Once they arrive at the beginning of death, the person at the end of life makes a small noise. What if this little sound could predict death? A specialist is sure of it.
The body cools, the muscles stiffen, the abdomen swells, red spots multiply… All these phenomena are signs of a dying body. With a few seconds left, brain activity intensifies and secretes more neurochemicals, probably the cause of near-death experiences (NDE). But that’s not all, between 24 and 48 hours before death, the person at the end of life is sometimes no longer able to swallow, which causes an accumulation of saliva in their throat. The inspired air moves over these oral secretions and produces a strange sound, a cross between a moan, a snore and a clicking sound.
This phenomenon, called “agonal rattle” or “dying rattle”, is not painful for the patient who is already deeply asleep at this stage. On the other hand, for the people present next to him, it can be disturbing to hear this noise close to suffocation or drowning lasting for several hours.
According to academics Aurélie Perret and Bara Ricou“the family is affected and caregivers often feel frustrated at not being able to do anything, such is the strong intervention culture in intensive care.” For good reason, there are only two natural ways to attenuate this sound (even if in fact, this does not change anything for the patient): you can sit the expiring person or turn him over with his head slightly elevated to bring out the saliva. Otherwise, caregivers can give him medication to soften the respiratory tract and soften the death rattle, says the doctor. Pauline Moyart.
According to Julie McFaddenan American palliative care nurse, this sound can be interpreted as the sound that announces death within 24 hours. No study corroborates this assertion with certainty, but this specialist considers that it is indeed a sign that does not mislead. Yet the gradual decline sometimes begins earlier than we think. In “the six months” preceding death, we already see symptoms relating to bodily degeneration, she says. The patient becomes more “introverted”, he drinks and eats less, but sleeps a lot more. Warning signs that are important for caregivers to know. Indeed, death would be easier to understand if we know what to expect.