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CO Poisoning
The symptoms of CO poisoning are similar to the flu – nausea, headache, burning eyes, confusion and drowsiness – except there is no fever.
This lack of oxygen can cause critical organ damage, and if severe, result in death.
Because carbon monoxide has no smell or taste, it's difficult to know if it's present in a room. But it has warning signs by how it affects humans – the symptoms are similar to the flu, without the fever.
If the symptoms appear, it is imperative to get everyone, including pets, away from the source of the CO and to fresh air immediately and call 911 or the local fire department.
When carbon monoxide is inhaled, it inhibits the ability of your blood to absorb oxygen and distribute it to vital organs like the heart and brain.
The symptoms for low exposure to carbon monoxide include shortness of breath, mild headaches and nausea.
Higher exposure produces symptoms similar to the flu:
Eventually CO poisoning can lead to unconsciousness and even death. The key difference is no fever with CO poisoning. The symptoms tend to disappear when a person gets fresh air.
For mild or moderate CO poisoning symptoms, (headache, dizziness, sore throat, drowsiness) get immediately outside for fresh air. (If you have pets, get them outside too). For more severe symptoms, the treatment for CO poisoning is 100 per cent oxygen, usually administered using a facemask attached to an oxygen reserve bag.
People with extreme CO poisoning may have to be placed in a hyperbaric pressure chamber to receive even higher doses of oxygen.
Infants and children absorb carbon monoxide faster than adults due to their high metabolic rates, so the signs will show up more quickly in children.
It’s important to find the source of the carbon monoxide. Your local fire department or public service company will help find the CO source and make sure the building is safe.