Cold Water Shock

What is cold water shock?

Any form of shock is failure of the circulatory system.

Cold water shock happens when your body is immersed into cold water. The first response is for the body to gasp followed by Hyperventilation. Hyperventilation is where you breathing increases rapidly taking short sharp breaths and so causing too much oxygen to enter the blood.

Cold water shock causes the blood vessels in the skin to close, making it harder for the blood to flow. Your heart must work harder to push the blood through the constricted veins causing your heart rate to increase, therefor can cause heart attacks. Your arms and legs begin to cool as the blood is sent to the heart, lungs and brain, causing your strength, endurance and muscle control to reduce, your ability to swim is reduced causing swim failure. If you haven’t managed to get hold of a buoyancy aid by this time you will drown.

What should you do if you fall into water?

The shock response will happen you need to fight the urge to swim, keep your mouth out of the water until your breathing is back under control. You can do this by rolling onto your back and floating with your arms and legs spread like a star or paddling to stay at the surface.

Now is the time to try and self-rescue, don’t waste any time and swim or float with the flow of the water towards an exit before your muscles start to cool, or swim towards something that will help you to stay afloat whilst shouting for help.

Once you are out of the water re-warm yourself as soon as you can to avoid hypothermia. It is wise for you to call 999 to be checked out even if you feel ok there may be delayed symptoms so seek medical advice as soon as possible. If anyone is around, ask them for their coats/tops to help keep you warm. Take your top layer of clothing off if possible.