death rattle

Type: Concept

As of November 2026, death rattle has been mentioned in one podcast episode on Sword and Scale (Dec 2025).

A death rattle is noisy breathing that often occurs in someone near death. Accumulation of fluids such as saliva and bronchial secretions in the throat and upper airways are the cause. Those who are dying may lose their ability to swallow and may have increased production of bronchial secretions, resulting in such an accumulation. Usually, two or three days earlier, symptoms of approaching death can be observed, such as saliva accumulating in the throat, difficulty taking even a spoonful of wate