Treatment for Accidental Poisoning
The world is full of dangerous toxins that are detrimental to your health. From carbon monoxide leaks to the chemicals in household cleaners, you or your children could become exposed at any time. In most cases, accidental poisoning is a medical emergency. This includes acute chemical exposure, alcohol poisoning, and even sun poisoning in some circumstances. However, you might be able to treat mild symptoms at home, depending on the type of exposure.
Call 911 or visit Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care if you have moderate or severe symptoms. Our team will work quickly to stabilize you and provide the treatment necessary for your recovery.
Go to the ER for Acute Poisoning
If you’ve been exposed to a large amount of a toxic chemical, you have what’s called acute poisoning. Children are most at risk for acute poisoning from household chemicals. However, adults can also take in toxins through their eyes, nose, mouths, and skin.
You can expect to experience a myriad of symptoms after the exposure, including:
- Breathing issues
- Vomiting
- Cognitive problems, including confusion
- Contact burns
- Breath that smells of chemicals
The staff at Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care will get right to work in providing treatment. Treatment might include addressing problems with circulation and breathing. In some cases, an antidote is available. If not, your doctor might use single-dose activated charcoal or another treatment.
Call 911 for Alcohol Poisoning
On average, six people die in the United States each day as a result of alcohol poisoning, according to the CDC. The brain essentially shuts down if you consume too much alcohol, meaning it can’t control your breathing, heart rate and other vital functions. That’s why this is so dangerous.
If you notice that someone has signs of alcohol poisoning, call 911 for immediate assistance.
Signs include:
- Bluish tint to the skin
- Cold and clammy skin
- Lack of coordination
- Confusion
- Irregular heartbeat
- Seizures
When Is Food Poisoning a Medical Emergency?
If you’ve eaten contaminated food, you can get food poisoning. With symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, and a fever, you will likely feel miserable when dealing with this issue. However, the infection normally runs its course on its own. You will need to consume ample fluids to avoid dehydration, but you should recover quickly.
Sometimes, it can lead to severe symptoms. You should go to the emergency room or urgent care if you have food poisoning symptoms and:
- Bloody stools
- Dehydration
- A fever of 102.1 degrees Fahrenheit
- Diarrhea that’s lasted four days or longer
When to Go to the ER for Sun Poisoning
You likely enjoy spending time outside when it’s nice out. While getting some sun can be good for you, sunburns are dangerous. This is especially true if you get a severe burn that causes sun poisoning.
Some of the symptoms of sun poisoning are relatively mild, such as:
- Peeling
- Redness
- Blistering
You can likely treat these symptoms at home. However, if the blisters pop, you risk infection.
More significant symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Fainting
- Severe pain
If you have severe symptoms, go to the ER. Your treatment might include providing IV fluids to stave off dehydration.
If you have significant symptoms, don’t try to manage them at home. Instead, call 911 or visit Riverview Health Emergency Room & Urgent Care. We have five locations around Hamilton County, so we are just a short drive away.
