The hypothermia, it's what?

Hydrocution is a body reaction intimately related to heat. We speak of hydrocution to describe the thermal shock that occurs between the temperature of a person's body and that of the water in which they bathe. After long exposure to the sun, for example, penetrating the cold water at once can cause hydrocution, as the body's thermostat has not had time to regulate itself. This thermal shock causes discomfort to the victim and in the most severe cases of hydrocution, a loss of consciousness that can lead to drowning.

How to prevent hydrocution?

To prevent hydrocution, you must gradually return to the water, taking care to pre-wet certain parts of the body. Especially the nape , the face and the back which are areas including many nerve endings . Wetting only his ankles for 10 or 15 minutes to gradually accustom his body to the water temperature is also a good solution to avoid any risk of hydrocution.

On the beaches, the orange flag can prevent the risk of hydrocution, especially if the sea seems calm. Rescuers have the habit of taking it out to alert bathers when the difference between the outside temperature and the water temperature is 10 ° C or higher.

Among all the misconceptions about hydrocution, we often hear that bathing after eating could increase the risks: digestion would cause a blood flow to the digestive organs and therefore an increase in body temperature. However, this thought is more of an urban legend, no study proves that bathing after eating increases the risk of hydrocution . On the contrary, it seems that the digestive work has not started in the 2 hours following the meal.

The first acts of relief in case of hydrocution

These are the actions to take if a person is a victim of hydrocution before our eyes:
- extract it immediately from the water,
- put her in safety, in the shade to regulate the temperature of her body,
- and prevent rescue (first-aid rescuers on the beach, firefighters or EMS).

In most cases, the discomfort that follows the hydrocution is inconsequential. But they can be aggravating factors and be very dangerous for some people, especially the elderly.

Thanks to Thibault Bourcy, lifeguard trainer swimmer at the Nantes training and intervention center.