The shock victim will feel weak and breathing may be shallow or the even opposite, unusually fast and over 100 beats per minute. There may be nausea, vomiting, and excessively thirst, and victims can be also be found highly agitated and anxious. The patient's skin can be moist and clammy, look pale, bluish colored and cold to the touch. If your patient has dark skin you can look at the color inside the mouth or skin under the eyelids or finger nails to determine if they are experiencing a sign of shock. As shock becomes more severe, pupils of the eyes can become dilated and the eyes will be dull showing a sign of poor circulation.
Eyes can also become sunken with a vacant expression.
The victim may become apathetic and not respond if they are not getting enough oxygen. If the patient has low blood pressure and congested or collapsed blood vessels their skin can also become spotty. These later signs are serious symptoms of shock patients and unless the victim is treated it could result in death. You should start treating a person for shock immediately after you have taken care of any breathing, CPR or severe bleeding problems. You will not be able to completely elevate severe shock unless you have access to a medical facility but first aid can be given to care for shock victims and help prevent shock altogether.