What is the death rattle?
Studies have shown that the death rattle is heard to some degree in roughly half of dying people.
Science has shown that dying is an active process.
CandyBoxImages / iStockphoto
The death rattle is one of those steps and one that means death is near.
Is It Uncomfortable?
The death rattle doesnotmean the person is “drowning” or having a “bad” death.
Even some treatments for a death rattle won’t necessarily change the sounds.
The death rattle can be very upsetting for loved ones and caregivers.
Is There a Treatment?
Your loved one does not feel like they are suffocating because they are breathing this way.
you might try a few things if the death rattle makes you anxious.
They include:
How Near Is Death?
Many people wonder how long it will be until death when a loved one develops a death rattle.
At the end of life, a person may seem agitated and confused.
Others become unexpectedly calm during this time.
When people talk about their greatest fears, they often fear that they will die alone.
At the same time, you must take care of yourself during this process.
Take a break when you better and verify that you are tending to your own needs.
The sound of the death rattle is very common when someone dies.
The gurgling sound is triggered by fluid your loved one can no longer swallow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gurgling most often describes the sound of fluid in the lungs.
It can occur as part of the death process.
Cold skin, noisy breathing, and loss of consciousness are among the signs that death may be near.
National Cancer Institute.Death rattle.
Campbell ML.Assuaging listener distress from patient death rattle.Ann Palliat Med.
2019;8(S1):S58-S60.
2020;10(3):304-305. doi:10.1136/bmjspcare-2019-001791
Palliative Care connection of Wisconsin.Death rattle and oral secretions.
Hospice Foundation of America.When death is near: signs and symptoms.
Hosker CMG, Bennett MI.Delirium and agitation at the end of life.BMJ.
2018;74(7):1446-1462. doi: 10.1111/jan.13557