Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning leads the nation in accidental deaths among poisoning cases. The reason that carbon monoxide poisoning is such a present terror in countries around the world is because of the fact that, as a gas, carbon monoxide is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. This makes carbon monoxide almost completely undetectable, and a person often won’t know that they are at risk for carbon monoxide poisoning until they die from it. Clearly, these are frightening facts. What makes carbon monoxide poisoning even more frightening is knowing how terrible death from this gas can be. Most people, when thinking of dying carbon monoxide, imagine a sneaky gas that lulls the victim into a peaceful sleep, ultimately taking his or her life. This stereotype is unfounded, much to the chagrin of those who were planning a late night in the garage with the car running.
When a person is exposed to over fifty parts per million of carbon monoxide, they will begin to feel a headache coming on. This headache will become more severe with prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide. Around this time, dizziness begins to occur as well. The dizziness, coupled with the splitting headache, will cause the person to begin the first stages of nausea and vomiting. At this point, there is a serious chance that this person will die in minutes if he or she is not taken outside or away from the carbon monoxide.
Sometimes, if the carbon monoxide exposure is high enough, hallucinations can occur. This is because the brain is being damaged and poisoned from the carbon monoxide, causing the brain to go haywire and conjure up acid-inspired visions. This is a sure sign that irreversible brain damage is coming on, and that medical care must be sought quickly. After this stage, what follows is unconsciousness. This is the last stage before death, as the person’s vital organs and brain shut down once and for all. If this occurs, try CPR after calling the ambulance and moving the person outside.
For reasons like this, carbon monoxide detectors are sold to prevent such unnecessary life. Unfortunately, few homes are equipped with carbon monoxide detectors, and so are at risk of becoming yet another statistical death because of carbon monoxide. The risks of carbon monoxide can’t be overstated. A carbon monoxide detector can be found at most hardware stores and warehouse chains. They are relatively inexpensive, costing around what a smoke detector would cost. Any home or business should have both a smoke detector and a carbon monoxide detector.
Tags: carbon monoxide exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning, medical care