Watermelon poisoning: symptoms and treatment at home

Watermelon – many favorite berry. It contains large amounts of vitamins and minerals. Poisoning watermelon develops due to improper growing and storage. In this article, we considered the poisoning watermelon, symptoms and treatment of this condition.

Causes of watermelon poisoning

Is it possible to poison the watermelon? This berry consists of 99% water. During its maturation it absorbs all the substances in the soil, including nitrates, pesticides.

Below you can get acquainted with the main causes of the development of watermelon poisoning.

• Fertilization of soil in which to grow watermelons, means contributing to the rapid growth of the berries and increase in size. Such fertilizers contain a lot of nitrates. Being absorbed into the soil, they are absorbed in the watermelon flesh. Nitrates are very harmful for the human body. They cause acute poisoning and severe intoxication.
• Eating spoiled, rotten watermelon. This berry spoils quickly in violation of the integrity of the rind, and also when storing in a heated, well-lit rooms.

The main symptoms of poisoning watermelon

The first signs of poisoning watermelon develop within 2-6 hours of eating. The severity of the condition and the severity of symptoms depends on the amount eaten and the degree of contamination of watermelon with nitrates.

Please note that children watermelon poisoning is more severe than in adults. The first symptoms in children can appear in an hour after a meal.

The main symptoms of watermelon poisoning:

• feeling of General weakness, aches in the body develops as a result of strong intoxication syndrome;
• severe pain and spasms in the abdomen;
• nausea and subsequent vomiting;
• abundant and repeated diarrhea. Its frequency may reach 15 times a day. Such diarrhea leads to severe dehydration;
• the increase in body temperature to subfebrile figures (37-37,5);
• headache and dizziness;
• palpitations (tachycardia).

If poisoning is severe, it may decrease the blood pressure, appear shortness of breath. Breathing becomes frequent and superficial, the patient complains of dimness in his eyes, his skin pales and takes on a blue tint. In the stool may appear blood.

What are the dangers of watermelon poisoning

Poisoning watermelon may cause pathological conditions listed below.

• Gastrointestinal bleeding that develops as a result of irritation of the mucous membrane of nitrates and toxins. To this complication are more likely suffering from chronic gastritis and peptic ulcer disease. Gastrointestinal bleeding manifested by the following symptoms:

1. vomiting black;
2. meleney – black stools;
3. a sharp decrease in blood pressure;
4. the darkening of the eyes;
5. loss of consciousness;
6. tachycardia;
7. cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes.

• Acute pancreatitis – inflammation of pancreas in which there is necrotic death of its tissues. The disease can be cured surgically. Main symptoms:

1. girdle acute pain in the abdomen;
2. increasing the temperature to 39.5 C;
3. purple spots on the skin of the abdomen;
4. uncontrollable profuse vomiting and diarrhea.

• Hypoxia is a condition in which the body does not receive the required amount of oxygen. Nitrates can destroy the hemoglobin – protein that binds oxygen molecules and using red blood cells transports it into tissues and organs. The main symptoms of hypoxia:

1. blue discoloration of the skin;
2. weakness;
3. tachycardia;
4. the darkening of the eyes.

First aid if poisoning watermelon

What to do in case of poisoning of watermelon? Treatment of this condition should be performed by physicians. When the first symptoms of intoxication watermelon need to call an ambulance. While you're doctors, you can begin to provide first aid to the victim.

Remember that self-medication of a watermelon poisoning can lead to severe disorders in the body.

Steps of first aid for poisoning a watermelon is described below.

The cleansing of the stomach

To wash out the stomach can home. This requires gulp drink a liter of table water-neutral (room) temperature and provoke a vomiting. This procedure is better to repeat several times.

With the help of washing can prevent the absorption into the bloodstream of nitrates that remain in the stomach, and reduce the intoxication syndrome.

Enema

Enema is an effective remedy for quick colon cleanse from toxins and remnants of the watermelon. Use enemas only clean water at room temperature. It is strictly forbidden to add medication or herbs into the solution for bowel cleansing at home. Enema should be carried out before the advent of clean wash water.

Sorbents

After washing the stomach can take the sorbents. This drug, which bind, neutralize and excrete toxins, including nitrates. Before their reception it is necessary to read the rules of dispensing. All drugs selection of doses is different. Some are calculated by weight and some by age.

Sorbents should be takensufficient amount of water. The drugs work more quickly.

The names of sorbents:

• activated carbon;
• APSCO;
• smectite;
• enterosgel;
• sorbex;
• white charcoal.

Drink plenty of liquids

The body in cases of poisoning suffers from loss of fluids, dehydration. For poisoning a watermelon you can drink simple or mineral drinking water, sweet black tea. Also to combat the dehydration can be taken regidron. It comes in bags. Composition regidron like solutions for droppers. One sachet is diluted regidrona liter of water.

For poisoning a watermelon you need to drink little and often. If the patient is sick, he pulls all drunk, wait for the ambulance. Doctors will put a drip.

Peace and fresh air

Open in the room where the patient is located, Windows and provide him the peace and quiet. Before the arrival of doctors, make sure he doesn't choke on her own vomit.

Aid to the victim

The ambulance arrived on call, assess the patient's condition and render him first aid, which may consist of:

• gastric lavage through the probe, is made for children up to 3 years, which is difficult to clean the stomach in the usual way;
• setting the drip to treat dehydration. This is done by setting an intravenous catheter. Can be used in different solutions (Trisol, reopoliglyukin, glucose, disol);
• the introduction of anesthetics and antiemetic drugs helps to reduce intestinal spasms and calm the nausea;
• regulation of the cardiovascular system is carried out using drugs that increase blood pressure, eliminate heart palpitations.

Treatment of poisoning watermelon is most often performed in the hospital. The duration of hospitalization depends on the patient's condition and presence of complications.

Examination of the patient

For the correct diagnosis and identify the pathology of internal organs, the doctor may order additional laboratory or instrumental examinations:

• General full blood count is needed to detect anemia, inflammation in the body;
• urinalysis helps to explore the kidneys, which may be violated due to the action of nitrates;
• ultrasound examination of internal organs performed to identify pathology of the liver, pancreas, kidneys;
• gastroscopy is indicated for the development of the symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding;
• biochemical analysis of blood is needed to diagnose and electrolyte shifts, dysfunction of the liver and kidneys.

Please note that to immediately throw a watermelon, which poisoned the people, do not need. May require laboratory examination to identify the substance that caused the intoxication.

How can you protect yourself from watermelon poisoning

How not to poison watermelon and correctly choose the fruit? Buying a watermelon, you can't be 100% sure of its safety. The following are recommendations that can help you reduce the risk of poisoning watermelon.

• Do not buy early water-melons. The season of this fruit - the end of August and September. This is the time sing the fruit, not treated with nitrates. Early watermelons that arrive on store shelves in June and July, are grown using fertilizers and growth enhancers.
• Choose a watermelon is not large in size, weighing up to 8 kg. When growing large fruit can be used chemicals.
• Before buying the watermelon carefully inspect the peel integrity. Damaged berries can be spoiled and rotten.

Remember that, in order to prevent the poisoning of watermelon the baby, try first bought the fruit. Let's watermelon children 6 hours after your tasting.

Poisoning with watermelon is dangerous to humans. It develops as a result of eating spoiled or not properly grown the fruit. The first symptoms develop 2-6 hours after a meal. Watermelon poisoning can lead to serious complications. Its treatment should be by doctors. Self-treatment is strictly prohibited.