The symptoms of gas poisoning: household, methane, propane, butane
What to do in cases of poisoning by gas
Gas poisoning is very dangerous for humans. It requires immediate first aid and hospitalization. In this article, we discussed the poisoning with household gas (methane), its symptoms and causes of development, the rules of rendering first aid and medical components of treatment.
In some cases, develops gas poisoning
Thanks to the progress and technological development of the gas poisoning is common. The most common intoxication by methane. This gas is used in the home for heating and cooking. In large factories it is possible to poison a propane, butane.
The most common causes of gas poisoning are listed below:
- A gas leak in the apartment from a stove or gas boiler. People often poisoned during sleep. A sleeping person is not able to respond to odors.
- Suicide attempt. People who want to commit suicide, specifically open up the flow of gas closed in a room all the Windows.
- Intentional killing via the release of gas into the room.
- Carrying out work in the gas mines, wells. A person can not feel the smell of gas during operation.
- Stay in smoke-filled room, among the fire leads to carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Failure to comply with safety instructions when working with different gases.
Please note that poisoning by household gas can be combined with intoxication by stupor. If the cause of air pollution was the explosion of the gas equipment, a fire could occur with the release chadny stinking gas. The simultaneous presence in the air of several toxic gases leads to a more rapid development of severe poisoning and death.
The clinical picture of gas poisoning
Poisoning by household gas develops during long inhalation. The speed of onset of symptoms and degradation depend on methane concentration in the room. When gas poisoning symptoms can appear in 5-10 minutes after the start of inhalation.
Please note that if a gas leak occurred during human sleep, he dies the house quickly, not waking up. At first, he gradually loaded in a deep coma, then he has a growing respiratory and cardiac failure, death.
The table below presents the major symptoms that manifest poisoning by household gas.
|Symptoms and signs||Description and characteristics of clinical manifestations|
|Headache||Headache tends to be dull and oppressive in nature. It is accompanied by severe vertigo. A person becomes hard on something to focus.|
|General weakness||Fast increasing weakness, drowsiness. Can see the weakness in his legs.|
|Impaired coordination||This symptom is the first sign of defeat and intoxication of the Central nervous system. The disorder can appear staggering when walking. Person can bring to the side. With the progression of the poisoning is disturbed fine motor skills.|
|Vomiting||Poisoning methane can be accompanied by vomiting of Central origin. It is not caused by irritation of the gastric mucosa, a lesion of the vomiting center in the brain. This vomiting does not bring relief, may occur without prior nausea.|
|The discoloration of the skin||When gas poisoning, the skin becomes bright red, takes on a blue tint.|
|Respiratory failure||In the initial stages of poisoning it becomes rapid. Then develops shortness of breath of mixed character.|
|A change of consciousness||The person gradually falls into a stupor and then into coma. It can develop hallucinations and seizures.|
When gas poisoning, severe edema of the lungs, affects the heart muscle tissue (myocardium). These changes lead to acute respiratory and cardiac failure, hypoxia of the organism and death.
First aid for gas poisoning
In the first place by poisoning chadny stinking or natural gas must remove person to fresh air. During the first aid you need to care about your safety: wear a respirator, gas mask or at least cover mouth and nose with a cloth moistened with water or saliva.
Remember that if the removal of casualties to fresh air is risky for your life, wait for rescuers and don’t get yourself into an area with polluted air.
After the exclusion of intoxicated person from the premises, poisoned with gas, you should call the ambulance and or fire service Ministry of emergency situations. Tell the dispatcher the exact address, the estimated number of victims. Then you need to begin to self-provision of first aid, she’s going to improve the condition of the poisoned person.
Components of the emergency first aid at home:
- Unbutton the patient’s shirt, tie. If you are indoors, open the Windows wide open. Intoxicated with gas, you need to ensure the free flow of fresh air.
- If the patient is conscious, give him something to drink. It can be sweet tea or plain mineral water. The liquid will help to reduce intoxication and a little to bring a person to life.
- At clouding the minds of give a man to smell the cotton wool moistened in liquid ammonia.
- During vomiting, keep person choked. If it vomits in the supine position, put him on his side. In this position, the risk of zahlebyvayas minimal.
What if the person lost consciousness before the arrival of the brigade SMP? In this case, you should put the person on a firm and level surface, preferably on the floor. To improve blood flow to the head and heart need to lift up his feet and fix them in this position (under them it is possible to put something, for example, a few pillows).
To prevent the tongue and zahlebyvayas vomit, turn victim’s head to the side. In this position the airway is maximally open.
Before arrival of doctors you need to control the presence of pulse and respiration. When they stop, you should initiate chest compressions.
The physicians who have arrived on a call, after a quick examination of the patient carried out a first aid. It consists of the connection of oxygen, IV fluids, administration of drugs to stabilize breathing and heart function. Then they spend the emergency hospitalization of the poisoned person to the nearest emergency Department.
At the hospital starts treatment, aimed at reducing intoxication, elimination of hypoxia and treatment of complications of the respiratory, cardiovascular and nervous systems. In parallel with treatment, a detailed examination of the patient, tests are made to determine gas composition of the blood, revealed deviations in the work of all organs and systems, which could develop due to toxic effects of the gas.
Gas poisoning – a serious condition that can lead to death. With the development of gas intoxication should call an ambulance and to begin to help poisoned. Treatment of this condition is in resuscitation unit. The duration of hospital stay and the prognosis depend on the duration of stay in the room with the contaminated air, the gas concentration and the timeliness of access to medical care.