Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Does Prolonged Exposure To Carbon Monoxide Cause Headache, Dizziness And Upset Stomach?
Question: My step daughter lives in a house with low levels of carbon monoxide (15-23 ppm) everyday regardless if the windows have been open during the day. She is also exposed to 2nd hand/3rd hand smoke when she is in the car. She complains of headaches, dizziness and upset stomach. Should we we be concerned with this exposure and would a blood carbon monoxide test be valuable?
Brief Answer:
Falls under the category: Prolonger short-term or long-term exposure to CO
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. There have been numerous case studies on the effects of low levels of CO exposure (10-20 ppm) on a regular basis on the human body.
And although the study is quite elaborate and it will not be possible to state everything here, I shall try and tell you the result in conclusion: It can result in multiple organ damage, with the heart being the most significant one to face the consequences mainly because of the development of ischemia caused due to the CO inhalation resulting in mild amount in the blood.
Well of course the effects depend on the duration of exposure, whether it is short-term or long-term. And with your daughter being exposed at the one place she is spending most of her time, this can quickly shift from short-term to long-term and I would strictly advise against it, not just for her, but for her entire family.
A blood carbon monoxide test is most valuable when there has been an exposure on a larger scale, and it may not be as valuable. But what can be done, is to take the test on repeated instances. Reporting the tests results to a doctor along with the fact that these tests were conducted on normal days with this being the case on an everyday basis. May be that can make the doctor and your daughter take a few drastic steps?
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Falls under the category: Prolonger short-term or long-term exposure to CO
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome.
Thank you for writing to us.
I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. There have been numerous case studies on the effects of low levels of CO exposure (10-20 ppm) on a regular basis on the human body.
And although the study is quite elaborate and it will not be possible to state everything here, I shall try and tell you the result in conclusion: It can result in multiple organ damage, with the heart being the most significant one to face the consequences mainly because of the development of ischemia caused due to the CO inhalation resulting in mild amount in the blood.
Well of course the effects depend on the duration of exposure, whether it is short-term or long-term. And with your daughter being exposed at the one place she is spending most of her time, this can quickly shift from short-term to long-term and I would strictly advise against it, not just for her, but for her entire family.
A blood carbon monoxide test is most valuable when there has been an exposure on a larger scale, and it may not be as valuable. But what can be done, is to take the test on repeated instances. Reporting the tests results to a doctor along with the fact that these tests were conducted on normal days with this being the case on an everyday basis. May be that can make the doctor and your daughter take a few drastic steps?
I hope you find my response helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.
Best wishes.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
