First aid for mushroom poisoning

Mushrooms are not only a valuable addition to the diet, but for some individuals, their collection also turns into an exciting hobby. However, novice mushroom pickers often do not fully understand the various varieties of mushrooms, which leads to the consumption of poisonous representatives of this genus. It should be understood that buying fresh mushrooms on the market or in any non-certified establishment, as well as picking them on your own, often leads to severe poisoning, which can be fatal. Therefore, it is necessary to know how to recognize the signs of mushroom poisoning, how to provide first aid for mushroom intoxication, and also how to protect yourself from possible poisoning.

Causes and types of mushroom intoxication

Mushrooms are representatives of wildlife that combine the characteristics of animals and plants. Although this is an incredibly tasty dish, it is not recommended to consume it in large quantities, as they are an indigestible product for the human intestines. It is especially undesirable to eat them for pregnant women and nursing mothers, young children, as well as the elderly.

The most common cause of mushroom poisoning is the inexperience of mushroom pickers, due to which poisonous samples fall on the table, and then into the human body. The second most common cause is considered to be improper cooking of mushrooms, especially their conditionally edible representatives.

You can also get poisoned by old mushrooms, or those that are collected in ecologically dirty places.

There are four types of poisoning by poisonous and conditionally edible mushrooms, which are usually classified according to the type of mushroom.

The first type includes pale toadstools and poisoning caused by eating them. These inconspicuous mushrooms are often confused with russula or champignons. Representatives of the pale grebe contain phalloidins and amanitins, which are the strongest toxins that, once in the human body, cause severe intoxication, ending in most cases with a fatal outcome. These toxins are not destroyed by any kind of processing, and therefore are considered deadly.

The second type includes fly agaric, containing mycoatropine, muscarine and fly venom. This mushroom is easily recognizable by its red cap with white spots. But, oddly enough, this is not the most poisonous of the fly agarics. More dangerous in this regard are its other representatives: porphyry, white, panther and yellow fly agaric. Children and the elderly, as well as those who have heart or kidney problems, most often suffer from fly agaric poisoning. Mortality in case of fly agaric poisoning reaches two to three percent. A lethal outcome is noted with a large number of mushrooms eaten and occurs after about six to twelve hours.

Lines belong to the third type. Their representatives are very similar in appearance to morels, but have a wrinkled, walnut-like hat. The lines contain a strong toxin – gelvellic acid, which has a pronounced hemolytic effect and neurotropic toxins. Deaths from line poisoning occur in thirty percent of cases, especially in children.

The fourth type is made up of conditionally edible mushrooms, which include all representatives of the kingdom that have milky juice in their composition: false mushrooms, nigella, volnushki, pigs, russula and others. Such mushrooms, when consumed, also cause intoxication of the body, but do not lead to the death of the patient.

You should be aware that edible mushrooms, which are collected in ecologically polluted areas – near factories, along highways, in the nuclear power plant zone, also cause serious poisoning. The fact is that mushrooms have the ability to absorb all kinds of harmful and toxic substances and radiation from their habitats. In addition, the use of edible, but old mushrooms also leads to severe intoxication and in some cases fatal.

Symptoms and signs of mushroom poisoning

The very first symptoms of mushroom intoxication appear one and a half to two hours after consumption. In some cases, mushroom poisoning may not manifest itself in any way for two days.

Signs that indicate mushroom poisoning include:

• headaches and dizziness;
• increase in body temperature up to 38-40 ° C;
• severe pain in the abdomen;
• vomiting and nausea, disorders of the digestive system: diarrhea, diarrhea;
• the development of inflammatory processes in the intestines and stomach;
• sensation of coldness in the extremities;
• bradycardia and general weakness.

Severe intoxication, caused for the most part by the use of poisonous representatives, is expressed in the following symptoms:

• increased drowsiness;
• lack of urination, anuria;
• gospel disease, jaundice;
• respiratory failure, pulmonary edema;
• hallucinatory delirium, mental disorders;
• constriction of the pupils;
• increased sweating, salivation, severe diarrhea;
• violation of cardiac activity;
• to whom.

If the patient is not provided with medical care in time and qualified treatment is not started, the result of such poisoning is coma and death.

Botulism and its symptoms

Mushrooms that have undergone improper cooking, for example, during conservation, can lead to botulism, a serious infectious-toxic disease that affects the human nervous system. A pathogen that produces a toxin dangerous to the body enters along with soil pollution. Thus, it turns out that insufficient or poor-quality processing of products before seaming – poor washing, cleaning or boiling, leads to the entry of botulism toxins into the body.

Symptoms that indicate the development of botulism are manifested in:

• vomiting, nausea, diarrhea;
• visual impairment;
• shortness of breath, shortness of breath;
• headache, dizziness;
• dry mouth;
• convulsive syndrome.

The first signs of such a disease begin to appear approximately on the second or third day after the use of conservation. Botulism is a dangerous and deadly disease, so if you have any alarming symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

First aid for mushroom poisoning

In any case, the first thing to do if mushroom poisoning is suspected is to call an ambulance. In the meantime, the doctors get to their destination, you can try to provide first aid to the sick person. It consists of the following activities:

1. Mandatory observance of bed rest, with chills, the victim must be wrapped warmly.
2. Drinking large amounts of liquid. Plentiful drink promotes the speedy removal of toxins from the body, cleanses the stomach well. This item is especially important if the patient has diarrhea and vomiting, which severely dehydrate the body, which is also fraught with serious consequences. Of the drinks, pure mineral water at room temperature, saline solutions, rehydron, chilled green tea, and a weak solution of potassium permanganate are most suitable.
3. Reception of enterosorbents that absorb and remove poisons and toxins from the body. These include enterosgel, activated carbon, atoxil, smecta, white coal and others.
4. If the patient does not vomit and urge to go to the toilet, it is imperative to put a cleansing enema, give a laxative and induce vomiting mechanically.
5. Provide symptomatic treatment to the patient. In case of violation of respiratory functions, high temperature and dehydration of the body, drug correction of such conditions is possible, after consultation with a doctor. In severe cases, intravenous glucose and insulin may be required, as well as hemodialysis and blood transfusion.

To make an accurate diagnosis, it is not recommended to throw away the mushrooms that caused the poisoning. It is necessary to give them to the doctor for examination.

The provision of first aid greatly facilitates the patient’s condition and recovery in such cases occurs quite quickly. Around the second or third day. In advanced cases, with very severe intoxication, therapy and the rehabilitation period can take about a month.

You need to know that in no case should you drink alcoholic beverages when poisoning with mushrooms. You need to stop smoking, heavy fatty foods. The daily diet should be dominated by boiled vegetables, light soups and fruits.

Prevention and prevention of mushroom poisoning

There are some simple rules, following which, when buying mushrooms on the market or picking them on your own, you can prevent possible poisoning:

1. It is necessary to collect only those mushrooms that are very well known. At the slightest doubt about the edibility of the product, you should not touch it.
2. When buying mushrooms on the market, you should not blindly trust the seller. If you do not know how to distinguish different types of forest representatives yourself, take with you the person who owns this knowledge.
3. You should not eat raw mushrooms, even if you are completely sure of their edibility.
4. Feel free to discard moldy, wormy, shriveled or old mushrooms.
5. Do not pick mushrooms along highways, factories, landfills.
6. When buying mushrooms, be sure to ask where they were collected.
7. The processing of mushrooms must be started immediately, without delay.
8. After the products have been washed and cleaned, it is necessary to cut them and leave them in cold water for about twenty minutes.
9. Then boil for twenty minutes in salted water. Pour out the decoction immediately. After that, the mushrooms are ready for further processing.

Conclusions

Mushroom poisoning occurs quite often. Old people, children and pregnant women are especially susceptible to mushroom intoxication. Poisoning with fungal toxins leads to serious consequences, so the victim needs to take first aid measures as soon as possible and take them to the doctor as soon as possible. Timely treatment and timely assistance provided almost always lead to a speedy recovery of the patient. Otherwise, poisoning with these forest gifts leads to death.

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