The health body has issued an alert about a potentially life-threatening medical emergency
The NHS has urged Brits to “call 999” if they spot any signs of a life-threatening medical emergency. These include the tongue turning blue, pale or grey, according to the health body.
This could be one symptom of sepsis. Sepsis is a potentially deadly response to an infection in the body, which can cause significant damage to tissues and organs.
The warning comes as a recent NHS update revealed that sepsis is estimated to cause around 4,000 deaths a year in England. In a post made to social media platform X, the NHS said: “Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection which needs urgent treatment in hospital straight away.
“It can be hard to spot, so make sure you know the symptoms.” It warned that both adults and children with sepsis could see the colour of their skin, lips, or tongue change.
The NHS said: “Blue, pale, grey or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.”
Other symptoms in adults include:
- Difficulty breathing
- Acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
- Uncontrollable shivering
- Muscle pain
- A high or low temperature – a high temperature is less common in older adults
- Not peeing all day or peeing very little in the past 18 hours
Symptoms in children include:
- Difficulty breathing or breathing very fast
- Having a fit (seizure)
- A high or low temperature
- A rash that does not fade when you press it
- Being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake
- Not peeing in the last 12 hours (for babies and children under five years), or not peeing all day (for children five years and over)
The NHS continued: “If you or someone else has symptoms of sepsis, call 999 or go to A&E. Trust your instincts.”
Causes of sepsis
The exact cause of sepsis is not known. On its website, the NHS said: “It’s thought your immune system overreacts to an infection and starts to damage your body’s organs.
“The risk of getting sepsis may also be affected by the type of infection, your age, genetics and any other conditions you have.” Any type of infection can lead to sepsis, but bacterial infections are the “most common” cause, including:
- Chest infections (pneumonia)
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Abdominal infections, such as appendicitis
- Skin infections, such as cellulitis or infected wounds
Who’s at risk of getting sepsis
Anyone can get sepsis, but there’s a higher chance of getting it if:
- A baby is under 12 months
- You’re over 75 years
- You’re pregnant, have given birth, or had an abortion or a miscarriage in the past six weeks
- Your immune system is weakened because you have a condition like HIV or sickle cell disease, you’re having chemotherapy, or you’re taking corticosteroids or immunosuppressants
- You have a burn, cut or wound, or a skin infection like cellulitis
- You have a catheter (a tube used to empty pee from your bladder and collect it in a drainage bag)
- You inject illegal drugs or misuse alcohol
If you’ve had sepsis, you may also have a higher chance of getting other infections because of damage to your immune system. You should call NHS 111 if you or your child have had sepsis in the past 12 months and have symptoms of an infection, such as a very high temperature, or feeling hot, cold or shivery.
