Insecticide Poisoning Symptoms

Insecticides are chemicals used to kill insects. Insecticide poisoning happens when a person inhales or consumes the chemicals. The symptoms of poisoning tend to vary depending on the level of exposure. Most insecticide sprays contain pyrethrins, or non-harmful chemicals, that are capable of causing life-threatening conditions and breathing issues.

Mild Exposure

• Mild exposure would be defined as having symptoms that go away after the exposure ends. This can be done by removing yourself from the situation you are using insecticide in. Symptoms of mild exposure include fatigue, dizziness, nausea, blurred vision, sweating, headache and the flu. These symptoms may decrease as the exposure is limited or ended. Washing your skin or your eyes out can remove the chemicals and decrease the severity of the symptoms.

Moderate Exposure

• Moderate exposure includes symptoms such as rashes, skin redness, disorientation and breathing problems. These symptoms may be a result of inhaling boric acid. This inhaling will cause coughing and vomiting as well.

Excessive Exposure

• If a person is exposed to large amounts of insecticide chemicals, they must seek medical advice before a life-threatening condition develops. Excessive exposure to insecticides can cause breathing difficulty and other serious health problems such as seizures, heart palpitations and coma. This excessive exposure is caused by the lack of oxygen that is entering the person's body. The insecticide blocks the airway and contaminates the blood.

Long-Term Exposure

• Long-term exposure happens when a person breaths and lives in an environment that contains insecticides. The person may not even know they are being exposed to the insecticide until it begins causing health problems. The symptoms of insecticide poisoning in these areas include physiological changes in the person, tumors, cancer and birth defects.

Causes

• Insecticide poisoning can be caused by simply touching the insecticide without proper protection or washing hands to remove the chemicals from the skin. When touched, the chemicals can soak into the skin tissue and can cause serious health problems and even death. Poisoning can also be caused by breathing the chemicals in through the lungs and passing them into the body's tissues and organs.

Emergency

• If you have been exposed to any form of insecticide, call your local emergency number (911) or the National Poison Control Center at [phone] and receive confidential services. The quicker you reach out for help, the easier the poisoning will be to treat.