A person who is going into shock may show quite a few signs or symptoms. Some of these are indicated in figure 10-41 and are discussed below. Remember, however, that the signs of shock do not always appear at the onset of the injury; in fact, in many very serious cases, the signs may not appear until hours later. The symptoms shown by a person suffering from shock are, directly or indirectly, due to the fact that the circulation of the blood is disturbed.

l The pulse is weak and rapid.

l Breathing is likely to be shallow, rapid, and irregular, because poor circulation of the blood affects the breathing center in the brain.

l The face, arms, and legs feel cold to the touch.

The temperature near the surface of the body is lowered because of the poor blood flow.

l Sweating is likely to be very noticeable.

l A person in shock is usually very pale; but in some cases, there may be a bluish or reddish color to the skin.

l The pupils of the eyes are usually dilated (enlarged).

When the victim is conscious, the additional symptoms of shock may be displayed. He may do the following:

l complain of thirst;

. have a feeling of weakness, faintness, or dizziness;

l feel nauseous; or

. be very restless and feel frightened and anxious.

As shock deepens, these signs gradually disappear and the victim becomes less and less responsive to what is going on around him. Even pain may not arouse him.

Finally, the victim may become unconscious.

It is unlikely that you will see all of these symptoms of shock in any one case. Some of them appear only in the later stages of shock when the disturbance of the blood flow has become so great that the victim's life is in serious danger. Sometimes the signs of shock maybe disguised by other signs of injury. It is important to know what symptoms indicate the presence of shock, but do not ever wait for symptoms to develop before beginning treatment for shock Remember, EVERY SERIOUSLY INJURED PERSON IS LIKELY TO DEVELOP SERIOUS SHOCK.