How do you treat poisoning

Do not enter any enclosed areas to remove the person yourself because toxic gases and fumes can be very dangerous if inhaled. Medical staff will need to take a detailed history to effectively treat a person who's been poisoned.

Give details of any symptoms the person has had, such as whether they've been sick. The container the substance came in will help give medical staff a clear idea of what it is.

If you do not know what caused the poisoning, blood tests may be needed to identify the cause. Some people who have swallowed a poisonous substance or overdosed on medicine will be admitted to hospital for examination and treatment.

A blood test can be used to check the levels of chemicals and glucose in the blood. They may be used to perform a toxicology screen tests to find out how many drugs or how much medicine a person has taken , and a liver function test, which indicates how damaged the liver is. An ECG is an electrical recording of the heart to check that it's functioning properly. If you or someone you know has poisoned themselves as an act of deliberate self-harm or an attempt at suicide, psychiatric help may be necessary.

This expert can give you advice on first aid and may save you from a visit to the emergency room. What You Can Do. Below is a checklist to help you in the event of a poisoning. First steps If the person is not breathing, call In this procedure, a tube is passed through the mouth to the stomach. Next, fluid is instilled through the tube and then suctioned back out.

Activated charcoal, an odorless and tasteless black powder mixed with water, may be used to reduce the amount of toxin absorbed into the blood. A child can either drink the activated charcoal solution or it can be administered through a nasogastric tube. After exposure to certain medications such as aspirin, phenobarbital, or theophylline, doctors may repeat the treatment with activated charcoal several times.

A child may be able to drink the solution or a tube may be inserted through the nose or mouth and into the stomach. Flushing helps to push the contents of the gastrointestinal tract out of the body. Fluid is passed through the tube until clear fluid exits the rectum. An antidote is a medication that neutralizes or counteracts the effects of a poison in the body. Department of Health and Human Services.

Tips to prevent poisonings. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. General principles of poisoning. The Merck Manual Professional Edition. What is ipecac syrup? National Capital Poison Center. Acute ingestions. Rochester, Minn. American Academy of Pediatrics policy statement: Poison treatment in the home. Millman M et al. Emergencies and urgent care. Wilkinson JM expert opinion. Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Swallowed a button battery? Battery in the nose or ear? Accessed March 3, Using skin patch medicines.