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| Home > Healthy People > January 2004 |
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Winter 2004
Is it the flu or carbon monoxide poisoning?
Know the symptoms
 You can’t see or smell carbon
monoxide, but at high levels it can kill a person in minutes. Carbon
monoxide (CO) is produced whenever any fuel such as gas, oil, kerosene,
wood, or charcoal is burned. If appliances that burn fuel are maintained
and used properly, the amount of CO produced is usually not hazardous.
However, if appliances are not working properly or are used incorrectly,
dangerous levels of CO can result. Hundreds of people die accidentally
every year from CO poisoning caused by malfunctioning or improperly used
fuel-burning appliances. Even more die from CO produced by idling cars.
Pregnant women, infants, elderly people and people with anemia or with a
history of heart or respiratory disease can be especially susceptible.
Prevention Dos and Don’ts
• Have your fuel-burning appliances, including oil and gas furnaces, gas
water heaters, gas ranges and ovens, gas dryers, gas or kerosene space
heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves, inspected by a trained professional
at the beginning of every heating season. Make certain that the flues and
chimneys are connected, in good condition, and not blocked.
• Choose appliances that vent fumes to the outside whenever possible, have
them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers’
instructions. Read and follow all of the instructions that accompany any
fuel-burning device.
• If you cannot avoid using an unvented gas or kerosene space heater,
carefully follow the cautions that come with the device. Use the proper
fuel and keep doors to the rest of the house open. Crack a window to
ensure enough air for ventilation and proper fuel-burning.
• Don’t idle your car in a garage, even if the garage door to the outside
is open. Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of
your home.
• Don’t use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.
• Never use a charcoal grill indoors, even in a fireplace.
• Don’t sleep in any room with an unvented gas or kerosene space heater.
Don’t use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow
blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces.
Don’t ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling
them.
• Carbon monoxide detectors are widely available in stores and you may
want to consider buying one as a back-up but not as a replacement for
proper use and maintenance of your fuel-burning appliances. Purchase the
kind you plug into the wall, not the kind that requires batteries.
Symptoms
At moderate levels, you or your family can get severe headaches, become
dizzy, confused, nauseated, or faint. You can even die if these levels
persist for a long time. Low levels can cause shortness of breath, mild
nausea, and mild headaches, and may have longer term effects on your
health. Since many of these symptoms are similar to those of the flu, food
poisoning, or other illnesses, you may not think that CO poisoning could
be the cause. If you experience symptoms that you think could be from CO
poisoning,
• Get fresh air immediately. Open doors and windows, turn off combustion
appliances and leave the house.
• Get to an emergency room and tell the physician you suspect you may have
CO poisoning. If you are unable to drive, go to a neighbor’s house and ask
them to call 911. If CO poisoning has occurred, it can often be diagnosed
by a blood test.
• Be prepared to answer the following questions for the health care
provider:
• Do your symptoms occur only in the house? Do they disappear or decrease
when you leave home and reappear when you return?
• Is anyone else in your household complaining of similar symptoms? Did
everyone’s symptoms appear about the same time?
• Are you using any fuel-burning appliances in the home?
• Has anyone inspected your appliances lately? Are you certain they are
working properly?
If your carbon monoxide detector alarm goes off:
Make sure it is your carbon monoxide detector and not your smoke detector.
• Check to see if any member of the household is experiencing symptoms of
poisoning.
• If they are, get them out of the house immediately and seek medical
attention. Tell the doctor that you suspect CO poisoning.
• If no one is feeling symptoms, ventilate the home with fresh air, turn
off all potential sources of carbon monoxide such as your oil or gas
furnace, gas water heater, gas range and oven, gas dryer, gas or kerosene
space heater and any vehicle or small engine.
• Have a qualified technician, such as one from Springfield City Utilities
or your local utilities provider, inspect your fuel-burning appliances and
chimneys to make sure they are operating correctly and that there is
nothing blocking the fumes from being vented out of the house.
Have a question for Dr. Clark? Alan Clark, M.D., is available to answer
questions concerning general medical topics. Ask Dr. Clark is for the
purpose of disseminating health-related information and is not intended
for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Please consult your
physician before undertaking or adopting any form of medical treatment,
exercise program or dietary plan.
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