Hazards/Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Posted on Fri, Apr 30, 2010 @ 06:51 AM
By Andy Joy, Life Sciences Account Manager
You might think, what is so dangerous about a gas that you can't see or smell? Well, if it's Carbon Monoxide, it can be very dangerous and deadly. We all should have carbon monoxide detectors in your house...not only because that's what the experts recommend, but because they save lives.
Carbon Monoxide (CO) becomes present when any source of fuel is burned. Examples would include, but not limited to, kerosene, gas, oil, and wood. Carbon Monoxide, when present at high levels, can kill a person very quickly...meaning within minutes. Furthermore, infants and small children, the elderly, and people with asthma are much more susceptible to CO poisoning.
To be aware of CO poisoning, you must know the symptoms; they include, headaches, becoming dizzy, nauseated, and shortness of breath. Most of these symptoms are common with the flu or food poisoning as well so be cautious of your surroundings when the symptoms occur.
How does CO poisoning work in your body? Well, when you breathe in CO, it displaces the O2 levels in your blood stream, and starves your vital organs, including your heart and brain, of O2. Without O2, your organs can't function. The reason you become short of breath is because your lungs are depleted of O2; or the reason you become dizzy, your brain becomes light-headed, because your O2 levels are diminished.
Therefore, if your house currently does not have a CO detector, I recommend installing them. For a gas that you can't see or smell, it's definitely a gas of big concern, with dire consequences. Remember, the life you save might be your own!