage the lungs, which causes swelling of the upper body and a cough. After some time, it becomes difficult for the patient to breathe - this means that the cancer has firmly settled in the lung.
4. Disorientation. At this moment, there may be a loss of memory, a person ceases to recognize friends and relatives. This happens due to metabolic disorders with brain tissues. Plus, there is a strong intoxication. Hallucinations may occur.
5. Blue limbs. When the patient's strength becomes low and the body tries to stay afloat with its last strength, then the blood mainly begins to flow to the vital organs: heart, kidneys, liver, brain, etc. At this point, the limbs become cold and take on a bluish, pale shade. This is one of the most important harbingers of death.
6. Spots on the body. Before death, spots appear on the legs and arms associated with poor circulation. This moment accompanies the approach of death. After death, the spots become cyanotic.
7. Weakness in the muscles. Then the patient cannot move and walk normally, some can still move slightly but slowly to the toilet. But the bulk of them lie and go by themselves.
8. Coma state. It may come suddenly, then the patient will need a nurse who will help, wash away and do everything that the patient cannot do in this state.

Dying process and main stages

1. Predagonia. Central nervous system disorder. The patient himself does not feel any emotions. The skin on the legs and arms turns blue, and the face becomes earthy. The pressure drops sharply.
2. Agony. Due to the fact that the tumor has already spread everywhere, oxygen starvation sets in, the heartbeat slows down. After some time, breathing stops, and the blood circulation process slows down greatly.
3. Clinical death... All functions are suspended, both the heart and respiration.
4. Biological death. The main sign of biological death is brain death.

Of course, some oncological diseases can have characteristic signs, but we told you exactly about the general picture of death in cancer.

Brain Cancer Symptoms Before Death

Brain tissue cancer is difficult to diagnose in its early stages. He does not even have his own tumor markers, which can be used to determine the disease itself. Before death, the patient feels severe pain in a certain place on the head, he may see hallucinations, memory loss occurs, he may not recognize relatives and friends.

Constant mood swings from calm to irritable. Speech is impaired and the patient can carry any delirium. The patient may lose sight or hearing. In the end, there is a violation of motor function.

Last stage lung cancer

It develops initially without any symptoms. Recently, oncology has become the most common among all. The problem is precisely the late detection and diagnosis of cancer, which is why the tumor is detected at 3 or even 4 stages, when it is no longer possible to cure the disease.

All symptoms before death of lung cancer grade 4 relate directly to breathing and bronchi. It is usually difficult for the patient to breathe, he is constantly gasping for air, he coughs heavily with copious secretions. At the very end, an epileptic seizure may begin, which will lead to death. Terminal stage lung cancer is very nasty and painful for the patient.

Liver cancer

When the liver is affected by a tumor, it grows very quickly and damages the internal tissues of the organ. The result is jaundice. The patient feels severe pain, the temperature rises, the patient feels sick and vomits, urination disorder (urine may be bloody).

Before death, doctors try to medication to reduce the suffering of the patient himself. Death from liver cancer is very severe and painful with a lot of internal bleeding.

Bowel cancer

One of the most unpleasant and most severe oncological diseases, which is very difficult at 4 stages, especially if a little earlier an operation was performed to remove part of the intestine. The patient feels severe abdominal pain, headache, nausea and vomiting. This is due to severe intoxication from the tumor and delayed feces.

The patient cannot go to the toilet normally. Since at the last stage there is also damage to the bladder and liver, as well as kidneys. The patient dies very quickly from poisoning with internal toxins.

Esophageal carcinoma

The cancer itself affects the esophagus, and in the last stages, the patient can no longer eat normally and only eats through a tube. The tumor affects not only the organ itself, but also nearby tissues. The defeat of metastases spreads to the intestines and lungs, so pain will manifest itself in the entire chest and in the abdomen. Before death, the swelling may cause bleeding, causing the patient to vomit blood.

Laryngeal cancer before death

A very painful disease when the tumor affects all nearby organs. He feels severe pain and cannot breathe normally. Usually, if the tumor itself completely blocks the passage, then the patient breathes through a special tube. Metastases spread to the lungs and nearby organs. Doctors prescribe a large amount of pain relievers at the end.

Last days

Usually, if the patient wishes, relatives can take him home, while he is prescribed and given potent drugs and pain relievers that help reduce pain.

At this moment, you need to understand that the patient has very little time left and you need to try to reduce his suffering. At the very end, additional symptoms may appear: vomiting of blood, intestinal obstruction, severe pain in the abdomen and chest, coughing up blood and shortness of breath.

At the very end, when almost every organ is affected by cancer metastases, it is better to leave the patient alone and let him sleep. The most important thing is that at this moment there are relatives, loved ones, close people next to the sick, who, by their presence, will reduce pain and suffering.

How can the suffering of a dying person be relieved?

Often, the patient's pain can be so severe that conventional medications do not help. Improvement can only be brought about by drugs that doctors give for cancer diseases. True, this leads to even greater intoxication and to imminent death in the patient.

(18 estimates, average: 4,61 out of 5)

A person's life path ends with his death. You need to be prepared for this, especially if there is a bedridden patient in the family. Signs before death for each person will be different. However, observation practice shows that it is still possible to distinguish a number of general symptoms that portend the nearness of death. What are these signs and what should you prepare for?

How does a dying person feel?

Lying patient before death, as a rule, experiences mental anguish. In a healthy mind there is an understanding of what is to be experienced. The body undergoes certain physical changes, this cannot be overlooked. On the other hand, the emotional background also changes: mood, mental and psychological balance.

Some people lose interest in life, others completely close in themselves, others can fall into a state of psychosis. Sooner or later, the condition worsens, a person feels that he is losing his own dignity, more often thinks about a quick and easy death, asks for euthanasia. These changes are hard to observe without being indifferent. But you will have to come to terms with this or try to alleviate the situation with drugs.

With the approach of death, the patient sleeps more and more, showing apathy towards the world around him. In the last moments, there may be a sharp improvement in the condition, reaching the point that the patient who is lying down for a long time is eager to get out of bed. This phase is replaced by the subsequent relaxation of the body with an irreversible decrease in the activity of all body systems and attenuation of its vital functions.

Lying patient: ten signs that death is near

At the end of the life cycle, an elderly person or a bedridden patient increasingly feels weak and tired due to a lack of energy. As a consequence, he is increasingly in a state of sleep. It can be deep or drowsiness through which voices are heard and the surrounding reality is perceived.

A dying person can see, hear, feel and perceive things and sounds that do not exist in reality. In order not to upset the patient, this should not be denied. Loss of orientation and confusion are also possible. The patient is more and more immersed in himself and loses interest in the reality around him.

Urine, due to kidney failure, darkens to an almost brown color with a reddish tint. As a result, edema appears. The patient's breathing quickens, it becomes intermittent and unstable. Under pale skin, as a result of impaired blood circulation, dark "walking" venous spots appear, which change their location.

They usually appear first on the feet. In the last moments, the limbs of a dying person grow cold due to the fact that the blood, flowing from them, is redirected to more important parts of the body.

Failure of life support systems

There are primary signs that appear at the initial stage in the body of a dying person, and secondary ones, indicating the development of irreversible processes.

Symptoms may be outward or latent. Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract How does the bedridden patient react to this? Pre-death symptoms associated with loss of appetite and changes in the nature and volume of food consumed are manifested by problems with stool.

Most often, constipation develops against this background. It becomes more difficult for a patient without a laxative or enema to empty the intestines. Patients spend the last days of their lives refusing food and water altogether. Don't worry too much about this. It is believed that dehydration in the body increases the synthesis of endorphins and anesthetics, which to some extent improve overall well-being.

Functional disorders

How does the patient's condition change and how does the bedridden patient react to this? Signs before death associated with weakening of the sphincters, in the last few hours of a person's life, are manifested by fecal and urinary incontinence. In such cases, you must be ready to provide him with hygienic conditions, using absorbent underwear, diapers or diapers. Even with appetite, there are situations when the patient loses the ability to swallow food, and soon water and saliva. This can lead to aspiration. With severe exhaustion, when the eyeballs are very sunken, the patient is not able to completely close the eyelids. This has a depressing effect on others. If the eyes are constantly open, the conjunctiva must be moistened with special ointments or saline.

Respiratory and thermoregulation disorders

What are the symptoms of these changes if the patient is a bedridden patient? Signs before death in a weakened person in an unconscious state are manifested by terminal tachypnea - against the background of frequent respiratory movements, death rales are heard. This is due to the movement of mucous secretions in the large bronchi, trachea and pharynx. This condition is quite normal for a dying person and does not cause him suffering. If it is possible to lay the patient on his side, the wheezing will be less pronounced.

The beginning of the death of the part of the brain responsible for thermoregulation is manifested by jumps in the patient's body temperature in the critical range. He may feel hot flashes and sudden coldness. The limbs are freezing, the skin covered with perspiration changes color.

Road to death

Most patients die quietly: gradually losing consciousness, in a dream, falling into a coma. Sometimes it is said about such situations that the patient passed away on the "usual road". It is generally accepted that in this case, irreversible neurological processes occur without significant deviations.

A different picture is observed with agonal delirium. In this case, the patient's movement to death will follow the "difficult road". Signs before death in a bed patient who embarked on this path: psychosis with excessive excitement, anxiety, disorientation in space and time against the background of confusion. If at the same time there is a clear inversion of the cycles of wakefulness and sleep, then for the patient's family and relatives this condition can be extremely difficult.

Delirium with agitation is complicated by a feeling of anxiety, fear, often turning into the need to go somewhere, to run. Sometimes it is speech anxiety, manifested by an unconscious stream of words. A patient in this state can only perform simple actions, not fully understanding what he is doing, how and for what. The ability to reason logically is impossible for him.

These phenomena are reversible if the cause of such changes is identified in time and it is stopped with medication.

Pain sensations

Before death, what symptoms and signs in a bedridden patient indicate physical suffering? Typically, uncontrollable pain rarely gets worse in the last hours of a dying person's life. However, this is still possible.

An unconscious patient will not be able to let know about it. Nevertheless, it is believed that pain in such cases causes excruciating suffering. The sign of this is usually a tight forehead and deep wrinkles appearing on it.

If, upon examining an unconscious patient, there are suggestions of developing pain, the doctor will usually prescribe opiates. You should be careful, as they can accumulate and over time exacerbate an already severe condition due to the development of excessive overexcitation and seizures.

Giving help

A bedridden patient may experience considerable suffering before death. The relief of symptoms of physiological pain can be achieved with drug therapy. Mental suffering and psychological discomfort of the patient, as a rule, become a problem for the relatives and close family members of the dying person.

An experienced doctor, at the stage of assessing the general condition of a patient, can recognize the initial symptoms of irreversible pathological changes in cognitive processes. First of all, these are: absent-mindedness of attention, perception and understanding of reality, the adequacy of thinking when making decisions. You can also notice violations of the affective function of consciousness: emotional and sensory perception, attitude to life, the relationship of the individual with society.

The choice of methods to alleviate suffering, the process of assessing the chances and possible outcomes in the presence of the patient in individual cases can itself serve as a therapeutic tool. This approach gives the patient a chance to really realize that they are sympathized with, but perceived as a capable person with the right to vote and choose possible ways to resolve the situation.

In some cases, a day or two before the supposed death, it makes sense to stop taking certain medications: diuretics, antibiotics, vitamins, laxatives, hormonal and hypertensive drugs. They will only aggravate the suffering, give the patient inconvenience. Pain relievers, anticonvulsants, antiemetics, and tranquilizers should be kept.

Communication with a dying person

How should one behave in a family with a bedridden patient? Signs of impending death can be explicit or conditional. If there is the slightest prerequisite for a negative forecast, you should prepare in advance for the worst. By listening, asking, trying to understand the patient's non-verbal language, one can determine the moment when changes in his emotional and physiological state indicate the imminent approach of death.

Whether the dying person will know about it is not so important. If he realizes and perceives, it makes the situation easier. You should not make false promises and vain hopes about his recovery. It must be made clear that his last will will be fulfilled. The patient should not remain isolated from active affairs.

It is bad if there is a feeling that something is being hidden from him. If a person wants to talk about the last moments of his life, then it is better to do it calmly than to keep silent about the topic or criticize silly thoughts. A dying person wants to understand that he will not be alone, that he will be taken care of, that suffering will not touch him.

At the same time, relatives and friends need to be ready to show patience and provide all possible help. It is also important to listen, to give a voice and to say words of comfort.

Medical assessment

Do I need to tell the whole truth to relatives in whose family the bedridden patient before death? What are the signs of his condition? There are situations when the family of a terminally ill patient, being in the dark about his condition, literally spends their last savings in the hope of changing the situation.

But even the most flawless and most optimistic treatment plan may fail. It so happens that the patient will never get back on his feet, will not return to active life. All efforts will be in vain, spending will be useless.

Family and friends of the patient, in order to provide care in the hope of a speedy recovery, quit their jobs and lose their source of income. In an effort to alleviate suffering, they put the family in dire financial straits. Relationship problems arise, unresolved conflicts due to lack of funds, legal issues - all this only aggravates the situation.

Knowing the symptoms of inevitably approaching death, seeing irreversible signs of physiological changes, an experienced doctor is obliged to inform the patient's family about this. The knowledgeable, realizing the inevitability of the outcome, they will be able to focus on providing him with psychological and spiritual support.

Palliative care

Do relatives need help, whose family has a bedridden patient before dying? What are the patient's symptoms and signs suggesting that she should be treated? Palliative care for a patient is not aimed at prolonging or shortening his life. Its principles include the assertion of the concept of death as a natural and logical process of the life cycle of any person.

However, for patients with an incurable disease, especially in its progressive stage, when all treatment options have been exhausted, the question of medical and social assistance is raised. First of all, you need to apply for it when the patient no longer has the opportunity to lead an active lifestyle or there are no conditions in the family to ensure this. In this case, attention is paid to alleviating the suffering of the patient.

At this stage, not only the medical component is important, but also social adaptation, psychological balance, peace of mind of the patient and his family. A dying patient needs not only attention, care and normal living conditions. For him, psychological relief is also important, the relief of experiences associated, on the one hand, with the inability to self-service, and on the other, with the awareness of the fact of an imminent imminent death.

Trained nurses and doctors in palliative clinics are proficient in the art of alleviating such suffering and can be of significant help to terminally ill people.

Scientists estimate death predictors

What to expect for relatives who have a bedridden patient in their family? The symptoms of the approaching death of a person "eaten" by a cancerous tumor were documented by the staff of palliative care clinics.

According to observations, not all patients showed clear changes in the physiological state. One third of them did not show symptoms or their recognition was conditional. But in most terminally ill patients, three days before death, a noticeable decrease in the response to verbal stimulation could be noted. They did not respond to simple gestures and did not recognize the facial expressions of the staff communicating with them.

The "smile line" in such patients was lowered, an unusual sound of the voice was observed (groaning of the ligaments). In some patients, in addition, there was hyperextension of the cervical muscles (increased relaxation and mobility of the vertebrae), non-reactive pupils were observed, the patients could not close their eyelids tightly. Of the obvious functional disorders, bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract (in the upper sections) was diagnosed.

According to scientists, the presence of half or more of these signs may most likely indicate an unfavorable prognosis for the patient and his sudden death.

Lying patient: how to recognize signs of impending death?

Relatives of a dying patient at home should be aware of what they may face in the last days, hours, moments of his life. It is impossible to accurately predict the moment of death and how everything will happen.

Not all of the symptoms and ghosts described above may be present before the death of the bedridden patient. The stages of dying, like the processes of the birth of life, are individual. No matter how hard it is for relatives, you need to remember that it is even more difficult for a dying person.

Close people need to be patient and provide the dying person with the maximum possible conditions, moral support and attention and care. Death is the inevitable outcome of the life cycle, and it cannot be changed.

<...>Yuri Dudnik