Non-fatal strangulation

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Common symptoms and reactions

It is normal to feel anxious, trembling or shaking, rapid breathing, or experience stomach tightening, churning or nausea. Please contact a crisis support service for counselling and follow up.
You may notice some bruising or mild discomfort. Apply ice to the sore areas for 20 minutes at a time, 4 times a day if needed for up to 2 days. Use of over the counter pain medication may also be helpful.
If you notice new bruising or injury you should follow up with the hospital or your doctor. It is also recommended that you contact the forensic service or police and arrange further examination or photographs if needed.

If you have been strangled or choked there are some important signs you should watch for over the next few days.

Symptoms of internal injuries may appear quickly or develop over a few days after the assault. Internal injuries can be serious and even fatal.

Make sure someone you trust stays with you for the next 24-72 hours.

Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, persistent cough, or coughing up blood
Increasing or severe headache, not relieved by pain medication
Difficulty speaking or understanding speech, changes to your voice
Swelling to your throat, neck or tongue, or increasing pain
Difficulty swallowing or a lump in throat, muscle spasm in throat or neck
Loss of consciousness or ‘passing out’, confusion, dizziness or light-headedness, seizures, ringing in the ears
Drooping eyelid or sudden vision problems, one pupil larger than the other
Difficulty walking, right or left sided weakness, numbness or tingling, loss of balance
Vomiting up blood, or persistent vomiting
Prolonged nose bleed (greater than 10 minutes)
Loss of control of bladder or bowel
Thoughts of harming yourself or others
Behavioural changes or memory loss