Is it painful to die or not - feelings at the moment of death

Is it painful to die or not - feelings at the moment of death

Every person at a conscious age thinks about death. What awaits us after death? Does the other world exist? Are we purely biological beings, or does each of us still have a certain soul that, after death, goes to another world? One of the many questions that arises in the mind is the unknown of the sensations that a person experiences just before death. Does a person experience torment, pain, or, on the contrary, do all sensations become dull before leaving for another world? The issues discussed have worried people since their inception and still do. Scientists continue to study this mysterious phenomenon, but only a few questions can be answered. Feelings of Dying People The physical sensations of a dying person will depend primarily on what led him to death. He can experience both severe pain and pleasant sensations. As for psychological perception, at the moment of dying, most people instinctively feel fear, panic and horror, and try to “resist” death. According to biology, after the heart muscle stops contracting and the heart stops, the brain continues to function for about five minutes. It is believed that in these last minutes, a person’s mind reflects on his life, vivid memories emerge, and the person, as it were, “sums up” his existence. Classification of death Biologists divide death into two categories: Natural; Unnatural. Natural death occurs according to the laws of normal physiology and occurs due to the natural aging of the body or in the case of underdevelopment of the fetus in the womb. Unnatural death can occur for the following reasons: Due to various serious and fatal diseases (oncological, cardiovascular, etc.); Mechanical effects: suffocation, electric shock; Chemical exposure: overdose of drugs, medicinal substances or alcohol overdose; Unspecified - a seemingly healthy person dies suddenly from a latent disease or a sudden, acute form of the disease. From a legal point of view, death is divided into: Non-violent; Violent. Nonviolent death occurs in old age, long-term illness, and in other similar cases. Violent deaths include murder and suicide. Stages of Death To better understand what a person may experience during death, we can consider the stages of the process identified from a medical point of view: Preagonal stage. At this moment, a malfunction occurs in the blood circulation and breathing systems, causing hypoxia to develop in the tissues. This period lasts from several hours to several days; Terminal pause. At this moment, the person stops breathing, the functioning of the myocardium malfunctions; Agonal stage. The body is trying to return to life. At this stage, a person periodically stops breathing, the heart works increasingly weaker, which causes malfunctions in the functioning of all organ systems; Clinical death. Breathing and blood circulation stop. This stage lasts about five minutes, and it is at this moment that the person can be brought back to life with the help of resuscitation measures; Biological death - a person finally dies. Important! Only people who have experienced clinical death are the only ones who can accurately report what sensations are possible in a dying person. Morbidity in various deaths Cause Time of dying Pain Overdose of prescription drugs 129 minutes 8.5 Fall from height 5 minutes 17.78 Drowning 18 minutes 79 Shot in the head with a pistol 3 minutes 13 Fire 1 hour 91 Is it painful to die from cancer Cancer is one of the the most common causes of death. Unfortunately, a cure for malignant carcinoma has not yet been discovered, and cancer at stages 3 and 4 is an incurable disease. All that doctors can do in this situation is to reduce the patient’s pain with the help of special analgesics and slightly prolong the person’s life. A person with a cancer tumor does not always experience pain when dying. In some situations, before the death of a cancer patient, he begins to sleep a lot and ultimately plunges into a comatose state, after which he dies without feeling any physical illness, that is, directly in his sleep. In another situation, the stages of dying of a cancer patient are as follows: Before death, the patient may experience migraines, see hallucinations and lose memory, which is why he does not recognize his loved ones; Speech disturbances occur, it is more difficult for the patient to say connected sentences, he may utter awkward phrases; The person may experience blindness and/or deafness; As a result, the motor functions of the body are impaired. However, this is only a general average picture of how a person with cancer feels before death. If we look directly at specific types of cancer tumors, then the localization of carcinoma in the liver makes a person die in agony due to multiple bleedings. Death from lung cancer also causes significant pain due to the fact that the patient begins to choke, vomit blood, after which an epileptic attack occurs and the patient dies. In the case of intestinal cancer, the patient also feels excruciating pain in the abdomen, in addition to this, he is tormented by a headache. Laryngeal cancer patients also feel pain before they die. With this localization, the person also experiences severe pain in the corresponding area. Important! Do not forget that the described symptoms are eliminated by doctors with the help of special analgesics, and before death - narcotic drugs, so in some cases it is possible to achieve an almost complete reduction in pain until it disappears. Thus, the question “is it painful to die from cancer” can most likely be answered in the negative, since modern medicine has all the means to help reduce the patient’s pain. Is it painful to die of old age? According to medical research, people in old age experience a feeling of relief when they die. Only 1/10 of those surveyed feel fear before death. Just before death, old people feel discomfort, pain and complete apathy towards everything. When dying, people begin to see hallucinations and can “talk” to the dead. As for physical sensations, dying is painful only due to difficulty breathing. Most old people can die in their sleep, and this death is not associated with severe pain and physical suffering. Does it hurt to die from a pill overdose? The physical sensations of a person dying due to taking an excessive amount of a drug depend primarily on the type of medication and the individual characteristics of the body. In fact, death occurs due to the development of severe intoxication of the body, and before death a person may experience pain due to pain in the abdomen. In addition, he experiences dizziness, nausea and vomiting. An exceptional case would be a person who has taken an excessive dose of a potent sedative, since the consequences of such an act will be the onset of a deep coma and the shutdown of all instinctive defense mechanisms. In view of this, a person passes into another world directly in a dream and does not feel pain. Is it painful to die from a stroke? Because a stroke can occur in different areas of the brain, a person's experience of death may vary. If the motor center has been affected, weakness or paralysis may occur in a particular limb. The general picture of a person’s feelings about death is usually the following: He hears incomprehensible voices or sounds; Sleepy; Confused mind; Strong headache; General weakness. Some stroke patients may also die in their sleep or go into a deep coma. Is it painful to die from a heart attack? During a heart attack, sudden changes in pressure occur due to a failure in blood circulation, which is felt by a person as severe pain in the area behind the sternum. In addition, the blood supply to all organs is disrupted, which also causes pain - in particular, blood stagnates in the lungs and swelling of the latter occurs. The patient experiences difficulty breathing and general weakness of the body. In the first minutes, when blood stops flowing to the brain and hypoxia begins, the person will also experience a severe headache. However, as a rule, during such an attack, a person may lose consciousness almost immediately, since the organs are not supplied with blood in the normal manner. Without medical assistance, a person in this condition can live no more than 5 minutes without feeling pain. Does it hurt to die from a bullet? It all depends primarily on the place where the bullet hit and its caliber. If a bullet pierces the brain, then very often death occurs almost instantly, and the organ shuts down faster than the person has time to feel anything. In other situations, as a rule, first a person feels a sharp jolt, then a certain warmth in the body, and only then severe pain. After a few minutes, a painful shock occurs, when pain is no longer felt due to the body’s defense mechanisms being turned on, and the person loses consciousness. If medical care is not provided, he dies from blood loss, but there is no physical suffering. Does it hurt to die from a fall? Death from falling from a great height occurs almost instantly - within a few seconds or minutes. The sensations largely depend on the position in which the person landed and on the surface on which he fell. If you land on your head, death occurs instantly, and the only thing that can be experienced in this case is psychological panic during the flight. Death due to a fall occurs due to multiple fractures, rupture of internal organs and large blood loss. In the first seconds after the fall, a person experiences severe pain from the impact, then weakness occurs due to developing hypoxia and loss of consciousness. Is it painful to die from blood loss? The time of death in this case depends on the caliber of the damaged vessels. In particular, if the walls of the aorta are destroyed, the person dies almost instantly, without experiencing pain. Losing a lot of blood, a person does not feel pain. When bleeding, he first experiences dizziness, heaviness in the body and weakness. Gradually, strong thirst is added to these feelings. Eventually, due to insufficient blood supply, the person may lose consciousness and die. Is it painful to die from cold? In severe frost conditions, a person can die for quite a long time, but will not experience pain. Being in the cold for a long time, a person first experiences severe trembling and body aches. Gradually, he also begins to lose his memory and the ability to recognize the faces of loved ones. Then severe weakness sets in and, as a rule, people simply fall into the snow. The slow speed of blood flow in the brain provokes hallucinations. Severely narrowed capillaries on the skin can suddenly expand their lumen to create a surge of heat, which is why people often try to take off their clothes at this moment due to the feeling of “hotness”. After this, the person loses consciousness and dies as if “in his sleep.” Is it painful to die from AIDS? Since death in this case does not arise from AIDS itself, but from a disease that the body cannot cope with, the sensations before death may vary. Most often this is cytomegalovirus, liver cirrhosis, tuberculosis, developing against the background of AIDS. However, death can also occur from ordinary bronchitis. Physical sensations will depend entirely on the disease that the body cannot overcome. It is painful for a person to die only if he is sick with serious diseases of the internal organs. For example, if death occurs from tuberculosis, the patient will experience severe pain in the chest, breathing and heartbeat may be impaired, and bloody vomiting may occur. In cases where death occurs due to cirrhosis of the liver, the patient may experience excruciating pain in the abdomen and right hypochondrium. Conclusion Summarizing the above, we can say that it is more painful for people to die psychologically. Only in some cases does a person experience severe pain before death. Most often, people find it difficult to accept the fact of dying.

What are the dangers of coronavirus vaccination?

What we know about COVID-19?

This is an RNA virus of animal origin belonging to the group of coronaviruses. According to WHO, it is transmitted from a sick person through small droplets that are released from the nose and mouth when sneezing and coughing. From the moment of infection until the appearance of the first symptoms, it takes from 1 to 14 days (on average - 7). The carrier of the virus does not yet know about his illness, but in terms of infection he already poses a danger to others. According to coronavirus epidemiology, COVID-19 is 2-3 times more contagious than the flu, but 2-3 times less contagious than measles.

With a mild course of the disease, its symptoms are similar to ARVI and end with recovery after 14 days without any further consequences. In severe cases, COVID lasts up to 8 weeks. Even in the absence of pronounced signs of the disease, immunity is formed in those who have recovered from the disease. But given the infrequent cases of re-infection, it does not last too long. The vaccine has a much greater effect.

How does the vaccine work?

Today, several immunodrugs are used in the world, developed by specialists from different countries and having passed the necessary clinical trials. All of them are designed to form immunity to the pathogen. After their administration, the immune system:

• easily recognizes the infectious agent;
• begins to produce antibodies - proteins to fight the disease;
• “remembers” the pathogen and, if it enters the body again, quickly destroys it, preventing the development of the disease.

A person who has been vaccinated develops lasting immunity to COVID.

Is vaccination dangerous?

Each person reacts to the immunodrug individually. Therefore, even the best quality vaccine can cause side effects. Their appearance for a short time is the only danger.

Why is vaccination against coronavirus dangerous?

• slight increase in temperature;
• headache, dizziness;
• abnormal heart rhythm;
• skin rashes;
• weakness.

These unpleasant symptoms disappear within a few days.

Severe conditions after administration of an immunodrug can develop in people who have contraindications. Vaccination should not be carried out if:

• chronic pathologies of the kidneys, cardiovascular system (CVS), endocrine system;
• diseases of the hematopoietic system;
• autoimmune disorders;
• severe pathologies of the central nervous system (CNS);
• allergic reactions to previously administered vaccines.

In these pathologies, vaccination can provoke an exacerbation.

Also a contraindication is age (under 18), a separate vaccine is currently being developed for this population, as well as a recent severe form of coronavirus infection, such patients need to be vaccinated at the end of the 6-month period. However, vaccination is recommended, since immunity requires a high titer of antibodies, and this can only be achieved through vaccination.

During pregnancy, it is better to get vaccinated at the planning stage, but if this was not possible, you need to get vaccinated after the 22nd week of pregnancy, since at this moment the fetus is almost formed.

How to reduce negative manifestations?

Following all doctor’s recommendations will help reduce the development of side effects. To reduce the risk of developing negative symptoms after vaccination, you need to:

• closely monitor your well-being;
• at least a week before the intended vaccination, avoid contact with sick people;
• 2 days before vaccination, undergo an examination and donate blood for antibodies;
• give up immunomodulators and immunostimulants 10 days before the vaccine;
• Before administering the vaccine, warn about taking medications that stimulate the immune system.

In the absence of contraindications and compliance with all requirements, the risk of side effects is minimized.

After vaccination against coronavirus, doctors advise following a gentle regimen and drinking at least 1.5 liters of fluid per day. When the temperature rises, it is recommended to take an antipyretic drug. If weakness does not go away within a few days, or allergic reactions occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.

When will there be mass vaccination?

Mass vaccination in the USA, Canada and European countries began in December last year. At the same time, it started in Russia. But at the initial stage, the event was held only for a certain category of people - young people and those who, due to the nature of their professional activities, cannot limit the number of contacts. Today you can get vaccinated against Covid in any region of the country.

Each person makes the decision to vaccinate independently. But those who refuse vaccination should know that even a mild form of COVID is a serious blow to the body. Also, do not forget about loss of ability to work for at least 2 weeks, and the likelihood of infection of family members. After vaccination, these risks are significantly reduced. But even vaccinated people need to wear a mask and gloves to protect themselves 100% from contracting COVID-19.

Sources

“Vaccination against COVID-19. Answers to frequently asked questions", Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation https://static-0.minzdrav.gov.ru/system/attachments/attaches/000/054/706/original/%D0%9E%D1%82%D0% B2%D0%B5%D1%82%D1%8B_%D0%BF%D0%BE_%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%86%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0% D1%86%D0%B8%D0%B8_COVID_19-19.02.2021-Red.pdf

“Coronavirus - symptoms, signs, general information, answers to questions”, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation https://covid19.rosminzdrav.ru/

“Symptoms of Coronavirus,” US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

Voluntary death. We tell you how the euthanasia procedure works around the world

What is euthanasia?

Euthanasia is a procedure for voluntarily ending a person’s life at his own request.
Usually there are indications for the procedure in the form of an incurable disease or unbearable suffering. A similar term is used for the veterinary procedure, but it is more common than euthanasia.

“Euthanasia” comes from the Greek words for “death” and “good.” These concepts were first used in a medical context by the scientist Francis Bacon at the end of the 16th century. He stated that a doctor should not only heal the patient, but also relieve the suffering caused by illnesses for which there is no cure.

What is euthanasia?

• Active euthanasia

In this case, the lethal injection is carried out directly at the request of the person. With active euthanasia, the doctor must obtain permission from relatives or the patient himself.

There is a deliberate act to end a life, and this is always interpreted in two ways. There is compassionate killing - a doctor ends the life of a patient who is suffering terrible suffering and has no hope of healing.

• Passive euthanasia

In passive euthanasia, life-sustaining treatment is not started or the patient refuses a previously planned course of treatment.

In this case, passive euthanasia is when medical care is stopped for a terminally ill person, which leads to an early natural death. This type of euthanasia is called the delayed syringe method. This also includes involuntary euthanasia - carried out without the consent of the patient (if he is unconscious), the decision is made by his relatives based on the consideration of alleviating a serious condition.

Where is euthanasia allowed?

• Netherlands

In 2002, the Dutch Parliament approved a list of conditions in which a doctor can assist in the voluntary death of a patient by lethal injection or pill. However, in order to carry out the procedure, you need to wait for the decision to be approved by a special “ethics committee”.

• Switzerland

In the country, this procedure is popular among foreigners. Since it is allowed to carry it out not only to representatives of the local population, but also to citizens of other countries. Assistance in the artificial killing of patients is provided in specialized clinics.

• Belgium

The law was adopted in 2002, following the example of the Netherlands. Available only to Belgians permanently residing in the state. There are a number of restrictions - the patient must be in a state of physical suffering that cannot be corrected; only the doctor who has been treating the patient for a long time acts as an assistant. It is the attending physician who can buy a euthanasia kit, which is sold in a number of pharmacies. It is known that the majority of those who accepted voluntary death in Belgium did so at home.

• USA

Euthanasia in the United States is legalized in several states. Oregon was the first. They adopted the Law “On Death with Dignity,” which states that a doctor prescribes a lethal dose to a seriously ill person, and the patient administers the medicine (injection). In 2008, the law was passed in Washington, and a year later in Montana. Vermont and California later joined. In general, euthanasia is currently legal in ten states: California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Montana, Maine, New Jersey, Oregon, Vermont and Washington.

• Canada

In Canada, terminally ill people over 18 years of age can voluntarily die. By law, only citizens of the country received the right to die in Canada. This procedure is not available to foreigners. The majority of Canadians support a law that would make it easy for their seriously ill relatives to end their lives. The death must be “reasonably foreseeable.”

• Mexico

At the beginning of 2022, Mexico decided to legalize “death at will.” Then Mexico City adopted the city's first-ever Constitution, which included the “Law on Death with Dignity.”

It also became known today that New Zealanders voted in a referendum to allow euthanasia. It was approved by more than 65% of the population. The law on its legalization will come into force in 2021.

How does the procedure work?

First you need to write a statement; this is often required to be done at certain intervals to confirm the person’s desire. A special committee, composed of psychologists, lawyers and doctors, considers indications for euthanasia based on medical history.

Next, it is necessary to confirm the awareness of the person’s decision and assess his psychological state. The doctor must be sure that the disease is incurable and the patient’s physical pain is unbearable. It is important to make sure that there is no other way to relieve a person from suffering.

If the request for euthanasia is approved and the person confirms his intention to end his life, the legal formalization of the process and medication preparation are launched.

The procedure is performed exclusively by a doctor and only with the use of medical products. How people are euthanized depends on the legislation of those countries where the procedure is legalized and on the medical organization.

Before people are euthanized, they are given painkillers. Drugs for human euthanasia are made on the basis of a barbiturate. Lethal pills may cause nausea and vomiting. Therefore, the injection form is more effective.

Preparations for euthanasia

Such drugs, of course, are not sold in the public domain. They are only available in specialized medical institutions.

Some doctors give injections based on barbituric acid. It provokes spasms of the respiratory tract, which leads to death. The doctor gives an injection of barbiturate as anesthesia, waits until the deep phase of anesthesia, gives a second injection with a large dose of a substance that relaxes the muscles: the diaphragm and intercostal muscles stop contracting - breathing stops - death occurs.

The first injection of barbiturate is given again to put the person under anesthesia. The second injection is administered with antiarrhythmic drugs that stop the heart. In this case, severe convulsions occur, so this method is almost never used now.

What medical medicine will be used during euthanasia is determined by the doctor, based on the previous course of treatment and the results of tests and examinations of the patient.

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