Signs & Symptoms of Shock
The most common type of shock people in the wilderness experience is hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemic shock occurs in the wilderness when a person loses too much blood from an injury. Symptoms include rapid, weak pulse; change in mental status; skin turning blue under the lips and nails; cool, clammy skin; and increased breathing rate.
Treat shock by getting medical help immediately, ensure that the person is lying down on their back, and cover patient with a blanket (unless if the weather is very hot outside). The only time this treatment varies is if the person is having a heart attack or an allergic reaction. In those cases, the person will be most comfortable sitting up instead of lying down; sitting also helps the person breathe a little easier. Remember to also treat any other injuries and control any bleeding.
Types of Shock with Signs & Symptoms for Each Kind
Cardiovascular Types of Shock:
Hypovolemic: pulse is rapid/weak, low blood pressure, change in mental status, cyanosis, skin is cool/clammy, increased respiration rate. Hypovolemic shock occurs where there is a significant loss of blood or drop in bodily fluids (including dehydration).
Cardiogenic: chest pain, irregular/weak pulse, low blood pressure, cyanosis, anxiety. Cardiogenic shock occurs when the heart fails to pump blood adequately to all parts of the body.
Neurogenic: slow pulse, low blood pressure, signs of neck injury. Neurogenic shock is caused by a failure nervous system to control the diameter of blood vessels (occurs from a spinal cord injury). The blood vessels dilate and normal amounts of blood circulating are not enough to fill up the wider vessels. There is no actual loss of blood.
Septic: warm skin, rapid pulse, low blood pressure. Septic shock occurs when there is a severe infection inside the body.
Non-Cardiovascular Types of Shock:
Anaphylactic: mild itching/rash, burning skin, vascular dilation, generalized edema, profound coma, rapid death. Anaphylactic shock occurs when a person's body has a severe allergic reaction.
Psychogenic: rapid pulse, normal or low blood pressure. Psychogenic shock occurs when a sudden reaction of the nervous system produces a temporary generalized vascular dilation, which reduces blood supply to the brain and causes the person to faint.
Respiratory Insufficiency: rapid/weak pulse, low blood pressure, change in mental status, cyanosis, cool/clammy skin, increased respiratory rate. Shock due to respiratory insufficiency is when the body does not get enough oxygen or when the person has inhaled toxic substances.
How to Identify Septic Shock
- The person will have a red mark
inside the vein closest to site of an injury where an object punctured through the skin.
- The red mark leading from
the wound will continue to expand along that vein.
- Once the red mark reaches
the heart, the person could die quickly without medical attention.
- If a person has a bacterial
infection in the toe from a wound, it will only take about 4 1/2 hours for the infection
(red mark) to reach the heart.
- These red marks usually show up a few days after the skin was punctured/lacerated. Swelling moves beyond the injured area and the pain gets worse or becomes unbearable.
- If you notice a red mark traveling along a vein from a skin injury, then get the person to an emergency room fast.