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Everyone knows that any chemicals are extremely hazardous to health and can cause serious illness. Many are sure that only carcinogens, poisons, pesticides can harm the body. In fact, even the most common paint can cause poisoning.
Almost every family at least once every few years is engaged in painting any details in the house, on the site or in the country. Most people neglect safety rules: they paint something without protective masks, gloves and other necessary means. The result of such neglect is poisoning with paint fumes.
Poisoning is acute and chronic. Acute most often occurs in the summer, when ordinary people who neglect safety rules are engaged in painting products. Chronic poisoning can be found in professionals who work almost daily with dyes. In this case, the symptoms are not always noticeable. A person develops chronic fatigue, which does not disappear even after a long rest. In such a situation, it is necessary to visit a doctor to avoid undesirable consequences.
The most dangerous among the paint components are solvents: toluene, butanol and others. They irritate the skin, mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and mouth, as they are highly volatile. Getting into the respiratory tract and lungs, these components can cause many respiratory diseases, pathologies of other organs and systems, and allergic reactions in those who are predisposed to them. Once in the body in large quantities, the solvent can cause acute intoxication. It should be noted that the maximum permissible concentration, which characterizes the degree of danger of the solvent, is individual for each individual substance.
Often, poisoning from paint fumes occurs during painting work: painting various surfaces, working with a dye in enclosed spaces, in rooms with high temperatures, and working without special protective equipment. You can also get poisoned when using low-quality materials, when burning and scraping off painted interior elements.
Symptoms of poisoning
There are such symptoms of acute paint poisoning: blue skin, nausea, vomiting, confusion, dizziness, headache, cough, general weakness. Also, a person may experience a burning sensation in the eyes, tinnitus, sore throat. In addition, signs of poisoning characteristic of a particular paint component may be added to the general symptoms. For example, when acetone is inhaled, the nervous system is affected. Externally, the clinic is similar to intoxication. When intoxicated with butyl acetate, a person has a burning sensation of the nasopharynx, mouth and eyes.
In the chronic form, general well-being worsens, mood decreases, nausea, heartburn appear, stool and sleep are disturbed. Chronic poisoning is also characterized by an unproductive cough.
Danger of paint poisoning
When intoxicated with paint vapors, first of all, the internal organs suffer, the cardiovascular and respiratory systems are affected. In the absence of the opportunity to provide urgent medical care, a person may develop certain disorders in the body. The level of arterial pressure decreases, the heartbeat quickens. Thus, the body provides a full blood supply. As a result, cardiovascular failure may occur.
Due to the burn of the mucous membranes, respiratory failure may occur. If the paint gets inside the body, then the esophagus and stomach are affected. The pancreas suffers from this and problems with the kidneys and liver develop. In addition, the victim may have impaired vision, as paint vapors irritate the mucous membrane of the eyes.
Help with paint poisoning
If at least one of the alarming symptoms occurs while working with paint, you should immediately take precautions. First of all, immediately leave the room and go outside. If this is not possible, then you need to open all the windows, doors, so that a draft appears. In this case, the victim must be covered with a blanket, since heat is necessary in case of poisoning. You should also provide a person with water.
You need to drink as much as possible, because along with the liquid, all toxins are removed from the body. It is important to remember that the drink should be warm. You can give just pure water or herbal infusion. It will not be superfluous to give a few activated charcoal tablets to drink. Doctors recommend drinking a solution of smectite in case of poisoning.
Smecta is a sorbent that removes toxic substances from the body. It should be drunk throughout the day. It is important to understand that in case of poisoning, you should consult a doctor even if the condition of the victim has returned to normal. Only a specialist can correctly assess the degree of intoxication and prescribe the necessary treatment.
If the person is unconscious, they should be placed on their side. To bring the victim to his senses, he is given a stable position and brought to his face with cotton wool soaked in ammonia.
When the victim does not come to his senses, and his breathing has slowed down or is not felt at all, artificial respiration should be given immediately. If the pulse is not palpable, then you need to start an indirect heart massage. Ideal if both massage and artificial respiration will be done by 2 people at once. The life of a person depends on these actions in an emergency.
In a medical institution, the victim is provided with all the necessary assistance. To begin with, a complete examination is carried out to identify complications. Doctors also need to find out what toxins have entered the body. This is necessary for the treatment – depending on the components of the paint, a certain therapy is prescribed.
In addition, in a hospital, the patient is given glucose or saline, the stomach is washed, and all necessary measures are taken to cleanse the lungs of toxic substances. Also prescribed drugs that support the work of the heart and blood vessels. Additionally, vitamin therapy is also carried out.
Prevention of paint vapor poisoning
In order to avoid poisoning during painting work, all safety rules must be observed. First of all, work with a mask that should be changed after a certain time. This is necessary if the amount of work is large.
Painting should be done outdoors in good weather or in a well ventilated area. During work, be sure to take breaks – approximately every hour and a half, move away from the object of painting and rest for half an hour.
Paint vapor poisoning is an extremely dangerous condition that requires only professional medical assistance. You can not self-medicate and rely on traditional medicine. Only a specialist can help a person and not harm health.