What happens to the body 48 hours before death?

Dying is a process whose signs can already be seen a few days before death. This, of course, applies to slow departures, not emergencies. When the body dies, its activity decreases, and with careful observation, some symptoms of impending death can be seen. Below is a list of signs that appear 48 hours before death.

1. The dying process can be stretched over time, and its last stage immediately preceding death is the agonizing state
2. Already a few days before death, a dying person can see progressive signs of disappearance of vital functions and gradual passing away.
3. Some signs of dying cause anxiety in relatives, but for the dying person they are not painful or bothersome
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The process of dying, or the death of the body

Death is an inseparable part of life, but it is not easy for most people to grasp this idea. We also react differently to death as a result of an accident or emergency. In the case of chronic diseases or old age, passing away is a long process that can take weeks. At this stage, a person becomes less active, and in the 2-3 days leading up to death, certain specific signals of impending death appear.

Proper care and minimizing discomfort are important for people who are lying. A foam anti-bedsore circle or a cream for diaper rash and bedsores may be useful.

Zobacz: Clinical death – what it is, symptoms, chances of survival. Clinical death and biological death

What are the signs of impending death?

While some of the signs of impending death may be worrying, they usually do not mean that the person leaving is suffering.

The following changes can be observed 48 hours before death:

1. Loss of appetite. In the final straight line before death, the body’s need for food and water decreases, which is why a dying person usually has no appetite. Eating and drinking are also energy-intensive activities and can be difficult. In such a situation, if the person has no swallowing problems, food can be given to him in small portions. Lips dry out quickly a few days before death, and it does not have to be a symptom of dehydration. For relief, chapped lips can be moistened with a damp sponge or cloth, a lip balm can be applied or the drink can be given through a straw or a spoon.
2. Changes in breathing. 2-3 days before death, the need for oxygen decreases, which is why the way of breathing also changes. Breathes become shallower and the gaps between them lengthen. Frequent yawning may also be a response to the reduced supply of oxygen. The dying process is also accompanied by gurgling or even rattling sounds caused by the accumulation of body fluids in the respiratory tract and throat – this phenomenon does not make it difficult for the dying person to breathe and may be almost imperceptible, but it may cause anxiety and uncertainty among caregivers. If you feel anxious, your respiratory rate is also likely to increase.
3. More need for sleep. People who die sleep a lot, often take naps, and are lethargic even when awake. They have little energy and may seem uninterested in what’s going on around you, but that doesn’t mean they can’t hear their surroundings.
4. Anxiety. Several days before death, some people may show signs of anxiety, be confused, not recognizing loved ones, or seeing the faces of those who have died. This may be the result of frequent waking and confusing sleep and wakefulness, changes in the brain’s chemical balance, or the effects of medications. Agitation also occurs as a result of constipation or difficulty in flowing urine. If a state of restlessness is present, it is most likely to disappear when the sick person is close to death.
5. Activation. Conscious people may become more mobile before they die, then they start to talk, put things in order, act as if nothing was happening and they did not sense the impending death.
6. A specific smell. As a result of metabolic changes in a dying body, your skin, body fluids, and your breath may smell like nail polish remover.
7. Skin changes. In the 48 hours preceding death, the skin of a dying person changes. It ceases to be elastic, but becomes stiff, waxy and patchy. It reflects light in a different way, and it also happens to take a bluish shade. As a result of the slowdown in the functioning of the circulatory system, there are also swelling of various parts of the body. Blood can also collect in a variety of places, including at the base of your spine, forming dark purple bruises. Usually it is not unpleasant or painful for the sick person.
8. Changes in the face. The changes in facial features prior to death, known as the Hippocratic face, include sunken cheeks and temples, and the sensation that the nose becomes pointed and elongated. There is also a furrow in the center of the nose.
9. Loss of bladder control and bowel movements. Imminent death is a condition accompanied by the relaxation of the muscles of the bladder and those responsible for the work of the intestines. It is associated with urinary and faecal incontinence. Eating less food and drinking less fluids can also cause less bowel movement and make urine darker.

In the case of constipation in a patient, a pear for constipation or an enema rectal irrigator may be helpful.

What Happens to the Body Hours Before Death?

With only a few hours left to death, the dying person’s eyes become sunken, glassy and absent. Over time, the eyesight becomes dull and the eyelids remain half-closed. The voice loses its melody, is steady and slow. Conscious people can look for a comfortable position, become aware of their condition. The impending death is also evidenced by bluish feet, hands and nails, as well as a drop in body temperature.

At the moment of death, the body freezes – when the heartbeat stops, the brain dies for nearly four minutes. The skin turns grayish and bluish, and precipitation spots (or postmortem spots) become visible, and within a few hours the body stiffens.