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DESCRIPTION
Like toxic metals, poisonous chemicals such as chlorine, disinfectants, heavy metals, herbicides, insecticides, petroleum products, and solvents can enter the body and decrease the functioning capacity of its organs. This is chemical poisoning. Chemical poisoning is a serious life-threatening emergency to the person(s) affected. Some chemicals are absorbed through the skin, others may be inhaled or ingested. The body's immune system is threatened by these chemicals, and tries to cleanse itself of the poisons. Damage to internal organs, especially the liver, may occur. Chemical poisoning can occur very rapidly after one exposure, or in some cases, may accumulate in the body over a period of time with repeated exposures, depending upon the chemical and the method in which it was introduced to the body.
CAUSES
Chronic chemical poisoning occurs most often in people who use or who are exposed to chemicals in their work environments, or who use excessive amounts of chemical sprays. People who live near landfills or certain industrial installations may also be chronically exposed to toxic chemicals. Acute chemical poisoning can result from accidental ingestion or household chemicals (particularly among young children, most common under the age of 6) or taking improper or excessive medications. Millions of people are unintentionally poisoned every year.
Most Dangerous Common Poisons:
- Medicines, including iron pills.
- Cleaning products that cause burns:
- Drain Opener.
- Toilet bowl cleanser.
- Oven cleaner.
- Rust remover.
- Antifreeze.
- Windshield washer solution.
- Hydrocarbons:
- Furniture polish.
- Lighter fluid.
- Lamp oil.
- Kerosene.
- Turpentine.
- Paint thinner.
- Carbon monoxide.
- Pesticides.
- Wild mushrooms.
POISON PREVENTION & POISON-PROOFING YOUR HOME & WORK SPACE
Keep all household or workplace chemical poisons and medications in their original containers. Make sure they have their original labels or labels that clearly specify the contents with precautions included. If you have children in your home, whether this be parents or grandparents with visiting grandchildren, keep all medications in child-resistant containers.
Lock poisons and medications out of reach and sight of small children. In the workplace, store chemicals in their appropriately indicated places. Use them properly and follow precautions as indicated on their labels (such as using toxic chemicals with personal protection, such as gloves, respirator, and/or in an enclosed fume hood with exhaust fan or other proper ventilation).
Be careful with non-prescription medicines as you are with prescription medicine. This includes common non-prescription medications such as aspirin, Tylenol, ibuprofen, vitamin and mineral supplements, and others. To avoid confusion, do not refer to medicines as "candy" or take them in front of children. If you are caring for an elderly person with memory loss or dementia, be sure to keep medications away from them or supervise their use. Many elderly are accidentally poisoned from over-dosage or confusing their medications.
Keep purses and diaper bags out of children's reach. Also be aware of visitor's purses and suitcases. Do not leave medications out on bedside stands or on bathroom counters. Even medicine cabinets should be secured against accidental invasion or not used for medications. Instead, use a locking drawer in a dresser or cabinet to place medications, and keep it locked between uses.
Never leave children, pets, or elderly persons with dementia alone with household products or medications. If you are using a product, take a child with you when stopping to answer the telephone or the door. Most poisonings occur when the product is in use. Use all necessary precautions in the workplace to make sure chemical poisons are secure before leaving an area to do another task.
Return household and chemical products to safe storage immediately after use. If necessary, use a locking storage cabinet.
Know which plants in and around your home can be poisonous, and keep them away from children and pets.
Take the time to learn about poisons yourself and teach children about poisonous substances. Teach them how to call 911 in the event of an accident. Accidental poisoning can occur if one chemical is mixed with another that it reacts to (such as mixing chlorine bleach with ammonia, making very toxic fumes). Be sure to learn about chemical interactions before mixing chemical solutions. Some can be violently explosive, burning, as well as creating noxious fumes. Never open chemical containers while leaning over the bottle or container opening and/or directly smell (or taste) them. This can produce burns and poisoning. If you need to know the smell of the contents, remove the cap off the bottle away from you and gently wave the fumes with your hand toward you, just enough to smell. I learned this valuable lesson in chemistry lab with concentrated ammonia! I got serious respiratory chemical burns and I was unable to wear a contact lens in my left eye for over a year.. Know what you are working with at all times. Read the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) that are available with each chemical product.
Always wear protective clothing and rubber or latex gloves when handling chemicals, even commonly available products such as solvents, paint strippers, and paint thinners (most of which contain methylene chloride, xylene, acetone, toluene, benzene, and other extremely hazardous chemicals). One of the worst is the cleaning solvent used to clean plastic pipe for application of the glue. It contains methylethylketone (MEK), a great solvent, but a known carcinogen. Carefully follow the directions on the label of any product that contains chemicals. Avoid breathing the fumes, especially in a confined space.
Avoid being outside during any aerial application of insecticides or pesticides.
Avoid chemicals whenever possible. Even getting gasoline on your hands while fueling the car or lawn mower is not a good idea. If this happens, clean hands and any other exposed body parts as quickly as possible.
If you must use tap water for drinking, bathing, cooking, washing your clothes and watering your garden and yard, be sure you report any changes in color, taste, appearance, cloudiness or smell to the water and have it tested for contaminants. Several years ago in a small town in Oregon, a local church developed a leak in their underground heating fuel storage container for the building. The heating oil seeped into the town's water supply and contaminated a major portion of the town's water. Our house was located at the end of the line in a newly constructed building site. We had water that smelled like diesel fuel with an obvious "oil slick" appearance to it when it was allowed to sit in a glass for a few minutes. It was impossible to drink, bath in, wash clothes in and the smell and the taste made my entire family ill. This was a problem for several months before and after the leak was repaired. We had to bathe, wash our clothes across town at my inlaw's who were not on the same water line as we were. We had to bring in gallons of bottled water to cook and drink every day until the fuel was flushed from the city lines. After this experience, I never completely trusted the town's water supply again and we moved soon afterwards. - MoonDragon Midwife
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS (MSDS) LINKS
MSDS Solutions
Keep the number of your poison control center on or near your telephone at home and in the workplace in case of emergency.
SYMPTOMS
Symptoms will vary depending upon the chemical. Be sure to read all precautions and warning on labels before using any chemical product and read the MSDS sheets regarding the chemical used. Identification of the poison is critical to successful treatment of poisoning.
You should be aware of the symptoms of chemical poisoning and what to do if you or someone you know has been exposed. Common symptoms of chemical poisoning, although, each individual may experience symptoms differently:
- Headache or blurred vision.
- Severe throat pain, irritated throat, eyes, skin.
- Difficulty in breathing.
- Burns on the lips or mouth.
- Changes in skin color.
- Dizziness.
- Clumsiness or lack of coordination.
- Sudden or unusual behavior changes, such as unusual sleepiness, irritability, or jumpiness.
- Unexplained nausea or vomiting.
- Stomach cramps without fever or diarrhea.
- Unusual drooling or odd odor on the breath.
- Unexplained stains on clothing.
- Convulsions or unconsciousness (in very serious cases).
TREATMENT
WHAT TO DO IF POISONING OCCURS
The first thing you should do if you or associate, your child, or your pet has swallowed or have been exposed to a toxic chemical poison is to stay calm. If you see or smell something that you think may be dangerous, or find someone who has been overcome with toxic vapors, your first job is to make sure you don't become a victim. If you remain in a dangerous area and become injured or unconscious, you cannot help yourself or anyone else.
You need to find out what the poison was and when the poisoning occurred. Identification is vital to treatment.
Call the Poison Control Center in your region (the number is listed on the inside cover of your telephone book... be sure to have it posted by every telephone in your home or work area), 911 for the EMS, or the operator, whichever applies to your area.
Tel: 888-4ANI-HELP (888-426-4435)
24 hour, 7 days a week assistance for veterinarians and animal owners.
$45.00 Consultation Fee.
If you have a poisoning emergency, call 1-800-222-1222.
If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call 911 immediately.
Find your poison control center in your area
Have the following information available for the poison control center or EMS:
- The location of the emergency.
- Your name and telephone number from where you are calling.
- Describe what has happened, how many people are involved, and what is being done to help.
- The person's age, condition, and weight.
- Product containers or bottles.
- Time the poisoning occurred.
- Stay on the phone until the operator tells you to hang up.
Follow the instructions that the poison control center gives you.
If you are trained in First Aid or CPR, and feel confident that you are not in danger, check the person for life-threatening injuries, if applicable. Administer appropriate treatment, and then deal with the chemical injuries.
INDUCE OR NOT TO INDUCE VOMITING FOR POISONING
When a person has swallowed a poison, vomiting should be induced quickly unless the poison could cause further damage if vomited. Examples of substances that should not be vomited include sharp objects, petroleum products, alkalis (lye, drain or oven cleaner, or dishwasher detergent) and acids (such as toilet bowl cleaner). These can burn the throat and vomiting only makes the damage worse.
Syrup of ipecac is generally used to induce vomiting. Syrup of ipecac is an emetic (agent that causes vomiting) made from the dried root of a plant called ipecacuanha that is grown in Brazil. Many health care providers recommend that you keep syrup of ipecac on hand in your first aid supplies in case of emergencies, but it should only be used with the guidance from your health care provider. In some cases, vomiting may be dangerous, so never administer syrup of ipecac unless your health care provider or poison control center instructs you to do so. The syrup of ipecac should be given in the amount recommended by your health care provider or poison control center. Once the vomiting begins, save the vomit in a large container for inspection. If vomiting does not begin within 20 minutes of giving syrup of ipecac, you may be advised to repeat the dose one time only.
CHEMICAL BURNS
A chemical burn can be minor or life-threatening, but proper treatment can reduce the chance of infection and the damage caused by contact with the chemical.
- Remove any affected clothing or jewelry from the injury.
- Use lots of cool running water to flush the chemical from the skin until emergency help arrives. The running water will dilute the chemical fast enough to prevent the injury from getting worse. Use the same treatment for eye burns and remove any contact lenses. Be careful to flush the eye from the nose outward.
- If no large amount of clean water is available, gently brush the chemical off the skin and away from the victim and you. If the chemical is on the face, neck or shoulders, ask the victim to close his or her eyes before brushing off the chemical. Be sure to protect yourself from the chemical while removing it from the victim.
- Cover the wound very loosely with a dry, sterile or clean cloth so that the cloth will not stick to the wound. Do not put any medication on the wound.
- Seek medical attention immediately.
If you believe you have been contaminated with a chemical, call the Poison Control Center, 911, or the operator immediately. If medical help is not immediately available, remove your clothing starting from the top and working your way down to your socks. Use care not to touch your contaminated clothing to your bare skin. Place your clothing in a plastic bag so it cannot contaminate other people or things. Take a thorough shower to wash any chemical away. Redress in clean clothing and go for medical help at your first opportunity.
HOLISTIC RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECOVERY
Always seek medical attention whenever chemical poisoning is suspected. Symptoms and treatment will depend on the chemical or chemicals in which you were exposed. Once you have received medical treatment for poisoning, then proceed with at home care as instructed below:
To aid recovery, eat a well-balanced diet that is high in fiber. Fiber helps to cleanse the system. Recommended foods include almonds, apricots, bananas, barley, beans, beets, Brazil nuts, brown rice, carrots, dates, fish, garlic, grapes, hazelnuts, lemons, lentils, onions, spinach, oatmeal, and yogurt.
If at possible, eat only organically grown foods. If you cannot obtain organic foods, wash your produce well before eating them to eliminate (as much as possible) pesticides and/or herbicides that may have been used on the produce and to remove any protective substances that the grocery stores may have used to protect freshness.
Drink steam-distilled or quality bottled water only. If you must use tap water, obtain a quality filter for your tap that will remove pollutants and chemicals. '
Perform a cleansing fast for three days each month to help the body get rid of toxins.
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
Unless otherwise specified, the dosages recommended here are for adults. For a child between the ages of 12 and 17, reduce the dose to 3/4 the recommended amount. For a child between 6 and 12 years of age, use 1/2 the recommended dosage, and for a child under the age of 6, use 1/4 the recommended amount.
NUTRIENTS Supplement Suggested Dosage Comments Very Important Free-Form Amino Acid Complex As directed on label, twice daily, on an empty stomach. Helps liver function. Use a sublingual form.
AMINO 1000 Complete, NOW Foods, 120 Caps,
Branched Chain Amino Acid Powder, NOW Foods, 12 oz.,
Amino 1500, Chewable Blend of 20 Amino Acids, Predigested, NOW Foods, 150 Tabs,
Branched Chain Amino Acids, Free Form, 120 CapsGarlic (Kyolic) As directed on label. Helps to detoxify and cleanse the bloodstream; chelates heavy metals. Raw Liver Extract As directed on label or as prescribed by health care provider. Supplies needed B vitamins and iron, and detoxifies chemicals. For severe chemical poisoning, injections under a health care provider's supervision are best. Superoxide Dismutase (SOD)
Or
Cell GuardAs directed on label.
As directed on label.A powerful free radical destroyer.
An antioxidant complex that contains SOD.
GliSODin Antioxidant Catalyst, NOW Foods, 100 mg, 90 VCaps,Vitamin B Complex 100-200 mg daily or injections as prescribed by a health care provider. Protects the liver and bodily functions. Consider injections (under health care provider's supervision). If injections are not available, use a sublingual form.
Ultimate B (Vitamin B Complex), Nature's Secret, 60 Tabs,
Vitamin B-100 Complex, w/ Coenzyme B-2, Nature's Way, 631 mg, 100 CapsPlus
Choline
And
Inositol50 mg 3 times daily with meals for each supplement. Take with Vitamin B complex.
Choline & Inositol, 100% Natural, Nature's Way, 250 mg/250 mg, 100 CapsVitamin C With Bioflavonoids 5,000-20,000 mg daily, in divided doses. Protects the body from allergens and moderates the inflammatory response. See Ascorbic Acid Flush
Vitamin C Liquid w/ Rose Hips & Bioflavonoids, Kosher, Natural Citrus Flavor, Dynamic Health, 1000 mg, 16 fl. oz.,
Ester C With Bioflavonoids, Nature's Way, 1000 mg, 90 Tabs,
Vitamin C 1000 With Bioflavonoids, Nature's Way, 100% Natural, 1000 mg, 250 VCaps,
The Right C, Nature's Way, 1000 mg, 120 TabsImportant Grape Seed Extract As directed on label. A powerful antioxidant.
Grape Seed (Grapeseed) (Vitus vinifera), 100% Pure, NOW Foods, 16 fl. oz.L-Cysteine
And
L-Methionine500 mg twice daily, on an empty stomach. Take with water or juice. Do not take with milk. Take with 50 mg vitamin B-6 and 100 mg vitamin C for better absorption. These amino acids act as antioxidants and detoxifiers, especially of the liver. Rebuilds the body.
L-Cysteine Structural Support W/Vitamin B-6 & C, Vegetarian, NOW Foods, 500 mg, 100 Caps,
L-Tyrosine, Pharmaceutical Grade, Free Form, NOW Foods, 500 mg, 120 CapsVitamin E 200-800 IU daily. Powerful antioxidant, free radical scavengers. Use d-alpha-tocopherol form, if available.
Ester E Natural Vitamin E, California Natural, 400 IU, 60 Softgels,
Vitamin E, 400 IU, 100% Natural, NOW Foods, 100 Gels,
Vitamin E-1000, NOW Foods, 1000 IU, 100 Gels,
Vitamin E, d-alpha-tocopherol, 400 IU, 100 Softgels
Selenium 200 mcg daily. Do not exceed a total daily intake of 800 mcg daily from all sources, including diet. If you are pregnant, do not exceed 40 mcg daily. Works with vitamins C and E to detoxify the body and for protection of cells. Caution: Do not take supplemental selenium if you are pregnant or have heart, kidney, or liver disease.
Selenium Supplement, Yeast Free, NOW Foods, 200 mcg, 180 Caps,
Selenium Ionic Mineral Supplement, Fully Absorbable, 50 +/- ppm, 16 fl. oz.,
Ionic Selenium, Trace Minerals, 300 mcg, 2 fl. oz.,
Selenium, 100% Natural, Nature's way, 200 mcg, 100 CapsHelpful Coenzyme Q-10 30-60 mg daily. Aids in rebuilding the immune system and providing oxygen to the tissues.
CoQ10, Vegetarian Coenzyme, NOW Foods, 30 mg, 60 VCaps,
CoQ10, Now Foods, 400 mg, 60 SoftgelsDioxychlor
(American Biologics)5 drops in water twice daily. A potent detoxifier. Delivers oxygen to the tissues. Garlic (Kyolic) 2 capsules 3 times daily. A powerful detoxifier and cleanser of the bloodstream.
Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral Complex As directed on label. All nutrients are needed to aid in strengthening the immune system and lessening toxicity.
Super Multi-Vitamin & Multi-Mineral, Pure Vital Earth, 32 fl. oz. (98% Bio-Available for Absorption), Damage Control Master Formula, High Potency, Multi-Vitamin & Mineral, 60 Packets (30 Day Supply)
NOTIFY HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, POISON CONTROL CENTER, OR 911 IF...
You suspect a chemical poisoning in yourself or a family member.
Your symptoms worsen, even after treatment.
You have unexplained, unexpected symptoms. Some chemicals poisons and treatments may cause various side effects in certain sensitive individuals.
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