Couple inhaled laughing gas together, 10 months later suffered spinal cord damage

Mr. H's hand was numb, unable to close and had lost feeling.

News from Bach Mai Hospital said that the Poison Control Center has just admitted a couple with severe sequelae after a long time of inhaling laughing gas together.

Currently, the couple is struggling with paralysis, numbness in the limbs and sensory disturbances, and unsteady walking. They are receiving mobility support from medical staff.

Mr. T. said that 10 months ago, he saw his friends having fun inhaling laughing gas so he tried it. At first, he thought it was a harmless game, but the more he inhaled it, the more addicted he became, unable to quit. Once, in just two days, he spent nearly 20 million VND on laughing gas.

Not only does the husband play, he also invites his wife to "have fun" with him. Whenever the couple is tired and stressed, they turn to laughing gas to have more fun.

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 balls. They only stopped when they were too tired, but continued playing as long as they had the energy.

After nearly 10 months of use, both of their bodies began to “send out distress signals”. Mr. T. recalled: “One day, I felt my hands numb, thinking I was sleep deprived. A few days later, the numbness spread to my legs, and I fell down when I stood up. I went to a private clinic for examination but they couldn’t find out what was wrong. When I couldn’t lift my legs, I went to Bach Mai.”

Ms. H. also had similar symptoms: numbness in both feet, feeling like “ants crawling inside the body”, and staggering when walking. When they arrived at the Poison Control Center, the doctor concluded that both had cervical spinal cord damage due to N₂O gas poisoning, affecting the motor and sensory nerves.

The couple is undergoing intensive rehabilitation, detoxification, combined with physical therapy and exercise. Doctors say the recovery process can take months, and may not even be complete if the spinal cord injury is severe.

Dr. Nguyen Dang Duc - the doctor who directly treated Mr. T. and Ms. H. 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. What is worrying is that laughing gas is still being sold widely, disguised as "recreational gas". We need to take strong action and promote communication to prevent it from the root," said Dr. Duc.

Dr. Duc warns that N₂O gas should not be inhaled directly. Just a few consecutive inhalations can cause acute neurotoxicity. “A minute of being high can be exchanged for a lifetime of disability. There are patients who are only 25 years old and have to learn to walk like a child,” Dr. Duc shares.

Image of spinal cord injury in a patient with N2O gas poisoning.

Dr. Nguyen Trung Nguyen, Director of the Poison Control Center, Bach Mai Hospital, said that 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 by themselves and are paralyzed all over the body.”

Regarding blood, N₂O gas causes anemia and bone marrow failure similar to diseases caused by toxic chemicals. Regarding reproduction, many young patients suffer from decreased sperm count, endocrine disorders, and decreased libido in both men and women.

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 shared.

According to Dr. Nguyen, 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 recommends people:

- Absolutely do not use laughing gas in any form.

- If you experience numbness, muscle weakness, or loss of balance after inhaling laughing gas, go to a medical facility immediately.

- Parents, schools and communities need to strengthen supervision and education of adolescents to prevent the risk from spreading among young people.

According to Dan Viet

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/hai-vo-chong-ru-nhau-hit-bong-cuoi-sau-10-thang-ton-hai-tuy-song-524947.html