Did you know… that the death rattle is just saliva?

Did you know…

…that the death rattle is just saliva?

It’s true! The text above feels a little stark and scary, but that’s cause this particular end of life symptom has been named something that brings to mind dying and rattle snakes.

The “death rattle”, as it is so horribly named, is actually just a build up of saliva in the throat. As we become weaker, our swallow reflex starts to shut down so we’re not clearing our throats without thinking as we usually would.

Important note: this symptom is distressing more for the family and friends at the bedside than the person doing the dying. There’s no evidence that it is painful or uncomfortable.

What other end of life symptoms are you curious about? Let us know!

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