How to spot signs of sepsis

It’s Sepsis Awareness Month, and as sepsis is known as an often-silent yet life threatening condition, it’s important to raise awareness of its signs and symptoms so that people know how to act and when.

With approximately 48,000 sepsis related deaths each year, it’s time to get this number down and do what we can to increase the country’s knowledge of sepsis.

Rachel Peake, Wellbeing Nurse at Radis Community Care shares the warning signs of signings and her top tips on how to act if you think you or a loved one may have sepsis.

But first things first, don’t panic. When identified early, sepsis is often treatable, so it’s important to act fast if you or a loved one begins displaying any potential signs of sepsis.

Secondly, you know your body and you know if something doesn’t feel quite right and if you’re not happy, then you can ask for a second opinion.

What is sepsis?

A serious complication of an infection, sepsis can be life-threatening. If not treated in time, sepsis can also lead to a variety of other health implications, including septic shock, organ failure, kidney injury, cardiac arrest, as well as causing the nervous system to be affected.

Sepsis can be caused due to a number of things. If a person’s immune system is particularly low, this can lead to an infection spreading further than the infection site – which in some cases, when blood flow is interrupted, this can lead to sepsis.

Symptoms of sepsis

The most common sources of infection that lead to sepsis are typically, tummy, pelvis, urinary tract and lungs. However there are cases where the infection and site of infection cannot be identified.

Sepsis is often diagnosed by testing a person’s temperature, heart rate, blood and breathing rate as well as urine or stool samples, wound culture and respiratory secretion testing.

Known for being difficult to detect, the symptoms often go unnoticed or people wouldn’t think of them being related to sepsis. However, the warning signs to look out for are:

• Chills, fever or cold and flu-like symptoms
• Confusion and slurred speech
• Dizziness
• A rash that doesn’t fade when you roll a glass over it
• Difficulty breathing or any unusual changes to breathing
• Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• Feeling sleepier and more lethargic than normal
• In children and babies, a weak or high-pitched cry that isn’t normal for them as well as lack of interest in food, normal activities and a change in the way they respond
• Swelling or pain around a wound
• Vomiting and difficulty keeping food / fluids down
• A general feeling that something isn’t right and feeling unwell
• Going to the toilet less frequently than normal

What to do if you suspect sepsis

With sepsis, it is important not to panic, but to act fast. If something doesn’t feel quite right or you suspect you or a loved may have sepsis, or are showing signs of sepsis, then head straight to A&E or call 999.

Anybody can get sepsis, however there are a few groups of people who may be more likely to get an infection. This includes babies under one years old, people with diabetes or over the age of 75, as well as anybody with a weakened immune system, genetic disorders or those that have recently had surgery or given birth.

If any of the above resonates with you or a loved one, then it’s important to let the medical team know this as soon as possible.

Is sepsis preventable?

Sepsis isn’t necessarily a preventable condition, and it can’t be spread from one person to another.

However, to prevent infections that may lead to sepsis, it is advised to keep up to date with any vaccines, thoroughly clean any wounds, wash hands regularly and ensure you take antibiotics correctly.

At Radis, we’re keen to raise awareness of sepsis this Sepsis Awareness Month, and for further information, please visit: https://sepsistrust.org/.