Poisoning by household chemicals: signs, consequences

What washing powder, dishwashing detergent and bleach is toxic, known to everyone. But poisoning by household chemicals is occurring with alarming regularity, and often in the hospital are small children. They are attracted by the colourful bottles, pretty labels and fruity flavors, which manufacturers lure potential buyers. To provide first aid until the arrival of the ambulance, it is important to know some features of treatment of poisoning.

Why household cleaning products may be poisonous?

30% of cases of poisoning by toxic chemicals is accounted for by household chemicals:

  • liquid stain removers;
  • cleaners, detergents, disinfectants;
  • coatings;
  • insecticides, fungicides;
  • decorative and caring for the skin cosmetics.

Undoubtedly, all these features make a person's life, but many of them include harsh chemicals. They have a large number of contraindications and require observance of the rules when using. Unfortunately, after purchasing the box or bottle, few people read the instructions on the reverse side of the package. But many household chemicals should be applied only with gloves, and sometimes requires a protective mask.

In case of poisoning are more likely to suffer kids. Funds come to the child due to serious connivance of parents. Never store household chemicals in places where small children can get easily. If the mother or father are busy cleaning, you should clean up the bottles on the top shelf of the cabinets.

Poisoning by household chemicals among adults is also not uncommon. To save space, people poured balances in small vials with no identification labels, and forget about it. After some time, the use of liquid or powder not intended may cause severe intoxication of the organism.

Some household cleaning products may be poisonous?

To the poisoning, it is not necessary to swallow a little household chemistry. Most of the compounds included in the composition of the powders and whiteners, have a cumulative effect. You can use toilet cleaner a few months, and then to detect red spots on the skin. The fact that these substances are toxic:

  1. Glossy Shine of the bowl is formed under the influence of vapours of ammonia, which is released during a chemical reaction. In humans can cause severe allergic dermatitis.
  2. Almost all cleaning products contain free chlorine – it increased dose can lead to respiratory failure.
  3. Often manufacturers include within amounts of oxalic acid, which bleaches the enamel. Along with this it forms on the skin ulcers and burns.

Buying a new cleaning product, before buying you should pay attention to its composition. The high content of chlorine and oxalic acid serves as a signal of increased toxicity of the product.

The use of such household cleaning products in an unventilated area can lead to serious consequences for the human body, down to circulatory disorders. Dizziness and nausea many to write off the usual food poisoning, but the symptoms often arise after cleaning with chlorine containing detergents.

Symptoms of poisoning

Every year the stores have the means for washing or cleaning, which contain the new active chemical compounds. The symptoms caused by these substances, may occur immediately or appear several days later, and even months.

  • A feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region, turning into nausea.
  • Digestive disorders: indigestion, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation.
  • Pain and spasms of different localization, usually in the lower abdomen.
  • Headaches, turning into migraines.
  • Sore throat, a slight cough develops into a dry "barking" cough.
  • The bitter taste in your mouth that indicates a violation of the functional activity of the liver.

It is often manifested symptoms include skin rashes. They can occur in places of direct contact of corrosive substances with skin with formation of red spots, small pimples or large blisters with liquid.

When the first signs of skin irritation, rinse hands under running water. You should pay attention to the composition – household chemicals like to buy in the future should not be.

If there is poisoning by gaseous chemical compound, such lesions are localized in other parts of the body. The redness occur on the abdomen, face, chest and forearms.

When the following symptoms are affected require urgent admission and treatment:

  1. Increased fatigue and sleepiness.
  2. Vomiting, sometimes with blood.
  3. Breathing problems, persistent feeling of lack of air.
  4. Sweating.
  5. Cyanosis of the skin.
  6. The loss of orientation in space.
  7. The decrease in visual acuity.
  8. Faint.
  9. Convulsions of the limbs.

To rarely occurring signs of poisoning include failure of the cardiovascular system – tachycardia, bradycardia, heart failure, arterialhypertension.

What are the complications causes poisoning

In constant contact with household chemicals that causes irritation, a person may experience contact dermatitis. After a short time the disease takes a chronic form: appear on the skin non-healing wounds and ulcers. The skin on the hands becomes rough, thickened, covered with deep cracks.

The use of household chemicals in an unventilated room increases the risk of poisoning. The concentration of toxic compounds increases exponentially, and when you inhale the person may cause chemical burns of the mucous membranes of the nasal cavity and larynx.

There are more dangerous consequences of intoxication.

  • Burns of various parts of the gastrointestinal tract, after which the walls of the esophagus produced severe scarring of connective tissue.
  • Through the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and larynx chemical compound quickly penetrates into the cavity of the lungs, causing edema and respiratory failure.
  • Once in the bloodstream, a toxic substance begins to destroy the red corpuscles (platelets). Stops supplying the brain with blood, possible full cardiac arrest.
  • Of a person's kidney are not doing their task of cleansing the blood of foreign substances: blood appears in the urine.

Disorder of the digestive system during intoxication household cleaning products leads to paralysis of smooth muscles of internal organs.

First aid for poisoning

If you suspect that a person poisoned with household chemicals, you must immediately call the ambulance. The lack of immediate hospitalization or refusal of treatment will lead to irreversible disruption of all body systems. A harmless cough, which appeared in the first stage of poisoning in a few hours can result in respiratory failure.

While the ambulance is in transit, you need to contact the Manager and ask for a phone nurse. He will tell you what treatment measures to relatives of the victim may spend in the near future.

Poisoning by chemicals is often accompanied by loss of consciousness. You need to provide fresh air to the victim and lay him on his side. Do not induce vomiting in case of intoxication:

  1. Acids, alkalis, nitrogen, chlorine.
  2. Unknown toxic compound.
  3. Household cleaning products containing acetone or gasoline.

If vomiting occurs, these substances cause swelling of the larynx and esophagus, which will inevitably lead to respiratory failure. Gastric lavage will only be able doctor using a special probe. What can be done before the arrival of the doctor:

  • if there is a poisoning with acids, dilute 5 tablespoons of baking soda in one liter of water and give the patient 50 ml every 10 minutes. During intoxication acidic household cleaning products helps milk: the patient needs to give a SIP of milk every 10-15 minutes;
  • if the poisoning is caused by caustic alkalis, dilute in a liter of water 4 tablespoons of 3% vinegar and give the victim a solution of 1 teaspoon every 15 minutes. Helps vegetable oil – 1 tablespoon to be taken every half hour;
  • give the patient 1-2 glasses of water. A greater amount of fluid will cause unwanted vomiting;
  • to clean the oral cavity with the help of wet towels;
  • flush eyes with clean water.

Potent poisons contained in household products that can cause serious poisoning with severe complications. If symptoms appear you should not start self – treatment it can be deadly. Only experienced physicians can conduct a quick and effective drug therapy, and if necessary, resuscitation.