First aid for poisoning by mercury and its vapors

Poisoning mercury vapor is one of the most dangerous and difficult types of portable intoxication. Inhalation of mercury vapor can develop various serious diseases, until the occurrence of dementia. To minimize the risk of unwanted effects, you need to know which actions to pursue first and how to provide first aid in case of poisoning with mercury.

Important! If you have broken a thermometer in the house, you should not attempt to collect grains of metal without gloves, and even more to use a broom. Chance to poison stronger increases several times.

Characteristic symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning

The most common household poisoning mercury metal is spilled from a thermometer. If there are symptoms such as:

• The irritability of the respiratory tract (cough, rhinitis);
• Frequent loose stools;
• Nausea, vomiting, pain in different locations in the gastrointestinal tract.

It may have to be exactly this kind of poisoning.

For more severe mercury poisoning disturbances of the nervous system. Symptoms:

• Sleepiness;
• Headaches;
• Often alternating periods of excitation.

There are times when there is the feeling of the metal in the mouth, excess salivation, bleeding gums. In such cases it is necessary to seek help from a doctor.

Chronic intoxication

Sometimes there are situations when the poisoning occurs over a long period of time. This exposure appears chronic intoxication. Her typical symptoms are:

• The person becomes very boring;
• There is constant weakness;
• Jump in the mood;
• Pressing headaches.

In addition to these symptoms, there potrazivanja of limbs, eyelids nervous. The person becomes highly irritable, inattentive, him often I want to go to the toilet. Increased sweating, lost of taste and olfactory sensations. Appear pressure surges, disturbed heart rhythm.

As you can see, you need to be very careful in life to avoid spill of mercury. The consequences can be very sad. This insidious this chemical element. Mercury influences its toxic vapors, to all the organs of the human body, especially in gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system, liver, kidneys, skin, eyes.

Similarly, if the poisoning occurred?

Sometimes there are situations that a person can not understand the poisoning occurred or not. This is due to the fact that the first symptoms of the penetration of the poison in the body, similar to the common cold (runny nose, headache, cough). As well as poisoning to mercury vapor, similar to the effect of other metals.

In any case, should seek medical help. The doctor will conduct a blood test, which accurately determines the presence of this poison in the body. If a disorder is found, the doctor prescribes an individual course of treatment.

What complications can occur when poisoning with mercury vapors

Basically complications may occur with chronic poisoning. Most susceptible to this kind of poisoning — pregnant women and children. The consequences of long exposure to toxic poison appears at violation of:

• Of the entire nervous system;
• Coordination and motor skills;
• Processes of the kidneys and the entire digestive system.

There are also acute poisoning with mercury vapors, which arise from the immediate impact of the metal on the body. Symptoms of acute mercury poisoning are the following: occurrence of stomatitis, respiratory tract, dysfunction of the nervous system.

If you do not seek medical help, there may come a lethal outcome. Therefore, you must conduct all activities on first aid and refer to a specialist.

Measures first aid

If you find the above symptoms of poisoning and the poisoned condition worsens, then you must take the following measures:

• To call an ambulance;
• To move the victim out of the room, where there was otdalenii;
• Ensure to drink plenty of liquids to the patient. This method is the rapid removal of toxins from the body;
• To give a sideways position so he could not choke on vomit;
• The victim can lose consciousness, so it is necessary to monitor the patient sank language;
• To ventilate the room.

In such situations, it is important to remain calm and not to panic before the arrival of specialists. Otherwise, you can worse to harm the victim's condition.

Broken thermometer - first aid

As the mercury is very toxic and is able for a long time to produce toxic substances, after you have crashed a thermometer it is necessary to clean the room, which spilled metal. So, what to do?

• To get the kids out of the room, where broken thermometer - the children very quickly come to the symptoms of mercury vapor poisoning, so follow them carefully and call an ambulance.
• To ensure ventilation of the room, but to close all doors to couples are unable to penetrate into other rooms.
• Under the door (to closecrack) put a towel soaked in solution of potassium permanganate.
• All who are in the room with mercury should wear motomarine bandages or respirators.
• Wear household rubber gloves, carefully collect the mercury beads into a plastic bag or glass jar.
• Do not use if cleaning a vacuum cleaner or a broom.
• Wipe the floor with the use of potassium permanganate or chlorine.

Collect the balls of the preferred paper leaves folded in the form of envelopes.

These measures will help to reduce concentrations of toxic fumes. The collected mercury can be independently sent in the exterminators, or stir the metal with bleach, pour this entire mixture in a plastic bag, and bury it in the ground.

Prevention of mercury poisoning

According to statistics, nowadays it is difficult to poisonous mercury vapors. Mainly toxic metal can be found in the following instruments/products:

• Mercury thermometers;
• Fluorescent lamp;
• Some of the seafood.

Importantly, when using the listed appliances and the use of products to comply with safety rules. Try not to use these lamps - now they were replaced with led fixtures. Mercury thermometers can be replaced by electronic, the benefit of the latter not inferior to the accuracy of readings. And the choice of seafood - try to choose products from proven manufacturers.

If you have children, you need to be very careful! Do not leave unattended and leave in the availability of thermometers.

All these rules will help to avoid severe toxicity and reduce toxicity. Mercury is a metal that requires special treatment and is not advisable in the house to have the items it contains. And the people who work in industries that use the metal, it is obligatory to undergo a medical examination at least twice a year.

What happens if you swallow mercury

In fact, the ingress of mercury into the body through food is not dangerous. I.e. if you swallow the contents of a thermometer, then nothing will happen (of course, if it's not very large doses of metal). Dangerous pair that emits mercury, the metal will not cause harm to the body.