Carbon monoxide can be produced by burning any combustible gas, oil, wood or charcoal.
When inhaling too much of this gas, it will replace oxygen into the blood, causing carbon monoxide poisoning. Without oxygen, cells in the body will die and organs will stop functioning.
Carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless and odorless, so it can easily be ignored. If inhaled in excess, it can be fatal within a few minutes. Therefore, it is necessary to know the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. Dr. Clove will also tell you how to do what when these symptoms occur and, more importantly, how to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
What conditions may cause carbon monoxide poisoning?
Any device that uses fuel can become monoxide.Sources of carbon. The most common are fireplace, stove, kerosene stove, car,Steamboats, carbon grills, and gas equipment such as water heaters. Under normal circumstances, these equipment will not have problems. However, if the following situations occur, a large amount of carbon monoxide may be generated, requiring vigilance.
1. Indoor heating equipment
Doors and windows are closed in cold winter, and heating equipment with gas or fuel oil is needed in the room. If these equipment are not installed or used correctly at this time, the risk of carbon monoxide accumulation in the room or inside the building will increase.
2. Architectural issues
If the chimneys of old buildings are blocked, the gas will go into the house. Newer houses are too tightly sealed, leaving carbon monoxide in the room.
3. Other confined spaces
In a confined space, such as a garage, carbon monoxide will continue to be generated if the engines of cars, trucks or other equipment continue to operate. If the garage is connected to the house, it may leak into the house.
Even if the garage is open, it is dangerous to sit in a running car or swim behind an idling steamboat.
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headache, dizziness, nausea, etc.
As more and more carbon monoxide accumulates in the blood, the symptoms will worsen. Symptoms such as shortness of breath, accelerated heartbeat, chest pain, blurred vision, even blurred consciousness, lethargy, cramps, etc. may occur.
If you feel that you have the above uncomfortable symptoms and may be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, please leave the area immediately and call 120 for help or go to the nearest emergency department as soon as possible.
If you continue to inhale carbon monoxide, you will probably faint and die.
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be acute or chronic for a long time. Long-term inhalation of low concentrations of carbon monoxide can cause serious heart diseases and brain damage.
Seek a doctor as soon as possible if you often feel shortness of breath or mild nausea and headache indoors, and the symptoms will ease when you leave that environment, and will worsen once you return. Other people who work or live together also have the same symptoms.
How to diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning?
1. Symptoms are not particularly typical
Judging from the symptoms alone, it is difficult for the average person to know whether it is carbon monoxide poisoning. Because flu or other reasons may have the same symptoms.
In the winter, doctors suspect that patients with severe dizziness, headache and nausea may be suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning. Especially if other people or colleagues in a room have the same symptoms, then it is almost certain. Even cats and dogs at home may get sick.
Step 2: Blood tests
If doctors suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, they will ask for a blood test to see the concentration of carbon monoxide-bound hemoglobin in the blood.
In addition, other examinations are needed to see the overall health status and whether there are other damages caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, such as head CT.
How to treat carbon monoxide poisoning?
Step 1 Stop inhaling carbon monoxide
That is to say, patients need to go to a place with fresh air in the first place.
Step 2: Oxygen therapy
This is the best treatment. Inhaling pure oxygen can increase the oxygen concentration in blood and make it return to normal. There are two oxygen therapies:
(1) 100% pure oxygen therapy: inhalation through mask is the most commonly used treatment method;
(2) Hyperbaric oxygen chamber therapy: Oxygen will be delivered under high pressure in a closed room. This can quickly reduce the concentration of carbon monoxide in blood.
Through timely treatment, most patients can recover within a few days, but some long-term problems may gradually occur in the future.
If there are abnormalities such as unclear sight, unstable walking and behavioral changes within a few weeks after treatment, you must contact a doctor as soon as possible to see if it is related to carbon monoxide poisoning and whether further treatment is needed.
How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning?
Many people die accidentally from carbon monoxide poisoning every year. There are some simple ways to reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The most important point is: If you feel symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, please see a doctor as soon as possible.
1. Safe use of gas tools and equipment:All gas equipment, including heating, shall be inspected every year.Devices, stoves, heaters, fireplace, etc.;
2. Regularly check chimneys, heating pipes, ventilation holes, etc. to ensure no deformation or blockage;
3. Do not use fuel or gas heaters in confined spaces such as barracks, saloon cars, trailer boxes and tents;
4. Don’t barbecue indoors;
5. Do not keep warm indoors with gas;
6. Do not turn off the baffle when the open flame is not completely extinguished;
7. Safe use of transportation: Don’t let the car idle in the garage, even if the garage door is open; Don’t ride behind the bus (saloon car); Don’t swim behind an idling steamboat;
8. Do not use gas generators, lawn mowers or other equipment engines in confined spaces.
It is more important to nip in the bud.