It turns out, there’s a specific noise that a person’s body may start to make in their final 24 hours. This unsettling sound is commonly known as a ‘death rattle.’
As explained by Healthline, it’s described as ‘a crackling, wet sound that may accompany each breath’, which can happen as someone nears the end of life.
This sound may begin as the person starts slipping in and out of consciousness, and as their breathing gets heavier and more difficult.
Why does this happen?
Sharing more insight into the cause of this phenomenon, Dr. Paulien Moyaert—who is a former medical student, currently pursuing her PhD and working in nuclear medicine explained in a YouTube video: “This occurs because as consciousness decreases, patients lose their ability to swallow. Air moves these pooled secretions resulting in noising breathing.”
She went on to say: “Some people say that the death rattle is the lungs’ attempt to breathe through a layer of saliva.”
While hearing it can be extremely upsetting for loved ones, it’s believed that the person making the noise is usually unconscious. So, they are not aware of it and are most likely not in pain.
Can you treat a death rattle?
Dr. Moyaert explained: “We often give drugs to try dry up the airways and soften the death rattle.” She then added: “But when we do it, it’s not for the dying person but for their family.”
The doctor also noted that a helpful step can include repositioning the person’s body, saying: “Repositioning the patient so that they’re turned to their side with their head slightly elevated may also help.”
A lot of viewers who watched her video expressed how thankful they were for her clear explanation. One commenter wrote: “Thank you. I am alone with my dying mother right now and this helped me know that it is normal.”
Someone else added: “Amazing, my father sounded just like this sample. Thank you Dr.”
Several others said they wished they had known about the death rattle ahead of time, as it might have helped them during their own experiences of losing a loved one.
