7 Symptoms of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

What Can Cause Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

Lots of things in and around our homes can cause carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, including fuel-burning appliances and engines.

CO is a byproduct of combustion, so “anything that burns will produce some carbon monoxide,” according to Kelly Smeltzer, the Minnesota Department of Health’s indoor air unit enforcement coordinator.

The following appliances can produce CO:

• Gas furnaces;
• Gas- and wood-burning fireplaces;
• Gas stoves;
• Gas clothes dryers;
• Gas water heaters.

It’s not just appliances, though. Smeltzer says cars are another significant source of CO. That’s why you should never idle your car in your garage.

And then there are gas-powered generators. Smeltzer says hospital data shows a clear spike in CO poisoning cases during times of high generator use, like after natural disasters.

How does carbon monoxide kill you?

By depriving the brain and vital organs of oxygen. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that “messes with your body’s ability to move oxygen around,” Smeltzer says. Rather than carrying oxygen to your organs and tissues, red blood cells pick up CO instead.

“Exposure to high levels can lead to death, but even low levels of CO exposure can impact the health of sensitive individuals,” Smeltzer says.

Here are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

Headache

Headache is one of the most common symptoms, “similar to what you would experience with the flu,” Smeltzer says. Nonspecific flu-like symptoms make diagnosing CO poisoning difficult, Smeltzer says. One clue it’s CO poisoning vs. a virus? “Symptoms will clear up after you leave the environment with high levels of CO,” Smeltzer says.

If you’re getting recurring headaches, pay attention to when and where they occur. But don’t rely on symptoms alone — CO can kill with no warning. That’s why it’s “very important to have working CO alarms in the home,” Smeltzer says.

Dizziness

Do you get dizzy when you spend time in the basement? Feel a little wobbly in the attic above the laundry room? Dizziness is another common symptom of CO poisoning, and potential sources include basement water heaters and improperly vented gas dryers.

Properly maintaining your equipment diminishes risk. “Make sure combustion-powered appliances are in good working order, and are vented to the outside,” Smeltzer says. It’s a code violation for your dryer to vent into the attic, but it happens more than you think. Have your furnace checked annually to make sure dangerous gases don’t build up indoors.

Fatigue

“At low levels, a person might be fatigued,” Smeltzer says. Unfortunately, fatigue can signal multiple ailments, from anemia and sleep disorders to thyroid problems and heart disease. An inexpensive CO detector can save the day, and your life.

Nonspecific symptoms like fatigue can make CO poisoning a difficult public health issue to deal with, Smeltzer says. “A lot of times people will assume that they are sick from a virus, when it is actually a CO problem in their indoor environment,” she says.

One way to know? Household members with the flu tend to get sick one after the other, while everyone falls victim to CO at once.

Nausea or vomiting

Queasiness or feeling sick to your stomach can be another symptom of CO poisoning.

If you or members of your household experience waves of nausea or vomiting, especially all at the same time, get to fresh air right away. According to the Cleveland Clinic, mild nausea can signal low levels of exposure, while extreme nausea and vomiting are a signal of more severe CO poisoning.

Again, because symptoms are so interchangeable, Smeltzer says CO detectors are the way to go. When installing CO detectors in your home, at the very least, place one outside of each bedroom. (Check your state regulations.) “It isn’t a bad idea to have one on every level,” Smeltzer says.

Confusion

More extreme cases of CO poisoning can involve confusion and disorientation caused by lack of oxygen to the brain, aka cerebral hypoxia. The longer the brain goes without oxygen, the worse the prognosis and recovery time.

Brain death can occur in as little as 10 minutes, according to the Cleveland Clinic. But mild hypoxia may resolve with few long-term effects.

Populations at the greatest risk include the very young, the elderly and people with heart disease, asthma and other underlying conditions. “Even a very healthy person can die if they are exposed to enough CO,” Smeltzer says.

Chest pain

Chest pain can be a sign of heart attack, acid reflux disease, asthma and yes, CO poisoning. Have any chest pain checked by a doctor. And if you think it could be CO related, go outside before calling for help.

If you are with someone having chest pain, move them outside to fresh air and call 911.

Loss of consciousness

When CO exposure reaches the highest levels, loss of consciousness can occur. If someone reaches the victim and moves them to fresh air and treatment, recovery is possible.

Depending on the age of the victim and other factors, long-term affects of CO poisoning after loss of consciousness include memory loss and personality changes, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Unfortunately, sometimes people simply fall asleep and never wake up. That’s why, Smeltzer says, “it is so important to have working CO alarms in your house. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to install and can save your life.”

About the expert

• Kelly Smeltzer is an enforcement coordinator in the indoor air unit at the Minnesota Department of Health.