Is it dangerous to be exposed much to Nitrus oxide ( Laughing Gas) ?

[ashirth]

Everyone would had known about the Laughing gas.

Nitrous oxide is called as laughing gas, Since it has a unique tendency to make people to laugh by affecting the nervous system when exposed.

So does that make any problem or weakness to our health when it is exposed much?

[wasi90lk]

you can check this site: http://www.a1b2c3.com/drugs/nit01.htm.

i think it's quite dangerous for health.

Nitrous Oxide
Dangers Of Nitrous Oxide Use

--- Do not open a cylinder of nitrous in a confined area such as a closet or car. Pure nitrous can cause asphyxiation.

--- Do not point a gas cylinder at anyone and release it. This can cause frost bite.

--- Do not use a gas mask that you have strapped on, if you pass out you will be deprived of oxygen and could die.

--- Do not use standing up especially near a window. Nitrous causes you to lose motor control and you may lose your balance.

--- Never put a plastic bag completely over your head when using. You could pass out and die.

--- Never use while driving a vehicle or operating machinery. Motor skill loss can result in dangerous accidents.

--- Never use while pregnant, nitrous can cause birth defects in the child.

--- Never use the gas directly from a tank. The gas is very cold and could freeze your lips and throat. The high pressure can rupture vessels in lungs and when air is forced into chest cavity can cause lungs to collapse.

--- Never use auto grade nitrous for inhaling. It is mixed with hydrogen sulfide, if inhaled it will make you extremely sick. Hydrogen sulfide can cause permanent damage to lungs and nerve endings. Auto grade nitrous must be filtered to remove hydrogen sulfide before being inhaled.

--- It is very dangerous to use nitrous oxide without getting enough oxygen. Improper use of nitrous can result in brain injury and suffocation. The pure gas by itself is not toxic, but if not enough oxygen is breathed in at the same time, death can occur. Sometimes when using this gas, you may not even feel a shortness of breath, even though your body is deprived of oxygen and you are in fact suffocating without any discomfort at all.

Possible Short Term Effects

Some users have experienced migraine like headaches that can last several hours. Other effects can be drowsiness and nausea.

Overuse or prolonged use of Nitrous Oxide has been known to interfere with the action of Vitamin B-12 in the body. This can cause problems with your nervous system and bone marrow.

Another bad effect of Vitamin B12 deficiency is in pregnancy. This can cause the child to be born with a neural tube defect.

This gas should always be mixed with oxygen. If there is not at least 20 percent oxygen, hypoxia (a pathological condition in which the body as a whole or region of the body (tissue hypoxia) is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Hypoxia in which there is complete deprivation of oxygen supply is referred to as anoxia) can result.

People have been hurt badly from using N2O and falling from windows, driving cars or operating machinery. There has also been cases of users getting hurt by pulling the heavy tanks onto themselves.

There is also the chance of falling down if using while standing up. So, it is best to use while sitting or lying down.

There have been cases where people working with nitrous oxide in places that were not well ventilated have had weak feelings and recurrent infections. The study also found that women who were exposed had a hard time getting pregnant.

There was a case of a man complaining of being unable to walk. He had experienced pins and needles in his hands and feet and then included his knees and fingertips. He also felt electric shocks going through his back and legs. In the past week he also had not been able to have an erection.

After being admitted to the hospital, tests showed hyperesthesia (a condition that involves an abnormal increase in sensitivity to stimuli of the senses.) and hyperalgesia (an extreme sensitivity to pain, which in one form is caused by damage to nociceptors in the body's soft tissues).

He also was diagnosed with bilateral sensory dystaxia (a failure of muscle control). He had to be helped in order to stand up.

For the past six months, he had been inhaling 2-3 boxes of 24 cartridges each of N2O every day. He was given injections of B-12 and stopped using and after 4 months was walking with a bit of hesitation but had regained sexual function.

Possible Long Term Effects

* asphyxiation
* deficiency of vitamin B12
* folic acid interference
* loss of ability to walk
* motor control loss
* numbness in limbs
* possible brain damage
* possible paralysis

[pravin]

Thats a good question. Too much expose to any chemical is always a threat to human health. I could see many of the workers, who work in the chemical industries are effected with various diseases then others.

Since the nitrous oxide can affect and control your brain activity or facial nerve, it is obviously clear that, it is dangerous to be exposed much.

[Enecist09]

90-180MGs of instant-release a day, 3/4 days a week. Definitely abusing it, but Lexapro has a lot to do with needing this much, i.e. its not strictly a matter of tolerance.