Signs of death can generally be seen from stopped breathing and the absence of a pulse. In addition, various other physical changes are also shown by people who have died. This change is the doctor's referral to determine the cause and estimated time of death.
There are many determining factors to declare a person no longer alive and one of them is the failure of vital organ functions to support life. After death, the body will also undergo various physical changes called changes post-mortem . In certain rare cases, a person can return "to life" after being declared dead. This phenomenon is referred to as near-death.
Some Signs of Death Before Someone Is Dead
Signs of death will be seen naturally from the appearance of physical changes in the days or hours before death. This is generally experienced by people with chronic diseases or the elderly.
The following are some signs of near death that can be seen:
1. Tired and sleepy
Changes in metabolism make a person appear weak, weak, and sleepy at the time of death. They will spend more time sleeping and may become unconscious in their sleep.
2. Don't want to eat or drink
Nearing death, a person will refuse to eat or drink and look difficult when taking food, drinks, and drugs by mouth. At the same time, his body is no longer able to process food properly, because his digestive function is weakened.
3. Change of breath
The next sign of death is a change in breathing. In this condition, breathing becomes irregular which is characterized by deep and rapid breaths, and there is a pause for some time between inhalations.
In addition, the body will naturally produce phlegm which will be removed through coughing. However, if the body is not moving much and nearing death, phlegm will accumulate and make a sound when breathing.
4. Hallucinations and confusion
Hallucinations and confusion can be one of the signs of death, due to changes in balance in the brain or the influence of drugs.
A person may see or hear something that is not real and not even recognize where he is, what time he is, or with whom.
This condition can cause anxiety and difficulty sleeping. In addition, hallucinations can also make sufferers feel frustrated so that it can worsen their condition.
5. Hands and feet feel cold
Changes in body circulation near death can cause the feet and hands to feel cold. The skin may also turn a bluish color or cyanosis, due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.
6. Irregular bowel movements
When experiencing signs of death, a person will eat and drink less so that bowel movements and urination become less frequent. However, to make sure they stay clean, you can ask the nurse to put in a catheter or adult diaper.
Near the end of life, people with terminally ill serious illnesses are often unconscious for several days or hours before being declared dead. However, sometimes they can still recognize the presence and voice of the person beside them.
Various Signs of Medical Death
Medically, there are several signs that guide doctors to determine someone has died, namely:
- No pulse
- Breath stopped
- No muscle tension
- The release of feces from the intestines and bladder
- Partially closed eyelids
- No response to pain, for example when pinched
- Eyes don't react to light
Know Pbody changes after death (P ost -M ortem)
After death, a series of changes occur in the body naturally. Various external factors can speed up or slow down the process of change in the body after death.
The following are various changes that occur in the human body after death:
- Rigor mortis , i.e. changes in muscles become stiff after death
- livor mortis, namely the appearance of bluish purple bruises on the body, due to the deposition of blood due to the influence of gravity
- Tardieu spots , namely spots on the skin that appear after death due to ruptured blood vessels
- Algor mortis , namely changes in body temperature to cool after death. This process only occurs if the ambient temperature is cooler than the body temperature at the time of death
- Tache Noire , which is a dark red horizontal line that appears in the eye when the eyelids are not closed at death
- Purge fluid , namely putrefactive fluids that come out of holes in the body, such as the mouth, nose, urinary tract, and anus
- Putrefaction or decomposition, which is a process of decay that is assisted by bacteria from inside and outside the body
Signs of death for each person are generally different, depending on the cause of death. To determine the cause and estimated time of death of a relative or family member, you can contact a doctor so that an examination can be carried out.