Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Q. What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?

A. Carbon monoxide is hard to detect because it is odorless, colorless and tasteless. Steps should be taken to prevent poisoning, as this gas can be deadly.

Fuel burning appliances such as furnaces, hot water heaters, and stoves should be inspected annually and any repair problems should be identified. Streaks of carbon or soot around fuel-burning appliances are often indicative of a CO problem. Chimneys should be inspected and cleaned annually to guarantee proper draft. Fuel burning appliances should be rust free as well as flue pipes.

Install a UL Listed CO detector outside bedrooms. These should have an alarm that will wake you at night when most poisonings occur. Read and follow installation instructions carefully. Check monthly if they are wired into electrical system and weekly if battery operated, and replace batteries yearly. Do not place detectors above or across from fuel-burning appliances. Avoid using charcoal grills indoors, in tents, campers, and garages. Do not run your auto in the garage, not even to warm it up.

Should you have a CO alarm, open up all doors and windows immediately to let in fresh air. If anyone has CO symptoms, leave the house and call the fire department. If no one has symptoms, open doors and windows and call someone to inspect your appliances immediately.

 

Some symptoms to check for:

• Slightly to moderately incoherent (as in logically inconsistent).
• Slightly to moderately slurred speech (as in slightly inebriated).
• Blue lips (associated with contact in cold water).
• Runny nose (associated with a flu, cold like symptoms or similar to allergies).
• Slightly to moderately disoriented (associated with or like having a high fever).
• Watery or Teary Eyes (similar to allergies or hay fevers).

These symptoms are often hard to spot by those who are not trained, and in fact are often overlooked by some medical professionals. Blood testing may be required and is often done in hospitals.

Low dosages of carbon monoxide accumulate in the body over long periods of time. Fresh air helps, but it takes the body days to purge all the CO in the system. High levels will kill in a very brief period of time - consciousness is lost, and body paralysis sets in. Consciousness is often regained but paralysis restricts movement to safety and death results.

© Doityourself.com