Carenotes > Nerve Gas Poisoning

Nerve Gas Poisoning

GENERAL INFORMATION:

What is it? Nerve gas was found when scientists were looking for an insecticide (in-SECT-ih-side) (bug killer) to keep insects from killing crops. There are several kinds of nerve gas, but they all cause the same signs and symptoms.

• Nerve gas is a colorless spray or liquid. It works by shutting off a normal nerve job. Your nerves do two jobs:
  
  
  • Nerves follow your brain's orders and allow you to move and feel. For example, when you want your arm to move, it moves.
    
    
  • Nerves also make sure that your body quietly does what it should, without your orders. For example, your nerves keep your eyes, nose, and mouth moist. They also help your stomach make the right amount of juices to break down the food you eat.
  
  
• These jobs need two messages. The first message is to start. Your arm needs to know you want it to move. When your eyes and nose get dry, your nerves send a message to bring some moisture to them. When you eat, your stomach gets a message from the nerves telling it to start making juices to break down food.
  
  
• The second message is to stop. For example, you only want your arm to do one thing. You do not want it to keep on moving. So, you send a second message: Stop moving. You do not want your nose to run or your eyes to tear. When they are wet enough, your body sends a second message to stop the moisture. You want your stomach to make juices to break your food into usable pieces. When there is no more food in your stomach, you want the juices to stop. Your nerves send your stomach a message to stop making juices.

Nerve gas keeps your body from sending the second message.

• Nerve gas makes your muscles jerk. It makes your eyes and nose run, and your mouth water. It makes your stomach keep making juices. It makes your lungs make a lot of phlegm (flem).
  
  
• Survival after exposure to a nerve gas is possible. Your survival depends on how much and how long you were exposed to the gas. It also depends on how soon after the exposure you were able to get treatment.

What are the signs and symptoms of nerve gas poisoning? Symptoms depend on how close you were to the nerve gas, and how much got into, or on your body. Nerve gas usually gets into your body because you breathed it in. In this case, symptoms would start right away. It can also be absorbed through your skin. Signs and symptoms of a small exposure to a liquid nerve agent may not begin for hours.

If you breathe in nerve gas your symptoms may be:

• Low amount of nerve gas causing mild effects: Your eyes and nose will be most affected. Your nose will run, and the pupils of your eyes will get small. You may have a headache, and dim or blurry vision. Your chest may feel tight.
  
  
• Medium amount of nerve gas causing moderate effects: You may be short of breath and cough. You may wheeze (make a whistling sound when you breathe). You may feel sick to your stomach and vomit. You may feel weak. You may see or feel your muscles jump or twitch under your skin.
  
  
• High amount of nerve gas causing severe effects: Higher doses may make you have pain when you breathe, and make each breath hard to get. You may cough a lot. You may sweat a lot. You may vomit, your belly may cramp and you may lose control of your bowels. Your muscles may feel weak and you may have a convulsion. You may become unconscious (un-KON-shus). You may die.

If nerve gas or liquid gets on your skin your symptoms may be:

• Low amount of nerve gas or liquid causing mild effects: You may sweat and your muscles may twitch where the nerve gas got on your skin.
  
  
• Medium amount of nerve gas or liquid causing moderate effects: You may feel sick to your stomach and vomit (throw up). You may have a bad headache. Your muscles may twitch or jump and you may feel tired and weak.
  
  
• High amount of nerve gas or liquid causing severe effects: You may suddenly lose consciousness. You may have a convulsion. You may not be able to breathe or move. You may die.

How is nerve gas poisoning diagnosed? Nerve gas or liquid is most likely to be released where there are many people. It is unlikely to happen to only one person. Caregivers at the scene such as rescue workers, firefighters, the police, and health care workers are the most likely people to make a diagnosis.

If you see birds fall out of the sky or see animals suddenly get sick and die, you may suspect a nerve gas attack.

What is the treatment for nerve gas poisoning?

• Decontaminate:
  
  
  • A decontamination (dee-con-tam-in-A-shun) center may be set up. This center will be used to keep contamination from the nerve gas in one place. It is important that nerve gas sprayed onto clothes and other items is not spread more.
    
    
  • Caregivers may ask you to remove all your clothes. Showers may be set up on site and you will need to rinse your skin well. Do not scrub your skin because you could make tiny cuts that would absorb more nerve gas. Caregivers may give you a special solution to use, or you may just use plain water and soap.
    
    
  • Clothes, wallets, purses, jewelry, and other belongings may be taken for decontamination. Some items may need to be thrown away.
  
  

• Treatment:
  
  
  • The first two treatments are antidotes (AN-tih-dotes) to the nerve gas. An antidote is a medicine that does the opposite of what the nerve gas did. Caregivers will keep giving you the antidotes until your signs and symptoms decrease. How much medicine they give you depends on how much nerve gas got on your skin or you breathed in. There is a possibility of severe and long lasting nerve or brain damage even with treatment.
    
    
  • The third treatment is a medicine to prevent a convulsion or stop you from having a convulsion.
  
  

What can I do to prevent nerve gas poisoning? There is nothing you can do to stop someone or a group from using nerve gas to harm other people. There are things you can do to help yourself and your loved ones in case of a nerve gas attack:

• If you think that nerve gas is being used, go up. Climb to the top floor of a building, or climb a hill. Nerve gas is heavier than air. Unless there is a wind, it will settle into low-lying areas and basements.
  
  
• Hold your breath without breathing in first. If you are outside, go inside. Close all the doors and windows. Shut off the heat or air conditioning to keep outside air from coming in.
  
  
• If your clothes have nerve gas or liquid on them, take them off. Do not shake them. Put them in a bag if you have one, and tie or tightly close the top. If you do not have a bag, leave them in a heap and do not pick them up.
  
  
• Take a shower using soap if possible. If there is no soap, but there is water, rinse your body very well. Shampoo your hair.
  
  
• If water, soap, and shampoo are not available, cover your skin and hair with an absorbent powder like talcum powder or flour. Stand over a towel or other fabric. When you are finished, put the fabric you stood on into a bag and tightly close it.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

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