Carbon monoxide is a gas without smell, flavor and colour. Too much of carbon monoxide in the air you breathe in can severely decrease your ability to absorb oxygen, which leads to a serious and possibly fatal damage of the tissue. Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental death by poisoning.
Carbon monoxide is being created by devices and machines that produce by burning gases, like the ones that run on gas, petroleum or wood derivatives and other fuels. The danger arises when too much carbon monoxide is being accumulated in a closed, poorly ventilated space. Simple precautions can be life saving.
Even though the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning can be subtle, the condition is life threatening. Immediately seek for medical attention for anyone who has carbon monoxide poisoning.
Symptoms
Symptoms for carbon monoxide poisoning can include:
- Dull headache, the most common early symptom
- Weakness
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomitting
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Irritability
- Reduced resolution
- Loss of consciousness
Carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially dangerous for someone who is sleeping or intoxicated. The fumes can be deadly before anyone gets what is going on.
When to go to the doctor
If you suspect that you have been exposed to carbon monoxide, go to fresh air immediately and seek for medical attention. If it is possible, open the windows and doors while exiting the house.
Causes
Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by inhaling the fumes from combustion. When the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air is high, your body replaces oxygen in the hemoglobin of your red blood cells with carbon monoxide. And that stops oxygen from getting to your tissues and organs.
Various devices that run on wood or gas produce carbon monoxide, including:
- Room heaters that run on fuels
- Furnaces
- Charcoal grills
- Some cooking devices
- Water heaters
- Fireplaces
- Some stoves
- Car and truck engines
Normal amount of carbon monoxide that is produced by these sources is not a reason to worry. But, if the devices are not kept in proper condition, or if they are used in closed or semi-closed space, if for example we use a charcoal grill in a closed space or if a car is running in a closed garage, carbon monoxide can grow to a dangerous level. Even swimming behind a motorboat or riding in the back of a van can be dangerous.
Inhaling fire smoke can also cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Risk factors
Being exposed to carbon monoxide from burnt gases is dangerous for everyone. Some people are more sensitive to carbon monoxide effects, including:
- Unborn babies
- Children
- Senior adults
- Persons that smoke
- People with chronic heart conditions, anemia or respiratory problems
Complications
Depending on the degree and length of the exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning can cause:
- Permanent brain damage
- Heart damages, and it can lead to life threatening heart complications years after the poisoning occured
- Death
Checkup preparation
If you or anyone who is with you develops signs or symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, chest pains, confusion) go out to fresh air and immediately call for medical help.
Hospital staff will need important information as soon as you get there. On your way to the hospital, try to prepare answers for questions about:
- Possible sources of exposure to carbon monoxide
- Signs and symptoms, and when have they started
- Any mental disfunction, including confusion and memory problems
- Every loss of consciousness
- Other medical problems the person is diagnosed with, including pregnancy
- Smoking habits
Tests and diagnosis
If the doctor suspects that it is carbon monoxide poisoning, a blood sample will be sent to the laboratory for the amount of carbon monoxide in blood to be determined.
Treatments and medication
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a medical emergency. Treating is targeted at replacing carbon monoxide in blood with oxygen as quickly as possible. In the hospital they can put a mask on your nose and mouth so you can breathe in pure oxygen. That helps the oxygen to get to the organs and tissues faster. If you cannot breathe yourself, a machine can do it for you.
In some cases, it is recommended to go to a hyperbaric therapy with oxygen. In this therapy, the whole body is in a chamber under pressure. Inside the chamber, air pressure is twice as high as normal atmospheric pressure. This treatment accelerates the procedure of replacing carbon monoxide with oxygen in your blood.
Prevention
Simple precautions can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning from happening. Think about the following:
Invest in a carbon monoxide detector
Get a carbon monoxide detector installed on each floor or level of your home. Get additional detectors installed out of every bedroom. Check the batteries every time you check the batteries for smoke detectors (if you have any, of course), which means at least two times a year.
Open the garage door before starting the engine of your car
Never start your car in a closed garage. If your garage is a part of your house, keep the garage door open and the door to your house shut. Remove the snow or other filth from the exhaust before using the car.
Use gas devices as it is recommended
Never use gas stove or heating oven in your home. Use portable gas camp cookers only outdoors. Heaters that combust fuels use inside a room only when someone is awake and can keep an eye on them, and keep the windows and the doors open for fresh air. Do not crank the generator in closed spaces, like basements or garages.
Keep your gas devices and your fireplace in a good condition
Make sure that the gas devices are properly checked. Clean your chimney every year. Ask the service providers about annual checks for all gas devices.
If a carbon monoxide poisoning has occurred at your house, it is very important to find and fix the source of carbon monoxide before you go back. Your local firemen or utility can help you.