Yesterday we talked about the fourteen things that RV users can do to prevent being exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning. Today we are going to review what symptoms a person with carbon monoxide might have.
Since, carbon monoxide is odorless, tasteless and invisible it is important to identify symptoms if you are exposed. There are three main levels of exposure mild, moderate, and severe.
If a person is mildly exposed to carbon monoxide they will experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and blurred vision. But “mild exposure” may not mean that there can’t be significant brain or other organ damage. The term “winter headache” is used because people get headaches from faulty heating systems in the winter. But as the last few weeks of news have shown, you can get a “winter headache” in the summer as well as the “winter heart attack”, too. http://codamage.com/carbon_monoxide_poisoning/carbon_monoxide_unexplained_heart_attacks.html
If a person is moderately exposed to carbon monoxide they will experience confusion, syncope (which is partial or complete loss of consciousness without being fully aware of where you are – or fainting), chest pains, dyspnea (shortness of breath), weakness, tachycardia (rapid heart beats), tachypnea ( abnormally fast breathing) and rhabdomyolis ( a condition in which the muscle cells break down and release contents of muscle into the bloodstream)
If a person is severely exposed to carbon monoxide they will experience palpitations ( an abnormal awareness of beating of the heart whether it is too slow, too fast, irregular, or at its normal frequency), dysrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), hypotension (low blood pressure), myocardial ischemia or angina (a painful heart condition caused by lack of blood flow to heart), cardiac arrest, noncardiogenic pulmonary edema, seizures and comas.
It is important to not wait until your symptoms worsen if you experiencing any of these symptoms. If you believe you have been exposed please go to the emergency room and get checked. But a so called “clean bill of health” from the ER may not be an all clear. Delayed symptoms of carbon monoxide exposure can lead to serious permanent damage that can affect your heart, brain and other parts of your body.
For more information on carbon monoxide delayed effects please read:
http://codamage.com/carbon_monoxide_poisoning/carbon_monoxide_delayed_onset.html
Fourteen Safety Tips For RV User to Help Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Since it is important for RV users to know how they can prevent carbon monoxide poisoning we have found a useful list of recommendations to ensure RV travelers are safer.
This information came from Carbon Monoxide Kills, a site that started the Carbon Monoxide Kills Awareness Campaign in 1999. They are strong advocates for carbon monoxide poisoning prevention. Their website can be viewed at: www.carbonmonoxidekills.com
These are the fourteen steps that can be taken to prevent carbon monoxide from being exposed inside RV’s.
This information came from Carbon Monoxide Kills, a site that started the Carbon Monoxide Kills Awareness Campaign in 1999. They are strong advocates for carbon monoxide poisoning prevention. Their website can be viewed at: www.carbonmonoxidekills.com
These are the fourteen steps that can be taken to prevent carbon monoxide from being exposed inside RV’s.
- 1. USE A CARBON MONOXIDE WARNING DETECTOR.
- 2 – 4. Relate to inspecting the exhaust systems, the weather seals on the RV to make sure that exhaust isn’t getting inside the vehicle.
- 5. Yellow flames in propane-burning appliances may indicate a lack of oxygen. Diagnose and correct this problem.
- 6. Check vacuum cleaner exhaust.
- 7 – 12 Relate to the operation of an electrical generator. Look over the specifics of this carefully, but always remember, a generator has an engine, that can produce CO fumes and those can kill.
- 13. “If you do not feel well, do not be fooled into thinking that it is because you have been driving too long, you ate too much, or you are suffering from motion sickness. Shut off the generator and step outside for some fresh air just to be sure.”
- 14. Park in the “No Generator” zones that the Family Motor Coach Association recommends. http://FMCA.com
Summer of Exposure – - To Carbon Monoxide
Five days ago officials from the NASCAR race warned fans who were traveling with a recreational vehicle (RV) about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. A local health department in Indiana was also at Indianapolis Motor Speedway handing out information on carbon monoxide poisoning.
This warning to fans came in response to the tragic death of a 43-year-old man Michael Thies of Ruma, IL who suffered from carbon monoxide exposure and whose three family members were hospitalized from carbon monoxide fumes. The carbon monoxide is believed to have entered their RV from the exhaust of other nearby RVs.
For further information on the story: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id;=6284464
Since summer has arrived more people are using their RVs to go to concerts, camp sites and sporting events. RVs are popular for traveling because they have beds, kitchens, refrigerators and small bathrooms. With these pleasures comes the responsibility of knowing the potential risk of carbon monoxide exposure.
Traditionally, winter is when carbon monoxide problems are most prevalent, however, this spring and summer have been particularly bad for such seasons.
It is important to know that there are several steps that RV users should take to ensure their safety. In our next blog, we will discuss the steps that RV users should consider to ensure that they are preventing carbon monoxide exposure.
This warning to fans came in response to the tragic death of a 43-year-old man Michael Thies of Ruma, IL who suffered from carbon monoxide exposure and whose three family members were hospitalized from carbon monoxide fumes. The carbon monoxide is believed to have entered their RV from the exhaust of other nearby RVs.
For further information on the story: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id;=6284464
Since summer has arrived more people are using their RVs to go to concerts, camp sites and sporting events. RVs are popular for traveling because they have beds, kitchens, refrigerators and small bathrooms. With these pleasures comes the responsibility of knowing the potential risk of carbon monoxide exposure.
Traditionally, winter is when carbon monoxide problems are most prevalent, however, this spring and summer have been particularly bad for such seasons.
It is important to know that there are several steps that RV users should take to ensure their safety. In our next blog, we will discuss the steps that RV users should consider to ensure that they are preventing carbon monoxide exposure.