0
Carbon monoxide is a colorless and odorless gas, which makes it very dangerous. It can be found in gas fumes, such as from a car exhaust or gas powered heater. It causes headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea and vomiting. At higher levels, it can cause chest pain, confusion, loss of consciousness, and death from lack of oxygen. You will be unconscious within just a few breaths, and dead in less than 3 minutes!
The carbon monoxide molecules stick to your red blood cells and block the oxygen from getting to your cells, so you suffocate even though you are breathing air. Oddly, the blood cells turn a bright, healthy red color, so doctors can recognize carbon monoxide poisoning because the dead person looks pink and healthy!
Symptoms of CO poisoning are the same as for hypoxia -- which in a way it is. These include:
- Confusion and lethargy
- Headache
- Dimness and/or narrowness of vision
- Syncope
- Depressed respiratory function
- Cardiac arrhythmia's
- Death
- Cherry red lips, gums, conjunctiva, finger nail beds.
What's happening is this: The respiratory pigment, hemoglobin, is the complex molecule that bonds to oxygen and carries it through your body to various organs that require O2. When hemoglobin is bonded to oxygen, it appears as a bright, vibrant red. When it's unbonded, it's a dark red -- almost a purple/blue.
Carbon Monoxide or CO bonds to hemoglobin about 20 times more efficiently than O2, hence the bright red cherry coloration of the blood. This blocks oxygen transport, and eventually causes death by hypoxia.
Breathing pure CO can kill very fast, but this rarely happens as pure CO isn't all that easy to find. It's a gas resulting from incomplete combustion. This would include car exhausts, using your BBQ indoors, and various other incomplete forms of combustion. As such, at lower concentrations, death may take a while.
Best treatment is hyperbaric O2 (I seem to recall 2 atmospheres being ideal but I'm not certain.). If you don't have the hyperbaric chamber, adminsiter oxygen and prepare for CPR with O2 if you can.
Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, confusion, and loss of consciousness. It is important to seek fresh air immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning and seek medical attention promptly.
Add your answer:
Earn +20 pts
Is extreme hunger a symptom of carbon monoxide?
Yes, extreme hunger is not typically associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek immediate medical attention.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes mistakenly identified as what?
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes mistakenly identified as flu-like symptoms, food poisoning, or a migraine because the symptoms can be similar. It is important to have a carbon monoxide detector in the home to alert to this dangerous gas.
Can carbon monoxide poisoning cause diarrhea?
Yes, carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can disrupt the gastrointestinal system and cause various digestive issues, including diarrhea. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek medical attention immediately.
Is Carbon monoxide poisoning painfull?
Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, and dizziness, but it is not typically associated with pain. In severe cases, it can lead to confusion, loss of consciousness, and even death. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, it is important to seek medical help immediately.
Does carbon monoxide burn your eyes?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be harmful when inhaled in high concentrations. It does not typically cause burning of the eyes as some other irritant gases might. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning usually include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion.
Is extreme hunger a symptom of carbon monoxide?
Yes, extreme hunger is not typically associated with carbon monoxide poisoning. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning can include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek immediate medical attention.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes mistakenly identified as what?
Carbon monoxide poisoning is sometimes mistakenly identified as flu-like symptoms, food poisoning, or a migraine because the symptoms can be similar. It is important to have a carbon monoxide detector in the home to alert to this dangerous gas.
Can carbon monoxide poisoning cause diarrhea?
Yes, carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can disrupt the gastrointestinal system and cause various digestive issues, including diarrhea. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek medical attention immediately.
Is Carbon monoxide poisoning painfull?
Carbon monoxide poisoning can cause symptoms such as headache, nausea, and dizziness, but it is not typically associated with pain. In severe cases, it can lead to confusion, loss of consciousness, and even death. If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, it is important to seek medical help immediately.
Does carbon monoxide burn your eyes?
Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can be harmful when inhaled in high concentrations. It does not typically cause burning of the eyes as some other irritant gases might. Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning usually include headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea, and confusion.
What conditions is often confused with early stages of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Carbon monoxide can be easily confused with a stomach virus or flu-like symptoms, as the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as vomiting, nausea, headaches, and dizziness, are all symptomatic of the flu as well.
What is CO poisning?
CO poisoning, also known as carbon monoxide poisoning, occurs when an individual inhales the toxic gas carbon monoxide. This gas is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels such as wood, gasoline, and natural gas. Symptoms of CO poisoning include headaches, dizziness, nausea, and fatigue, and it can be fatal if not promptly treated.
What disease has symptoms of irritated eyes nausea headache weakness and dizziness?
carbon monoxide poisoning
What condition is often confused with the early stage of monoxide poisoning?
Carbon monoxide can be easily confused with a stomach virus or flu-like symptoms, as the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, such as vomiting, nausea, headaches, and dizziness, are all symptomatic of the flu as well.
How is absolute confirmation made of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Absolute confirmation of carbon monoxide poisoning is typically made through blood tests that measure carboxyhemoglobin levels, which is the compound formed when carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin in the blood. These tests can definitively diagnose carbon monoxide poisoning and determine the severity of exposure. Symptoms and exposure history also play a role in diagnosis.
Can nose bleeds be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning?
can carbon monoxide poisoning cause nose bleeds
Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from a gas stove?
Yes, gas stoves can produce carbon monoxide if not properly ventilated. Breathing in carbon monoxide can lead to poisoning, causing symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even death in severe cases. It is crucial to ensure good ventilation and have carbon monoxide detectors in your home to prevent this.
