Poisoning Symptoms in Humans

Poison is any substance which is harmful for the body. The poison can enter through a person's body by various means. A person can inhale it, inject it, swallow it or absorb it through their skin. The poisoning can occur due to overdose of illegal drugs or overdose of prescribed or over-the-counter medicines. Poisoning can also occur due to inhaling of carbon monoxide from gas appliances. Household products like furniture polish or laundry powder are also poisonous. Certain plants and metals like lead and mercury are also poisonous.

The dangers of poisoning can be short term illness leading to nausea and vomiting to brain damage, coma and in certain cases, even death. To prevent any kind of poisoning one should store the products exactly the way their labels mention. Also, poisonous products should be kept out of reach of children. Mentioned below are the food, alcohol, mercury, sun, arsenic and salmonella poisoning symptoms.

Symptoms of Food Poisoning
A person who has food poisoning, will show the following food poisoning symptoms:

• Stomach cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Severe headache
• Sudden and severe diarrhea
• Sudden unexplained fever which is often accompanied by some other symptom
• Muscle Ache
• Feeling very weak and tired for no apparent reason

Symptoms of Alcohol Poisoning
A person who has alcohol poisoning, will show the following alcohol poisoning symptoms:

• Confusion, stupor
• Vomiting
• Seizures
• Very slow breathing (less than eight breaths in a minute)
• Irregular breathing
• Pale skin or blue tinged skin
• Low body temperature
• Passing out or losing consciousness

Symptoms of Mercury Poisoning
A person who has mercury poisoning, will show the following mercury poisoning symptoms.

If a person breathes mercury, the symptoms will be -

• Metallic taste
• Vomiting
• Difficulty while breathing
• Bad cough
• Swollen and bleeding gums

When inorganic mercury is swallowed the symptoms depend on the amount which is swallowed. The symptoms can be

• Burning sensation in the throat and stomach
• Bloody diarrhea
• Vomiting

If a person has been exposed to small amounts of organic mercury daily for years, he will show symptoms after a while. Long term exposure to organic mercury causes neurological mercury poisoning symptoms like:

• Inability to walk properly
• Numbness or pain on certain part of the skin
• Shaking or tremors which are uncontrollable
• Double vision or blindness
• Certain memory related problems
• In case of large exposure, it may lead to seizures and death

Symptoms of Sun Poisoning
A person who has sun poisoning, will show the following sun poisoning symptoms:

• Tender or red skin
• Red skin rash
• Skin itching
• Small to large water filled blisters
• Fever
• Chills
• Flu-like symptoms
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Dehydration
• Fluid loss and electrolyte imbalance

Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning
A person who has arsenic poisoning, will show the following arsenic poisoning symptoms:

Short term (acute) arsenic poisoning can cause:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Cough
• Headache
• Weakness
• Loss of appetite
• Shaking

Long term (chronic) poisoning symptoms in human beings due to arsenic are:

• Skin pigmentation
• Numbness
• Diabetes
• Vascular disease
• Cardiovascular disease

Symptoms of Salmonella Poisoning
A person who has salmonella poisoning, will show the following salmonella poisoning symptoms:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Fever
• Chills
• Muscle Pain

The treatment of poisoning depends upon the type of poison, that has been absorbed by the person. If you suspect somebody has been poisoned, then call your local poison control center right away to seek medical help.