How to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning is a common emergency in the winter, accounting for more than 100,000 ER visits nationwide and about 500 deaths. Emergency medicine physician and medical toxicologist David Schaffer, MD, explained what you need to know to keep yourself and your family safe from carbon monoxide poisoning.
What is carbon monoxide and why is it dangerous?
Carbon monoxide is an odorless, tasteless, colorless gas that is produced when you burn fuel such as natural gas, propane, kerosene, wood or charcoal. Even small amounts of carbon monoxide are dangerous because it binds to hemoglobin in the blood, preventing it from carrying oxygen to vital organs like the brain and heart.
“The reason carbon monoxide poisoning comes up in the winter is because of our sources of heat,” Dr. Schaffer said. “Anytime a fuel is burning, there is potential for exposure to carbon monoxide. Electric heat does not pose a significant risk, but as you are burning propane or natural gas, you are potentially exposing yourself to carbon monoxide.”
What are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Dr. Schaffer said the first symptom is almost always going to be a headache.
“It’s the most common complaint,” he said. “Even people who never get headaches will often develop a headache as they’re first exposed to carbon monoxide.”
Typically, the next symptoms are nausea and vomiting. And then, because carbon monoxide reduces your ability to provide oxygen to your vital organs, some of the next symptoms can be chest pain, drowsiness and even loss of consciousness.
“Symptoms can be very, very subtle,” Dr. Schaffer said. “They can mimic a flu or a stomach bug. If you have a headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, are feeling kind of confused or drowsy, particularly if others in the house are suddenly having those same symptoms, you could have carbon monoxide poisoning.”
What should you do if your carbon monoxide detector goes off or you think you’ve been exposed?
If your alarm goes off, the absolute first thing you want to do is to get away from the source of exposure. Open your windows and get out of the house. You can also call poison control at 1-800-222-1222. If you are continuing to have symptoms, seek medical care immediately.
“If you are unsure that you might have been exposed to carbon monoxide, most hospitals can test to see if you have carbon monoxide in your blood,” Dr. Schaffer said. “You can also ask your local fire department to come out and test your home for the presence of carbon monoxide.”
How can you prevent carbon monoxide poisoning?
Take these steps to protect yourself and others:
Install carbon monoxide detectors. “As the carbon monoxide concentrations rise, there is nothing you can do to notice that it is there, which is why it’s very important that everyone have a carbon monoxide detector in their home,” Dr. Schaffer said. “Carbon monoxide does not really rise or sink, so you need a working carbon monoxide detector for every level in your house.
Use gas appliances properly. Do not use a gas-powered stove or oven to heat your home. If you’re using a radiator or furnace that is powered on gas, have them evaluated every few years to make sure the exhaust is filtering properly.
Use proper ventilation. If you’re using a generator for power, be sure to operate it outside at least 20 feet away from any windows or doors.
“One of the big things we saw during Hurricane Helene, as people were losing power and switching to their generators, was improper use of those generators – too close to windows or in poorly ventilated spaces or even indoors,” Dr. Schaffer said. “Those are typically run on gasoline or natural gas and generate carbon monoxide, and we had, unfortunately, many patients here in our emergency department with carbon monoxide poisoning.”
The bottom line when it comes to carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide is a gas that can be a silent killer. Subtle signs of poisoning include headache, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, drowsiness, confusion and loss of consciousness. To protect yourself and your family, install detectors and use your appliances properly.
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