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"Shock therapy" was so-called, as an electric shock is used to induce a controlled seizure intended as a treatment for chemical imbalances in the brain. Shock therapy is now known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.
What is shock therapy?
Seek emergency medical care. If you suspect a person is in shock, call 911 or your local emergency number. Then immediately take the following steps: Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury.
What should I do if a patient is in shock?
By Mayo Clinic Staff Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop in blood flow through the body. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. When a person is in shock, his or her organs aren't getting enough blood or oxygen.
What does it mean to be in shock?
Shock: First aid. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. When a person is in shock, his or her organs aren't getting enough blood or oxygen.
What does shock mean in first aid?
What is treating someone for shock?
Seek emergency medical care Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury. Keep the person still and don't move him or her unless necessary. Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as not breathing, coughing or moving.
What are the 3 steps in the treatment of shock?
Shock TreatmentCall 911.Lay the Person Down, if Possible.Begin CPR, if Necessary.Treat Obvious Injuries.Keep Person Warm and Comfortable.Follow Up.
What does shocking a patient do?
During cardioversion, a machine is used to deliver low-energy shocks to the chest while the heart rhythm is monitored. Cardioversion is a medical procedure that uses quick, low-energy shocks to restore a regular heart rhythm.
What are the 6 steps to treat for shock?
Emergency adviceTreat the cause of shock.Lie them down with raised legs.Call 999.Loosen tight clothing.Keep them calm and warm.
How do hospitals treat shock?
Doctors may prescribe the following medications to treat shock:Drugs that increase pressure in the arteries and help the heart pump more blood, such as dopamine, dobutamine, and norepinephrine.Medications to either dilate or constrict blood vessels (depending on the cause of shock)More items...
How long does shock last for?
People experience emotional shock for varying amounts of time. Depending on its severity and the circumstances, it may dissipate on its own within minutes or may persist for longer. It can lead to acute stress disorder (ASD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
When should you shock a patient?
Electrical cardioversion is used when the patient has a pulse but is either unstable, or chemical cardioversion has failed or is unlikely to be successful. These scenarios may be associated with chest pain, pulmonary oedema, syncope or hypotension.
Do patients jump when shocked?
When you shock someone with an AED, their arms and legs flail and they jump off the surface. Many people believe that when a shock is delivered by an AED, the patient's body jerks violently like on TV. That is not the case.
Does a defibrillator shock hurt?
Do these shocks hurt? Answer: A defibrillator shock, if you're wide awake, will indeed hurt. The description is that it's like being kicked by a mule in the chest. It's a sudden jolt.
What are the symptoms of a person suffering from shock?
Shock signs and symptoms can include cool, clammy skin; extreme thirst / dry mouth; pale skin; bluish lips; fatigue; weakness / dizziness; vomiting; nausea; anxiety / restlessness; decreased alertness; rapid, shallow breathing; and/or rapid, weak pulse.
How do you talk to someone in shock?
Talking correctly to someone in a state of shock can lessen the impact, keep from making matters worse, and prevent any additional harm....Here is what she did:Do a self-check. ... Approach gently. ... Ask to help. ... Listen, dont talk. ... Express empathy. ... Talk about the next step. ... Discuss options. ... Be encouraging.
How do you recover from shock?
If you suspect someone has gone into shock, call 911....First aid treatmentLay them down on their back.Elevate their feet at least 12 inches above the ground. ... Cover them with a blanket or extra clothing to help keep them warm.Check their breathing and heart rate regularly for changes.
What to do when someone is in shock?
If you suspect a person is in shock, call 911 or your local emergency number. Then immediately take the following steps: Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury. Keep the person still and don't move him or her unless necessary.
What is shock in Mayo Clinic?
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop in blood flow through the body. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes.
How do you know if you're in shock?
Signs and symptoms of shock vary depending on circumstances and may include: Cool, clammy skin. Pale or ashen skin. Bluish tinge to lips or fingernails (or gray in the case of dark complexions) Rapid pulse. Rapid breathing. Nausea or vomiting.
How to stop a person from breathing?
Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as not breathing, coughing or moving. Loosen tight clothing and, if needed, cover the person with a blanket to prevent chilling. Don't let the person eat or drink anything.
What is shock therapy?
"Shock therapy" was so-called, as an electric shock is used to induce a controlled seizure intended as a treatment , primarily for mood disorders, although other conditions may be treated as well. Shock therapy is now known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.
How does shock therapy feel?
How Shock Therapy Feels. When you awake from the anesthesia, you may be confused and tired. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration ...
How to know if you are recovering from shock?
Your vital signs will be monitored closely after the shock treatment to ensure proper recovery. You may feel head, muscle or back pain. Such discomfort tends to be relieved by mild medications. If any post-treatment effect is concerning you, you should talk to the treating physician immediately.
Where is shock therapy performed?
Shock therapy is performed in a hospital, sometimes in an area specifically set aside for this treatment. An intravenous (IV) is inserted to provide anesthetic medication. Vital signs are taken initially and continuously throughout the shock therapy treatment.
Is electroconvulsive therapy effective?
Electroconvulsive therapy has also shown effectiveness in treating other disorders such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a rare, severe, adverse reaction to antipsychotic medication). Shock treatment for depression and other disorders is indicated when the patient needs rapid improvement because the patient is:
Does mania respond to shock?
Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture is not as bright for schizophrenia, which is more difficult to treat and is characterized by frequent relapses. A small number of patients are placed on maintenance shock therapy.
Does shock help with depression?
Shock treatment for depression often produces a dramatic improvement in symptoms, especially in elderly individuals, sometimes during the first week of treatment. While it is estimated many of these patients will experience a future return of depression symptoms, the prognosis for each episode of depression is good. Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture is not as bright for schizophrenia, which is more difficult to treat and is characterized by frequent relapses.
What to do if you are in shock?
Do not move the person unless there is danger. Reassure the person. Do not give anything to eat or drink. 5. Follow Up. At the hospital, the person will be given oxygen and intravenous fluids. Blood test, urine tests, heart test and xrays and/or CT scans may be done. Other treatment will depend on the cause of shock.
How to protect yourself from a syringe?
4. Keep Person Warm and Comfortable 1 Loosen restrictive clothing. 2 Cover with a coat or blanket. 3 Keep the person still. Do not move the person unless there is danger. 4 Reassure the person. 5 Do not give anything to eat or drink.
What is ECT therapy?
Therefore, ECT therapy is most commonly used in severe major depression or bipolar disorder that have failed to respond to traditional methods of cognitive-behavioral therapy, medication, or talk therapy. The most common side effects of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) are:
What do doctors do before giving you ECT?
Before making the final decision to give you ECT, your doctor will take your medical history, give you a physical exam, do a psychiatric assessment, take basic blood tests, and do an ECG to check your heart.
Why do doctors use ECT?
Doctors these days are much more hesitant to use ECT than passed, if for no other reason than because people are typically opposed. In addition, ECT is required by law to be used only by your consent or under the most severe conditions, such as: 1 To save your life 2 If urgently needed to prevent a rapid worsening of your condition
What to do the night before anesthesia?
For example, you might be asked not to smoke, drink caffeine, or eat after a certain time. When you arrive for your treatment, usually done in the morning, a nurse sets up an IV for the anesthesia.
Is shock therapy safe?
Risks And Side Effects Of Shock Therapy. Modern ECT is a very safe procedure, but there are a few risks and side effects. Because this is a medical procedure that uses general anesthesia, you may suffer medical complications. In addition, the treatment always causes increases in heart rate and blood pressure.
Can you get shock treatment with ECT?
If your doctor has suggested ECT as a possible treatment for you or a loved one, you need to make sure you understand what your specific treatment will be done and what results you can achieve from it. However, you may be worried that you'll be given shock treatment against your will if you seek treatment for psychiatric problems. That's why it's important to find out all you can as soon as possible.
Can ECT be administered without anesthesia?
Also, the seizure is extremely brief. ECT is no longer administered without general anesthesia. One other area that has changed recently is the type and use of equipment.
What is the treatment for shock?
The treatment for shock will vary based on the underlying cause. For instance, a person experiencing anaphylaxis may need a shot of epinephrine, which can treat severe allergic reactions. If a person has sepsis, they may need antibiotics, oxygen, and intravenous (IV) fluids.
What is medical shock?
Summary. Medical shock is a life threatening condition. It occurs when the organs in the body are not getting enough oxygen. Causes of shock include severe blood loss, dehydration, and a cardiac event. It is important to seek immediate medical care for any symptoms of shock, even if they are mild.
What is distributive shock?
In distributive shock, fluid may collect between the cells of the organs, making it hard for the blood to reach the tissues. The most common. causes of distributive shock include anaphylaxis, which is a severe allergic reaction, and sepsis.
What are the symptoms of shock?
The symptoms are a result of the body’s organs and tissues not getting enough oxygen. Signs and symptoms of shock include: cold, pale, or clammy skin. excessive sweating.
What do you need for hypovolemic shock?
People with hypovolemic shock may need a blood transfusion and IV fluids. Doctors may start blood transfusions or other measures to help restore proper blood flow, even if they do not know the underlying cause. The medical team may run various tests to determine the cause of shock, including: X-rays. blood tests.
What are the different types of shock?
There are four different types of medical shock. The name of each type describes how it causes a decrease in blood flow to the cells and tissues. Hypovolemic shock. Hypovolemia is a decreased volume of blood in the body, and it may happen if a person is bleeding heavily or becomes severely dehydrated.
What does shock mean in medical terms?
Summary. The word shock can describe several different situations. Medical shock happens when the body’s cells do not get enough oxygen-rich blood. It is not a disease but a result of an illness or injury. A person may also feel shocked when they experience something unexpected.
How to deal with unexpected traumatic events
Psychological shock is when you experience a surge of strong emotions and a corresponding physical reaction, in response to a (typically unexpected) stressful event.
Why do we have these symptoms?
These symptoms are all part of the body's acute fight, flight, or freeze response. Your body prepares you for fast, thoughtless action. For example, blood rushes to the muscles in your limbs ready for you to spring into activity; we tend to hyperventilate as well, which leads to the cognitive symptoms of feeling spacey and foggy.
What should you do?
Since it's hard to think straight when you're in shock, you should give yourself a chance to calm down before acting, unless quick action is necessary. You may be tempted to make a poor decision.
What happens next?
Since you've gotten a surge of stress hormones released into your bloodstream, it's going to take some time—perhaps a few hours—for your body to get back to its normal state.
What does shock feel like?
Normally the shock will make itself known as a range of symptoms and you will find yourself feeling nauseous and light headed. Often at the same time you will break out in sweat and/or start shaking, all of which can be very unpleasant on top of the pain.
What happens when you hurt yourself?
When you hurt yourself badly, often the most unpleasant part of the ordeal is the shock that your body goes through. In fact, even when you don’t hurt yourself, but simply have a near miss, this too can leave you feeling very unsettled and quite unwell and can be a very unpleasant experience. Normally the shock will make itself known as a range of symptoms and you will find yourself feeling nauseous and light headed. Often at the same time you will break out in sweat and/or start shaking, all of which can be very unpleasant on top of the pain. The perfect example of this shock reaction that many of us go through is when we twist our ankle on the curb of the pavement. Our ankle starts to swell up and sting, but more notably we often start to go light headed and pale, break out in a ‘cold sweat’ and generally feel very sick.
Terminology
Mechanism
- The brain is still not well understood, nor is the reason for the treatment effects ECT (shock) therapy has on some individuals. It is known that ECT affects hormones, neuropeptides, neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitters in the brain. All of this may come together to explain how ECT works in treatment.
Preparation
- A full physical is generally needed before shock therapy. Because general anesthesia will be administered, one should not eat or drink 8-12 hours before the shock treatment. This helps to prevent any vomiting during the procedure. Other exams like an electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be given before ECT to ensure the procedure is safe and appropriate.
Treatment
- Shock therapy is performed in a hospital, sometimes in an area specifically set aside for this treatment. An intravenous (IV) is inserted to provide anesthetic medication. Vital signs are taken initially and continuously throughout the shock therapy treatment. An anesthesiologist administers anesthesia and after you are asleep, places a tube in your throat to help you breathe…
Results
- When you awake from the anesthesia, you may be confused and tired. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration of treatments and whether ECT is offered at all. Your vital si…
Uses
- It is most common to see shock therapy used in severe cases of depression. Shock therapy is also performed to improve the condition of the following disorders:1
Risks
- The complications associated with ECT / shock therapy are often related to electrode placement with bilateral placement (an electrode by each temple) typically showing greater unwanted cognitive effects than unilateral placement (one electrode at the temple and the other on the forehead). Risks of shock therapy include slow heart beat (bradycardia) and rapid heartbeat (tac…
Prognosis
- Shock treatment for depression often produces a dramatic improvement in symptoms, especially in elderly individuals, sometimes during the first week of treatment. While it is estimated many of these patients will experience a future return of depression symptoms, the prognosis for each episode of depression is good. Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture i…