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Digestive
- The presence of blood in the stool.
- Burns, possible openings or sores in the throat and esophagus (swallowing tube).
- Severe pain in the abdomen and stomach.
- Rewind, sometimes accompanied by blood.
Heart and circulatory system
- Low blood pressure, which causes rapid shock to the body.
- Heart palpitations and a feeling of severe weakness.
Lungs and airways
- Breathe with great difficulty.
- Swollen throat, causes difficulty breathing as well.
Skin
- Skin burns.
- Erosion of skin cells or tissues underneath.
- Severe skin irritation.
The severity of symptoms of poisoning with household cleaners depends on several factors:
- The product itself, it may be a simple product that does not contain very strong chemical compounds. It may be a strong product containing strong corrosive acids such as benzalkonium chloride or highly toxic amine oxide.
- The amount that the person swallowed or inhaled.
- The length of time during which contact between a person and the chemical occurred.
Home care in case of poisoning with chemical detergents
The first thing to do when suspecting a poisoning is to call an emergency or poison control center immediately. And even then there should take into account some important things:
- A common mistake that many people make, as it seems like an obvious solution from their point of view, is to try to make the person vomit, which gives the chemical a chance to return again on the same tissue and multiply the damage.
- Don't force the person to vomit, but if they vomit, turn their head to the side to prevent choking.
- Wear gloves and discard clothing that may contain toxic substance residues.
- Also of any toxic residue that may be stuck to the skin, by washing the skin for 15 to 20 minutes to 20 minutes with tap water.
- Also, remove any remnants of the toxic substance from the mouth if the person has swallowed it.
- Wash the eyes when you notice that they are exposed to any of the toxic substance, also by washing them with water for 20 minutes.
- Read the instructions on the detergent packaging and find out the special instructions in case of poisoning.
- It’s also worth noting that drinking milk doesn’t cure symptoms of poisoning, and you shouldn’t try to give someone who has been poisoned milk or water unless advised to do so by your health care provider.
- If help doesn't arrive, if the person doesn't respond, performs CPR immediately.
Treatment methods used in cases of chemical detergent poisoning
Treatment of poisoning with household detergents depends on the type of chemical contained in the detergent.
Treatment may include the following steps:
- Put the person on a respirator and supply them with the oxygen needed for their regular breathing.
- Give him some painkillers.
- As well as supplying the person with the necessary fluids intravenously.
- Treatment for skin burns and irritation, if any.
- Examination of the lungs and airways with a dedicated endoscope.
- The food tube and stomach are also examined with an instrument known as an endoscope.
Detergent poisoning may affect severely a person’s health, so treatment must be expedited in order to avoid serious complications such as damage to the brain or any of the body’s organs, and even loss of life as well.
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