What Really Happens To Your Body When You Drown?

Life Noggin

9 Jan 201703:11

EducationalLearning

32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this episode of Life Noggin, Blocko discusses the reality of drowning, which is often silent and quick due to laryngospasm that blocks airways. As oxygen levels drop, hypoxia and eventual unconsciousness can occur, leading to water-filled lungs and potential brain damage or cardiac arrest. Hypothermia, though dangerous, may activate the diving reflex, prolonging survival by conserving oxygen. The video emphasizes water safety and the life-saving importance of life jackets. Tune in for more intriguing and educational content every Monday.

Takeaways

🌍 Every year, there are over 370,000 drowning deaths worldwide, with children under 5 being the most at risk.
🎬 Drowning isn't like how it's portrayed in movies; typically, it's a silent act without a lot of thrashing or yelling for help.
🫁 Once a person can no longer hold their initial breath and starts to hyperventilate, they might aspirate water, triggering a laryngospasm.
🔊 A laryngospasm blocks the airways, making it difficult for the person to yell for help.
🩺 The lack of fresh air causes the oxygen supply to fall, potentially leading to hypoxia, where not enough oxygen reaches the body’s tissues.
😴 As the person becomes unconscious, their airway relaxes, allowing their lungs to fill with water.
🧠 A 2013 study found that surviving with little to no brain damage is very unlikely after being submerged for 10 minutes or more.
❤️ The lack of oxygen can also lead to cardiac arrest.
❄️ In cold water, hypothermia is a threat, causing intense shivering, clumsiness, confusion, and eventually loss of consciousness or death.
🌊 Hypothermia may trigger the diving reflex, which conserves oxygen by slowing the heart rate and directing blood to vital organs, potentially prolonging survival during drowning.

Q & A

What age group is most at risk of drowning?
-Children under 5 are the most at risk of drowning.
Is drowning typically a loud and noticeable event?
-No, drowning is typically a silent act with little thrashing around or yelling for help.
What is a laryngospasm and how does it relate to drowning?
-A laryngospasm is a spasm of the vocal cords that blocks the airways, protecting the lungs from water but also making it hard to yell for help during drowning.
What is hypoxia and how is it caused during drowning?
-Hypoxia is a condition where not enough oxygen reaches the body's tissues, caused during drowning when a person cannot take in fresh air.
What happens when a person becomes unconscious during drowning?
-When a person becomes unconscious during drowning, their airway relaxes, allowing their lungs to fill with water, potentially leading to serious damage or death.
How does the likelihood of surviving drowning change after being submerged for 10 minutes or more?
-The likelihood of surviving with little to no brain damage is very low after being submerged for 10 minutes or more.
What additional threat does cold water pose to someone drowning?
-Cold water poses the additional threat of hypothermia, where the core body temperature falls below 35 degrees Celsius, potentially leading to shivering, clumsiness, confusion, unconsciousness, and death.
How can hypothermia potentially help during drowning?
-Hypothermia can trigger the diving reflex, where blood vessels constrict, the heart rate slows, and blood is diverted to vital organs, decreasing oxygen needs and potentially prolonging survival.
Why might some young children survive longer underwater during cold water drowning?
-Some young children might survive longer underwater due to hypothermia triggering the diving reflex and decreasing the body's oxygen needs, thus preventing tissue damage from hypoxia.
What safety advice is given to prevent drowning?
-Wearing life jackets is advised to prevent drowning as they are cool and can keep you safe.

Outlines

00:00

🌊 Introduction to Drowning Facts and Misconceptions

The video opens by introducing the topic of drowning, highlighting that over 370,000 drowning deaths occur annually worldwide, with children under 5 being the most at risk. It notes that the depiction of drowning in movies and TV is often inaccurate, leading to common fears and misconceptions about the process.

😶 The Silent Nature of Drowning

Contrary to dramatic portrayals, drowning is typically a silent act. The person’s mouth goes below the water surface as they struggle to breathe. Hyperventilation leads to water aspiration and a laryngospasm, where vocal cords spasm, blocking airways and making yelling for help difficult. Oxygen deprivation, or hypoxia, sets in, causing unconsciousness and eventual lung filling with water.

🧠 Hypoxia and Brain Damage

The lack of oxygen from drowning can lead to severe consequences, including brain damage and cardiac arrest. A 2013 study indicated that survival chances with minimal brain damage are slim after 10 minutes of submersion. This underscores the importance of prompt rescue and life jacket use.

❄️ The Threat of Hypothermia

Drowning in cold water poses the additional risk of hypothermia, where the core body temperature drops below 35°C. Symptoms include intense shivering, clumsiness, confusion, slowed bodily functions, and potential death. Hypothermia may, however, trigger the diving reflex, which can prolong survival by conserving oxygen.

🌡️ Hypothermia's Paradoxical Benefit

Despite its dangers, hypothermia can help prevent hypoxia by reducing the body's oxygen needs and activating the diving reflex, which slows the heart rate and redirects blood to vital organs. This phenomenon explains how some young children survive prolonged submersion. However, the video advises against attempting to replicate this and suggests enjoying pool toys instead.

💬 Engaging with the Audience

The video concludes by inviting viewers to share their fears and suggest future topics in the comments. It acknowledges the morbid nature of the episode and shifts to a positive note, encouraging viewers to celebrate their existence. The video promotes another video on the odds of being born and reminds viewers to return for new content every Monday. The host, Blocko, signs off with the signature phrase, 'Keep on thinking!'

Mindmap

Keywords

💡drowning

Drowning is the process of experiencing respiratory impairment from submersion or immersion in liquid. In the video, it is described as typically being a silent act where the person’s mouth sinks below the surface of the water and reappears as they try to breathe. The video discusses the physiological process and risks associated with drowning, emphasizing its dangers and the importance of safety measures like life jackets.

💡laryngospasm

Laryngospasm is the sudden spasm of the vocal cords that can temporarily block airflow into the lungs. In the context of drowning, this spasm occurs when water enters the airway, acting as a defense mechanism to prevent water from entering the lungs. However, it also makes yelling for help significantly harder, contributing to the silent nature of drowning.

💡hypoxia

Hypoxia is a condition in which the body or a region of the body is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. During drowning, as the person can’t take in fresh air due to laryngospasm and water aspiration, their oxygen levels fall, leading to hypoxia. This lack of oxygen can cause significant damage to tissues and organs, and can eventually lead to unconsciousness and cardiac arrest.

💡cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness, usually due to an electrical disturbance in the heart. In the video, it is mentioned as a possible consequence of drowning, particularly when the body’s oxygen supply is severely depleted due to hypoxia.

💡hypothermia

Hypothermia is a medical emergency that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce heat, causing a dangerously low body temperature. In the video, it is discussed in the context of drowning in cold water, where hypothermia can exacerbate the situation by causing intense shivering, clumsiness, confusion, and potentially loss of consciousness. However, hypothermia might also trigger the diving reflex, which can prolong survival in cold water.

💡diving reflex

The diving reflex is a set of physiological responses to immersion in water, including slowed heart rate, constriction of blood vessels, and blood shunting to vital organs like the brain. The video highlights how this reflex, triggered by cold water, can decrease oxygen needs and prolong survival during drowning, particularly in young children.

💡aspirate

To aspirate means to inhale fluid or foreign objects into the airways. In the context of drowning, aspirating water can trigger laryngospasm, leading to the blockage of airways. This is a critical part of the drowning process as described in the video, contributing to the difficulty in breathing and eventual hypoxia.

💡hyperventilate

Hyperventilation is rapid or deep breathing that can result in a decrease in carbon dioxide levels in the blood. During drowning, when a person can no longer hold their initial breath, they may start to hyperventilate in a desperate attempt to breathe, which can lead to water aspiration and further complications.

💡brain damage

Brain damage refers to the destruction or deterioration of brain cells. The video mentions a 2013 study indicating that the likelihood of surviving drowning with little to no brain damage is very low after being submerged for 10 minutes or more. This highlights the severe impact that prolonged oxygen deprivation can have on brain function.

💡life jackets

Life jackets are personal flotation devices designed to keep a person afloat in water. The video emphasizes the importance of wearing life jackets to prevent drowning, particularly for children and those at high risk. It promotes life jackets as a simple yet effective safety measure.

Highlights

Every year, there are over 370,000 drowning deaths worldwide, with children under 5 being the most at risk.

Drowning is typically a silent act, where the person’s mouth sinks below the surface of the water and then reappears as they try to breathe.

Once a person can no longer hold their initial breath and starts to hyperventilate, they might aspirate water, triggering a laryngospasm.

A laryngospasm is where the person’s vocal cords spasm, blocking their airways and protecting their lungs.

Laryngospasms make yelling for help significantly harder to do.

Without fresh air, the person’s oxygen supply starts to fall, potentially leading to hypoxia, where there’s not enough oxygen reaching the body’s tissues.

As the person becomes unconscious, there’s a relaxation of their airway, allowing their lungs to fill with water.

A 2013 study found that the likelihood of surviving with little to no brain damage was very low after being submerged for 10 minutes or more.

The lack of oxygen can lead to cardiac arrest.

In cold water, there’s the additional fear of hypothermia, where the core body temperature falls below 35 degrees Celsius.

Hypothermia causes the body to start shivering intensely, and the person might act clumsy and confused.

Hypothermia slows down the body, including respiration, heart, and metabolic rates, eventually leading to loss of consciousness and possibly death.

Hypothermia can trigger the diving reflex, where blood vessels constrict, the heart rate slows, and blood is diverted to vital organs like the brain.

Hypothermia decreases the oxygen needed by the body’s tissues, potentially prolonging survival and preventing tissue damage from hypoxia.

The diving reflex and hypothermia are often cited as reasons why some young children have survived drowning after being underwater for more than 10 minutes.

Transcripts

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