Carbon monoxide poisoning

Carbon monoxide poisoning happens when you breathe too much carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a gas produced by burning any type of fuel—gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal. What makes this gas so dangerous is that when you breathe it, it replaces the oxygen in your blood. Without oxygen, cells throughout the body die, and the organs stop working.

You can't see, smell, or taste carbon monoxide. But if you breathe too much of it, it can become deadly within minutes. So be sure you know the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, what to do if you have the symptoms, and how to keep it from happening.

Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include:

• Headache.
• Dizziness.
• Nausea.

As carbon monoxide builds up in your blood, symptoms get worse and may include:

• Confusion and drowsiness.
• Fast breathing, fast heartbeat, or chest pain.
• Vision problems.
• Seizures.

If you have symptoms that you think could be caused by carbon monoxide poisoning, leave the area right away, and call911or go to the emergency room. If you keep breathing the fumes, you may pass out and die.

Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur suddenly or over a long period of time. Breathing low levels of carbon monoxide over a long period can cause severe heart problems and brain damage. See a doctor if:

• You often are short of breath and have mild nausea and headaches when you are indoors.
• You feel better when you leave the building and worse when you return.
• Other people you work or live with have the same symptoms you do.

It can be hard to know if you have carbon monoxide poisoning. The same symptoms can be caused by flu or other problems. In the winter months, doctors may suspect carbon monoxide poisoning in people who complain of severe headache, nausea, or dizziness. This is especially true if other household members or coworkers have the same symptoms. Even pets in the home may get sick.

If your doctor suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, he or she can order a blood test that measures the amount of carbon monoxide in your blood. You may have other blood tests to check your overall health and to look for problems caused by carbon monoxide.

The best treatment is oxygen therapy. Breathing pure oxygen can bring the oxygen level in the blood back to normal. There are two kinds of oxygen therapy:

• 100% oxygen therapy. For this treatment, you breathe oxygen through a mask. This is the most common treatment.
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. For this treatment, you lie inside a chamber that delivers oxygen under high pressure. This quickly reduces carbon monoxide levels in the blood.

With quick treatment, most people recover within a few days. But long-term problems can show up later. Be sure to tell your doctor about any changes in vision, coordination, or behavior that occur in the weeks after treatment.

• Before you go back to the home or workplace where you were exposed to carbon monoxide, have it tested by your local fire department or utility company. The service may be free.
• Buy and install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of your home. Do this near sleeping areas too. Some commercial smoke alarms also include carbon monoxide detectors. If the alarm sounds, tell everyone in the house or building to get out. Then call the fire department or your local utility company from a nearby phone.
• Do not ignore any symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, especially if more than one person in your home or workplace has these symptoms. Symptoms include headaches, nausea, and dizziness.