You must have seen the word Asphyxiation trending on social media platforms and you can not help but wonder what this medical term means.
Well, as usual, we are here to ease the stress.
Search no further, we assure you that after reading this article to the end, you will have a clear understanding of what Asphyxiation means and how to relate it to cases, like that of Erasmus which has been trending since.
Oh, you haven’t heard of the Erasmus case?
Relax, we will give you the gist in detail.
It all started on Thursday, July 4, as some Nigerian youths were preparing for the #ReformEFCC protest.
That was when a video of a woman, identified as Erasmus’s mother emerged.
In that video, the mother of the deceased cried uncontrollably as she recounted her ordeal during the incident.
She narrated how her son was arrested by officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
The woman also pointed accusing fingers at the police.
According to her, Erasmus was tortured to death while in police detention.
This video sparked outrage among Nigerians, leaving the police force open to heavy criticism.
It was so much that the police had to speak up.
The Nigerian Police Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, reacted to the viral video.
According to him, the deceased, who was a well-known cultist died of asphyxiation.
He disclosed that the case was handled by the force headquarters and an autopsy was carried out which revealed that the deceased died of asphyxiation, not torture.
The police PRO stated that he was never tortured by the police and the case.
Furthermore, he clarified that the case is an old case from a year ago.
Perhaps, Adejobi, the mouthpiece of the police force, had expected his reaction to calm Nigerians, but sadly, the reverse is the case.
Nigerians were quick to look up the meaning of Asphyxiation.
Their rage knew no bounds when they got the details of Asphyxiation.
What is asphyxiation?
Asphyxiation is when your body doesn’t get enough oxygen.
It affects how you breathe, and may cause you to pass out (unconsciousness). In fact, it can even cause death.
Other names for asphyxiation include asphyxia and suffocation.
What are the main kinds of asphyxiation?
There are many different kinds of asphyxiation, including:
Mechanical Asphyxia
This is when an object or a physical force stops you from breathing. It also includes body positions that may prevent you from breathing.
Traumatic Asphyxia
Traumatic asphyxiation is a type of mechanical asphyxiation.
A strong external force (trauma) to your thoracic cavity (a chamber in your body surrounded by your rib cage, muscles, tissue and skin) causes traumatic asphyxiation. It forces blood from your heart back through your veins to your neck and brain.
Perinatal (birth) Asphyxia
Birth asphyxia is when your baby doesn’t get enough oxygen right before, during or right after birth.
Compressive (compression) Asphyxia
Compression asphyxiation is a type of mechanical asphyxiation. A strong external force presses on your chest or abdomen.
Also Read: Erasmus Death Not A Result Of Police Brutality- Force PPRO
Examples include a large crowd pushing against your body (like at a concert) or someone sitting or kneeling on your chest.
What are the symptoms of asphyxiation?
Symptoms include:
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- Quick or deep breathing (hyperventilation)
- Loss of consciousness
- Coughing
- Raspy or hoarse voice
- Inability to speak
- Face or lip discoloration (red, purple, blue or gray)
- Difficulty or inability to swallow
- Memory loss
- Involuntary urination (peeing) or defecation (pooping)
- Dizziness
- Headaches
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