Young couple in Hanoi paralyzed after using 'laughing gas'

Mr. T. (36 years old, Hanoi ) recounted that at the end of 2024, he saw his friends "playing laughing gas" so he was curious and tried it once and got hooked without realizing it. From a few "for fun" balls, Mr. T. gradually became addicted to the feeling of excitement that N₂O gas brings. He even spent nearly 20 million in 2 days to buy laughing gas.

Mr. T.'s wife, Ms. H. (32 years old), said that whenever she was stressed, she would use laughing gas. The frequency of use increased day by day. There was a period when the couple played continuously, using 6-8 bottles each day, each bottle containing about 40 balloons, only stopping when they were too tired.

After nearly 10 months of use, both Mr. T. and his wife's bodies showed strange symptoms, numbness in their hands then spreading down to their legs, falling down when standing up. At the Poison Control Center - Bach Mai Hospital, the doctor concluded that both had cervical spinal cord damage due to N₂O gas poisoning, affecting the motor and sensory nerves.

Image of spinal cord injury in patients with N2O gas poisoning

According to Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen - Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, N₂O gas in laughing gas is a strong neurotoxin that can cause deep damage to three main organs: the nervous system, the blood system and the reproductive system.

“Neurologically, laughing gas destroys the myelin layer - the insulation of nerve fibers, causing the brain and spinal cord to 'cut off' the signal transmission. The consequences are paralysis of the limbs, sensory disturbances, and even respiratory arrest. Some patients cannot sit up on their own, and are paralyzed. Regarding the blood, N₂O gas causes anemia and bone marrow failure similar to diseases caused by toxic chemicals. As for reproduction, many young patients have reduced sperm count, endocrine disorders, and decreased libido in both men and women,” said Dr. Nguyen.

In addition, through psychological surveys, the Center recorded that many people addicted to laughing gas suffered from memory disorders, depression, behavioral and emotional disorders - manifestations of chronic brain damage.

Dr. Nguyen emphasized: “Laughing gas has an addictive mechanism similar to drugs. Users must continuously increase the dose, from a few to dozens of balloons per day. Some people, after treatment, partially recover and then relapse. This is a disguised drug, both toxic and addictive, with absolutely no safe dose.”

Dr. Nguyen Dang Duc - the doctor who directly treated Mr. T. and his wife, added that recently, the Center has continuously received cases of laughing gas poisoning, mainly young people. There was a patient who was only 20 years old, after a few months of using laughing gas, he had to be hospitalized due to quadriplegia. An MRI scan showed irreversible spinal cord damage. The worrying thing is that laughing gas is still being sold widely, disguised as 'entertainment gas'. It is necessary to take strong measures and promote communication to prevent it from the root."

Doctors advise that N₂O gas should not be inhaled directly. Just a few consecutive inhalations can cause acute neurotoxicity.

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/doi-vo-chong-tre-ha-noi-liet-nguoi-sau-choi-bong-cuoi.html