Methane is the most common household gas used in almost every home and at gas stations. The convenience of using this gas is familiar to everyone who has a gas stove, boiler, water heater, etc. at home.
However, you must use the equipment with extreme caution, otherwise the consequences can be most dire: explosion or gas poisoning, the symptoms of which can not be noticed right away. Both cases are often fatal.
The cunning of methane
Methane poisoning is a very dangerous condition for the body, so it is important to know how it manifests itself in order to take appropriate measures and provide first aid. Domestic gas is insidious not only by its toxicity, but also by the fact that it has no color and smell, therefore it is almost impossible to determine its presence in the room. When the methane content in the air exceeds 20%, while the oxygen is less than this indicator, poisoning inevitably occurs.
The effect of methane is comparable to narcotic substances:
- the central nervous system is affected;
- respiratory function is inhibited;
- oxygen starvation occurs.
Untimely actions in the provision of emergency care will lead to death. In the body, natural gas displaces oxygen and replaces it, which leads to suffocation. The toxic substance enters the lungs through the respiratory tract and interferes with the normal functioning of hemoglobin. Acute oxygen deficiency appears .
Gas Poisoning: Symptoms
The permissible concentration of methane in the room is 7000 mg / m³. At the plants, sensors are installed to monitor gas in the air. And in its production add special substances that emit a specific smell, for the early detection of compounds.
Everyone should understand when gas poisoning occurred, know the symptoms of intoxication and first aid measures. By severity, poisoning can take several forms:
- Light form - dizziness, weakness and drowsiness, pain in the eyes, tearing, pain in the chest area.
- The middle form is a rapid pulse and palpitations, impaired coordination of movements, severe heart failure.
- Severe form - intoxication as a result of receiving a large dose of methane. Persistent loss of consciousness, involuntary urination, blueness / blanching of the skin, cramps, shallow breathing.
- Instant form of poisoning - severe poisoning occurs after 2 breaths, after a few minutes a person loses consciousness and dies.
Early signs of gas poisoning:
- dull headache;
- confused consciousness ;
- gagging;
- high irritability and nervousness;
- noise in ears;
- feeling that there is not enough air;
First aid
First aid is urgently needed. The victim needs to ensure saturation with fresh air: if he is conscious, then take him out into the street. If you lose consciousness, you need to open all the windows in the room and turn the poisoned side over. At the same time, free the neck and chest from clothing to facilitate breathing and call an ambulance.
Prior to the arrival of physicians, it is important to examine a person, with weak breathing or stopping him to do artificial respiration. Inhalation is done through a gauze dressing or nasal flow to avoid poisoning the carer.
Cold is applied to the victim’s head, hands and feet are released from tight clothing to ensure normal blood flow. If possible, give the person more fluid. It can be water (provided that there is no vomiting), milk, tea or kefir.
Treatment for domestic gas poisoning
After the patient was given first aid in case of gas poisoning and managed to be rescued, professional medical care is provided in a hospital. The treatment consists in the intensive supply of oxygen to the patient for several hours. The therapy will depend on the severity of the poisoning, in some cases a blood transfusion is required.
Treatment is selected individually after a thorough examination, most often prescribed:
- Cardiac drugs to maintain the cardiovascular system.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs to restore the functions of the respiratory system.
- Pain medications to relieve pain in the head and chest.
Procedures in the form of breathing exercises are also prescribed to prevent congestive and inflammatory processes in the respiratory system. Recovery after domestic gas poisoning can last a long time, in some cases, this toxic effect results in the development of serious pathologies.
After discharge from the hospital, you must regularly visit the medical institution for a routine examination. In the absence of diseases, the patient is removed from the register only after a 3-year follow-up. Even if it happened a long time ago gas poisoning, symptoms do not bother, monitoring is mandatory.
The consequences of such disorders are often severe mental disorders, loss of vision (partial or complete). Decreased intellectual abilities. The cardiovascular system suffers greatly due to intoxication, which can lead to the appearance of heart attacks. The most serious complication is pulmonary edema.
Basic warnings and actions
Domestic gas poisoning occurs due to leakage, so this problem must be solved urgently by inspecting home gas equipment. At the slightest suspicion of a leak, it is dangerous to turn on any electrical devices, lights, light matches and smoke - these actions will provoke an explosion.
In assisting the victim, you need to find several helpers, since the actions should be as quick as possible, and dealing with the poisoned person alone, especially when he is in an unconscious position, is extremely difficult.
Causes of poisoning
Intoxication occurs as a result of improper operation of gas and heating appliances. Often there is intentional poisoning for suicidal or criminal purposes. Appliances using household gas:
- home stoves and gas equipment;
- cookers, grill;
- fireplaces, water heaters;
- wood stoves;
- portable generators;
- cars and trucks.
Consequences of poisoning
The consequences can be pronounced or asymptomatic. The harm caused to health does not pass quickly and without a trace. Spasmodic pain, dizziness, low sensitivity of the extremities, partial hearing loss, cerebral edema (in more severe cases) may appear. With hypoxia (oxygen starvation), irreparable damage is caused to brain cells, some of them even die.
Domestic gas poisoning is dangerous for everyone without exception, but there is a category of people who feel its effects especially strongly, their symptoms manifest themselves brighter and faster. These include children, the elderly, smokers, and people with lung, heart, and blood diseases.