Danger from laughing gas: Hemiplegia due to N₂O gas poisoning

After 10 months of inhaling laughing gas for fun, Mr. T. and his wife are struggling with the after-effects of paralysis, numbness in their limbs, and sensory disturbances.

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

Unforeseeable consequences of thinking laughing gas is harmless

Mr. T. (36 years old, Hanoi ) first tried laughing gas at the end of last year, when he and his wife went out to Nguyen Hue walking street (Ho Chi Minh City). Seeing his friends playing, he was curious, thinking it was just fun and harmless. Who would have thought that after just one try, he would be hooked without realizing it.

From a few balls “for fun”, Mr. T. gradually became addicted to the feeling of excitement that N₂O gas brings: “Every time I inhale, I feel like I am somewhere else - on the moon, under the sea, each person has a different kind of hallucination. At first, I feel refreshed and happy, but the more I play, the more I get hooked. Once, in just two days, I spent nearly 20 million VND to buy balls."

Every time they were stressed, the couple would close their room door and use laughing gas to feel happier. The frequency of use increased. There was a period when they played continuously, using 6 to 8 bottles a day, each bottle containing about 40 balls. They only stopped when they were too tired, but they 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".

“One day, my hand felt numb and I thought it was due to lack of sleep. A few days later, the numbness spread to my legs and I fell down when I stood up. I went to a private clinic but they couldn’t find out what was wrong. When I couldn’t lift my leg, I went to Bach Mai,” Mr. T. recounted.

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

His wife, Ms. H., also had similar symptoms: numbness in both feet, feeling like “ants crawling inside the body”, and unsteady walking. When they were admitted to 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.

In recent days, the couple has had to receive support from medical staff in intensive rehabilitation, detoxification, combined with physical therapy and exercise. Looking far away, Mr. T. shared that the doctor said the recovery process could last for many months, and even a full recovery would be impossible if the spinal cord injury was severe.

“Now I just hope to be able to walk normally. We were so foolish, thinking laughing gas was harmless, but it turned out to be crippling. I hope everyone, especially the young, don’t be as foolish as us,” Mr. T. said sadly.

The poison in laughing gas silently destroys the brain and spinal cord.

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.

Regarding blood, N₂O gas causes anemia and bone marrow failure similar to diseases caused by toxic chemicals. Regarding reproduction, many young patients have reduced 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.

This expert emphasized that 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 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, had to be hospitalized with quadriplegia. MRI scans showed irreversible spinal cord damage.

"The worrying thing 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. Nguyen Dang Duc.

Doctors warn that N₂O gas should not be inhaled directly. Just a few consecutive inhalations can cause acute neurotoxicity. A minute of being high can cost a lifetime of disability. There was a patient who was only 25 years old and had to learn to walk like a child.

Doctors at the Poison Control Center at Bach Mai Hospital recommend that people absolutely do not use laughing gas in any form. If you experience numbness, muscle weakness, or loss of balance after inhaling laughing gas, you should go to a medical facility immediately.

Parents, schools and communities need to increase monitoring and education to prevent the risk of spreading among young people.

THIEN LAMB

Source: https://nhandan.vn/nguy-hiem-tu-bong-cuoi-liet-nua-nguoi-do-ngo-doc-khi-no-post918600.html