What are the signs and symptoms of a dying person?
No one knows for sure when death will occur. Different diseases may have different patterns of signs and symptoms as a person becomes close to his death. Knowing the normal physical changes as a person is dying can make this time more peaceful. When a person is close to death, a natural series of changes occurs. The following changes are usually not medical emergencies, and they may guide you into making the dying person be as comfortable as possible: • Activity: As a person nears his death, the body changes the way it uses energy. He may stop talking or responding, and begin sleeping more and more. He may also have body pain, weakness, or fatigue (feeling tired more easily). • Body temperature: The body temperature, especially his ears, nose, hands, arms, feet, and legs, may become cool to touch. This happens because of the decreasing blood circulation (flow) in his body. • Breathing patterns: Troubled or irregular breathing patterns often change as the body continues to stop working.
No one knows for sure when death will occur. Different diseases may have different patterns of signs and symptoms as a person becomes close to his death. Knowing the normal physical changes as a person is dying can make this time more peaceful. When a person is close to death, a natural series of changes occurs. The following changes are usually not medical emergencies, and they may guide you into making the dying person be as comfortable as possible: • Activity: As a person nears his death, the body changes the way it uses energy. He may stop talking or responding, and begin sleeping more and more. He may also have body pain, weakness, or fatigue (feeling tired more easily). • Body temperature: The body temperature, especially his ears, nose, hands, arms, feet, and legs, may become cool to touch. This happens because of the decreasing blood circulation (flow) in his body. • Breathing patterns: Troubled or irregular breathing patterns often change as the body continues to stop working.
