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Understanding Strangulation Side Effects And Delayed Complications

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Victims of domestic violence endure a great deal of pain both mentally and physically. Health care workers and others working to assist these victims must understand this as well as common injuries inflicted upon the victims.

Strangulation is a form of control many abusers use, so those working with abuse victims must understand strangulation SANE.

Strangulation is assault and often ends with deadly consequences—but did you know it's not always lethal?

Here are some important facts to understand strangulation.

It's Not Always Lethal

A domestic abuse victim doesn't always die right away from strangulation. This manner of attack has often used a form of control used to dominate another person.

Some victims' signs and symptoms go unnoticed, so while the act was not lethal at first, it can cause injury or death later on. Some signs are:

  • Loss of voice
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Changes in behavior
  • Headaches
  • Hallucinations
  • Dizziness
  • Miscarriage

This is just a partial list of possible side effects for a choking victim. Strangulation can lead to physical issues as well as psychological issues.

Signs Are Not Always Visible

Bruising, scratches and red spots in the eyes can all be signs of strangulation, but not all signs are visible. Victims may suffer internal injuries, such as:

  • Pain
  • Vision changes
  • Ringing ears
  • Swollen neck
  • Trouble breathing
  • Cuts in the mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Extreme weakness
  • Memory loss

Because some signs are not visible, it's important for health care works and others working with domestic violence victims to understand the unseen symptoms as well.

A strangulation chart review helps those working with abused people understand what to look for in victims. This helps them give victims the proper assistance needed to help them recover and to save the life of a strangulation victim.

The chart helps workers look for signs even when the victim doesn't have noticeable bruises or denies the abuse.

Strangulation And Delayed Death

While the initial incident of strangulation may not be fatal, damage to the victim can occur up to weeks after the assault has taken place.

These include miscarriage, heart attacks, brain damage, blood clots, and even pneumonitis. The long-term effects of strangulation are overwhelming.

This is where the strangulation SANE can assist those who work with abuse victims to notice signs and get the victims the help needed to save a life.

With good training and a better understanding of strangulation, victims, even those who don't report the abuse, may get the help needed from an observant health care worker.  


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