Is There Anything You Can Do to Reverse An Inhalation Injury?
An inhalation injury is a serious injury to the respiratory system and lungs. It can happen if you inhale a toxic substance such as asbestos, smoke, chemicals, gases or particle pollution. You can also suffer respiratory injury from exposure to extreme heat or fire. In fact, more than half of deaths from fires are caused by thermal inhalation injuries. But once your lungs and respiratory system are injured, how do they heal? Is it possible to reverse an inhalation injury? In this article, we’ll cover symptoms of inhalation illnesses and their treatments and prognoses.
Symptoms of Inhalation Injury
Symptoms of an inhalation injury may vary depending on the substance inhaled, but generally symptoms include:
- Scratchy or sore throat
- Irritated sinuses
- Coughing
- Headache
- Shortness of breath
- Chest tightness
- Stinging eyes
- Runny nose
- Hoarse throat
Whether you have inhaled a chemical or smoke, both can cause direct injury to your mucous membranes and skin. This may cause swelling, airway collapse, and respiratory distress. Even for less severe inhalation injuries, your doctor will check your airway, breathing, and circulation. They may use a scope to examine your injuries and ensure your airway isn’t blocked and you may also receive blood tests and imaging tests of the lung. Your doctor may also perform lung function tests.
Treatment for Inhalation Injury
You may receive many treatments for an inhalation injury, including:
- Oxygen:
- Oxygen may often be given as an immediate treatment for an inhalation injury. It can be given through the nose or a mask. If your airway shows signs of damage such as hoarseness, you may need to be intubated with a tube placed down your throat to keep the damaged airway from swelling.
- Bronchoscopy:
- A bronchoscopy involves an endotracheal tube placed down the throat to examine the airway through a scope. The procedure also allows suctioning of debris or secretions and may be performed if you fail to respond to treatment or your condition is growing worse.
- Hyperbaric Oxygenation:
- For carbon monoxide poisoning, you may be given oxygen in a compression chamber. It may make recovery quicker and reduce symptoms.
You may also be prescribed medications and inhalers. While all of the treatments listed here are first line medical interventions, an inhalation injury can also make a pre-existing lung or heart disease much worse. Treatment can often improve symptoms, but some people with serious inhalation injuries suffer permanent damage. Your best chance of recovery is to seek medical treatment immediately.
