Exsanguination: Painful or Just Really Stressful?

When reflecting on experiences of severe arterial bleeding, the question frequently arises: is bleeding to death painful or just really stressful? After dealing with a suicide attempt in 2015, I understand firsthand the profound physical and psychological impacts. This article will explore the nature of exsanguination, drawing on personal and medical insights to clarify the often misunderstood concept.

Personal Experience and Understanding

In 2015, during a self-inflicted suicide attempt, I cut both of my radial arteries. The intense pain of bleeding to death was unlike anything I had ever experienced. The sensation was overwhelming and multidimensional, comparable to the severe discomfort of a high-intensity flu infection, where every part of the body aches unbearably and every cell is screaming in distress. The mental agony, coupled with physical pain, seemed to stretch the perception of time to a torturous length. Despite the duration seeming long, the loss of consciousness came relatively quickly, attributed to the fear and compounded pain.

Medical Perspective and Survival

Currently, I am in remission from stage 4 Large Diffuse Non-Hodgkin B Cell Lymphoma. The devastating impact of my illness and the aggressive chemotherapy had reduced my hemoglobin levels to critically low levels. As a result, multiple blood transfusions were necessary to save my life. Remembering the intense thirst before receiving a total of 5 units of blood and 3 units of platelets highlights the close call I had. My survival can be attributed to the advancements in lymphoma treatment, as well as my physical strength and fortunate circumstance.

Exsanguination: A Medical Overview

Exsanguination, the medical term for bleeding to death, can occur through various injuries. The level of pain experienced during the process can vary significantly depending on the nature of the injury. For example, a man who received a steak knife through the back of his knee, which he managed to hide under pillows while comfortably seated and with a whisky by his side, demonstrates that one can be relatively unaware of pain despite severe arterial damage. On the other hand, a victim with an amputated arm from a tow truck clearly experienced intense pain.

“Stressful” is defined as “Pressure or tension that results from a demanding situation.” Stress can manifest in various forms: physical, emotional, or psychological, or a combination of these. Exsanguination itself is not inherently painful. Traumatic injuries leading to the bleeding can be painful, but the actual process of bleeding to death is not. For instance, a prolonged nosebleed that cannot be stopped can eventually lead to death, but the bleeding itself does not cause pain.

Biological Responses to Exsanguination

As the body begins to bleed out, several physiological responses occur:

The person may experience an intense thirst due to the body's efforts to compensate for the loss of fluids. The heart begins to race as it attempts to make up for the lack of oxygen being delivered to the brain by the now depleted blood cells. This response is driven by the body's attempt to maintain oxygen delivery to vital organs. As the blood volume continues to decrease, the heart rate may gradually slow down. Next, the victim may experience a sensation of “foggy” as oxygen levels in the brain diminish. Finally, the person will lose consciousness as if falling asleep, provided they do not try to move. If they attempt to walk, they will immediately collapse.

Conclusion

In summary, while the process of exsanguination can be extremely stressful due to the fear and the psychological impact of the situation, the act of bleeding to death itself is not painful. Medical advancements and resilient human survival instincts have contributed significantly to my own journey, emphasizing the importance of both medical science and personal fortitude.