No, funeral homes do not routinely remove the tongue; it's usually left intact, but it might be removed during a full autopsy for forensic investigation to determine the cause of death, often removed with other throat organs through a Y-incision, and then typically placed back in the body before final closure and embalming for viewing, though in some cases, it might be secured in place with sutures or other methods for appearance.
While not every post mortem requires this step, it plays a vital role in forensic investigations. The tongue acts as a gateway to the mouth and digestive system, allowing medical examiners to perform toxicology tests and detect the presence of medications, trauma, or other abnormalities.
Embalming doesn't remove any organ in the body. Instead, the embalmer replaces the blood with embalming fluid – formaldehyde-based chemicals – through the arteries.
A common method of mouth closure is via needle injector. A needle with a barbed tip and with a wire attached is driven into the maxilla, behind the teeth, and another driven into the mandible. The two wires are then twisted together to bring the lower jaw up and close the mouth.
Before cremation, funeral staff remove dangerous or potentially explosive medical devices (like pacemakers), jewelry, and other personal items, placing them aside for family return or disposal; however, most internal medical implants (like hip/knee replacements, dental work, breast implants, rods, pins) are left in place as they are non-combustible and separated from bone fragments later, though family can often request removal or recycling. Organs are only removed if the person was a registered organ donor.
For the first few minutes of the postmortem period, brain cells may survive. The heart can keep beating without its blood supply. A healthy liver continues breaking down alcohol. And if a technician strikes your thigh above the kneecap, your leg likely kicks, just as it did at your last reflex test with a physician.
The brain is generally considered the last major organ to die, with electrical activity continuing for minutes after the heart stops, but specific cells like white blood cells can survive for days, and tissues like the cornea and skin remain viable even longer, highlighting that "death" is a process with different timelines for different tissues.
As people get closer to dying, they may sleep more, become drowsy or be difficult to wake. They may fall asleep while talking. A person may slowly lose consciousness in the days or hours before death. When visiting someone with advanced cancer, be aware that visiting may be tiring and difficult for the dying person.
Livor mortis usually sets in 20 to 30 minutes after death and increases in intensity until it becomes fixed at about 12 hours. Assessment of livor mortis can be useful in determining the approximate time of death or cause of death, based on the approximate stage of lividity and the specific coloration.
The brain and nerve cells require a constant supply of oxygen and will die within a few minutes, once you stop breathing. The next to go will be the heart, followed by the liver, then the kidneys and pancreas, which can last for about an hour. Skin, tendons, heart valves and corneas will still be alive after a day.
Cremation turns the body of someone who has died into ashes. This is only done after a person has died, so they do not see or feel anything.
Typically, if there has been a traditional funeral (with the body) present, the deceased will be cremated in whatever clothing they were wearing. If the cremation is done right after death, then it is usually done with the deceased wearing whatever clothing they were wearing at the time they died.
Final stage (minutes before death).
In the last minutes of life, breathing becomes shallow and may stop altogether. The heartbeat slows and eventually ceases. The body may make reflexive movements, such as small twitches, but these are not signs of pain or distress.
Natural Changes: After death, the body goes through various natural changes. The lower extremities, particularly the legs and feet, may show signs of swelling or discoloration that are harder to address through embalming. Covering these areas helps maintain a more peaceful appearance.
A senior citizen, who was declared dead and sent to a funeral home to be embalmed, woke up inside a body bag. Medical professionals had pronounced Walter Williams dead, leading his heartbroken family to call funeral directors to take his body away for funeral preparations.
What other signs might there be that death is near? One is 'terminal agitation' or restlessness. This often appears as a need to get out of bed, agitated behaviour or commonly plucking of the sheets or 'knitting' of the hands. They might reach out as if towards something or somebody.
Many people wonder if their departed loved ones visit them after death. Spiritual beliefs vary widely, but many cultures and religions hold that our connections with those who have passed continue in some form. Some believe that after death, loved ones can reach out through dreams, signs, or other subtle ways.
The 3 C's of grief are Control, Connection, and Continuity - three fundamental psychological needs that become disrupted after loss and require intentional attention during the grieving process.
No one knows exactly what people feel when they are dying. Many people look calm or relaxed when they die, so dying itself probably does not cause pain. Some people experience pain or discomfort in their last weeks and days of life. This can be caused by an illness, treatment or other things.
The Lazarus sign or Lazarus reflex is a reflex movement in brain-dead or brainstem failure patients, which causes them to briefly raise their arms and drop them crossed on their chests. The phenomenon is named after Lazarus of Bethany, whom the biblical Gospel of John states was raised from the dead by Jesus.
For many people, dying is peaceful. The person may not always recognise others and may lapse in and out of consciousness.
These changes unfold quickly, over a few days. Your muscles relax. Your muscles loosen immediately after death, releasing any strain on your bowel and bladder. As a result, most people poop and pee at death.
Rather, patients speak of relationships with the people they love and who love them; what life means to them and how they might be remembered; the reality of death; their hope that they won't be a burden to others; their worry about how those they are leaving behind will manage without them; and a fear of the process ...
- *Hinduism*: Some Hindu texts suggest the spirit may linger near the body for up to 13 days after death. Scientific Perspective From a scientific standpoint, there's no empirical evidence to support the idea that the spirit or consciousness remains in the body after death.