Shock

Medical shock or circulatory failure can be caused by, for example, heavy bleeding, a severe infection, a severe allergic reaction or injuries in a traffic accident. Anyone who ends up in medical shock must receive emergency medical care as soon as possible.

The condition can be life-threatening. When you go into medical shock, your blood pressure and blood flow have dropped so much that the blood is no longer pumped around as usual. Then the body does not get enough oxygen and nutrition and the body therefore no longer functions as it usually does. You may experience one or more of the following symptoms if you go into shock:

• Fast and weak pulse.
• Grey-pale and cold sweaty skin (if the shock is due to a severe infection, the skin is red and warm at first and you usually have a high fever).
• Bluish nails and lips.
• Fast and shallow breathing.
• Worry and restlessness.
• thirst.

In medical shock, blood pressure drops and urine production decreases or stops altogether. You also become lethargic and can be perceived as confused. You may become unconscious depending on how much your body has been affected.