Poisoning

Poisons damage the body cells. Poisonous substances include household products, certain plants and medications.

Methods of poisoning
Poisoning can be due to inhaling, ingestion, splashing on eyes or skin or may be injected or caused by bites like snake bite.

Accidental poisoning
Around 85% cases of poisoning occur at home and are accidental. Elderly people and children are at a higher risk of getting accidentally poisoned.

Intentional poisoning
This kind of poisoning may be done deliberately by taking overdose of medicines such as over-the-counter medicines or paracetamol.

Causes

Poisoning can be due to the following items
-Prescribed medicines and drugs
-Household products like carpet cleaner and liquid soap
-DIY products like wallpaper paste and emulsion paint
-Cosmetics like shampoo and baby oil
-Garden objects like soil and compost
-Garden chemicals like petrol and weed killer
-Plants
Some plants such as mushroom, toadstools and fungi may be poisonous
-Snakes and insects
-Food
-Carbon monoxide
It is an odourless and poisonous gas and may cause death in some cases.

Symptoms

The symptoms that develop on poisoning depend on the substances and quantity taken. Some common symptoms caused by poisoning are

– diarrhoea
-vomiting
-nausea
-abdominal pain
-dizziness or sleepiness
-difficulty in swallowing
-headache
-chills
-production of saliva more than normal
-loss of appetite
-double or hazy vision
-burns around the mouth or nose
-skin rash
-coma
-seizures

Some specific symptoms of poisoning due to overdose of medicine are

-Paracetamol
The symptoms of poisoning due to overdose of paracetamol are
>vomiting
>nausea
>feeling unwell
>pain in the upper abdomen
>jaundice
>drowsiness
>confusion
>coma

-Aspirin

Symptoms caused by overdose of aspirin are

>vomiting
>rapid breathing
>nausea
>fever
>tinnitus
>disorientation
>sweating
>seizures
>coma
>lethargy
>abdominal pain

Tricyclic antidepressants

The symptoms of overdose of Tricyclic antidepressants are

>confusion
>dry mouth
>fever
>excitability
>pupil dilation
>irregular hear beat
>coma
>seizures
>heart rhythm disorder
>low blood pressure

Beta blockers
The symptoms that arise due to overdose of beta blockers depends on the type and may be serious such as low blood pressure, dizziness and bradycardia.

Calcium channel blockers
The following symptoms are seen on taking overdose of calcium channel blockers
>sleepiness
>pain in the chest
>confusion
>hypotension
>peripheral cyanosis
>respiratory distress
>coma

Treatment

Immediate medical help should be taken on consuming a poisonous substance. Some actions are necessary to be done while waiting for the medical help. These should be done under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

Some actions that need to be done are

-The person who has consumed the poisonous substance should be forced to vomit. It should be done on the advice of a healthcare professional.

-A child who is poisoned is given milk. This is sometimes advised by the doctor but it should be done on advice by a healthcare professional.

Insect and snake bites

If a person is bit by a poisonous snake, the area affected should be kept still to prevent the spread of he venom. Immediate medical help should be taken and generally anti-venom treatment is done in such a case. The sting of the insect should be carefully removed if bit by an insect. If the itching and redness do not improve in 48 hours, one must consult the doctor.