How to Treat Shock

by Kurt King, Master Herbalist

Shock is a serious condition of a severe circulatory collapse. Most often it is caused by extreme blood loss, or traumatic injury without any blood loss.

The symptoms of shock to watch for are clamminess of skin, washed-out look, rapid weak pulse, low blood pressure, shallow rapid breathing, nausea and vomiting. Also watch for partial or complete loss of consciousness.

A state of shock can be induced by people with fear in a minor injury. In every accident follow as if shock could occur and treat as if it could occur even up to several hours later. Shock can be more serious than the injury.

If a person is conscious or unconscious:

1) Administer 1 dropperful of Cayenne Tincture under the tongue, followed by Shepherd's Purse tincture, 1 dropperful under tongue (to normalize circulation).

2) Lie the person flat on their back, with legs and thighs elevated.

3) Make sure the person is warm - replace any wet clothing. A person in mild shock can still produce body heat. A person in severe shock loses the ability to produce any body heat. When this happens, no amount of clothing will help to restore body heat. Hypothermia and irreversible shock then takes place, and the person can die. In severe shock, external heat needs to be applied. The best heat source is from another person, one or more, to come in contact skin to skin in sleeping bags (like a cocoon) with the person in shock. Internally, keep administering Cayenne Tincture and Nettle Tincture to improve circulation and produce internal heat. All future heat loss to the person in extreme shock should be avoided.

Dr. Christopher had this advice for Shock:

Follow the standard first-aid techniques for shock, keeping the patient quiet and warm, and giving liquids if possible. The herbal shock formula, containing one cup of warm water, 1/8 cup honey, one tablespoon apple cider vinegar, and one teaspoon cayenne, works reliably to help bring a person out of shock. The Bach Flower Rescue Remedy works quickly, though subtly, for shock. Massage the feet and hands to help bring circulation to needy areas of the body.