Can the Body Recover by Itself After An Acute Inhalation Injury?
Lung injuries caused by chemicals, smoke, or the chemical products of combustion, are serious. When you inhale a toxic substance, the airway is directly exposed to chemicals or extreme heat potentially causing damage to the skin, airway and/or the lungs. In many cases, you must seek medical treatment immediately. While someone with an inhalation injury may be able to breathe and walk normally immediately after an injury, damage to the airway and lungs can cause delayed swelling which can block the airway, inhibit the flow of oxygen and cause death. But can the body recover on its own after an acute inhalation injury? In this post, we will walk you through inhalation injuries, the damage they can cause and the most common treatments.
Most Common Inhalation Injuries
One of the most common inhalation injuries is from smoke inhalation. In fact, the most common cause of death after a burn injury is respiratory failure. The injury to the lungs comes not just from smoke particulates, but from chemicals that are released as the products of combustion. This can include carbon monoxide, phosgene, and sulfur dioxide. Acute inhalation injuries can also be caused by inhaling chlorine from cleaning products, swimming pools, or industrial accidents; grain and fertilizer dust; and fumes from pesticides.One of the most common medical complications from an inhalation injury is chemical pneumonitis, an inflammation of the lungs that causes difficulty breathing. Pneumonitis can occur suddenly after breathing in a harmful substance, or it can occur after exposure to low levels of something toxic over time. Left untreated, this can lead to death.
Treatment for Acute Inhalation Injuries
While many people may appear to be asymptomatic immediately after an inhalation injury, swelling and damage to the airway or lungs may appear 24 to 36 hours after the accident. As a result, it is important to receive medical treatment to assess any damage to the airway or lungs without delay, and to follow up if the condition worsens. Treatment may involve administering oxygen, whether through a mask, the nose, or through a tube; a bronchoscopy to view damage to the airway or suction debris and mucus; as well as medications or inhalers. While the lungs can heal to a certain extent, not all damage is reversible.Unfortunately, acute inhalation injuries don’t always follow a linear pattern of recovery. For example, the recent spate of inhalation injuries caused by vaping has resulted in some patients being readmitted to the hospital after their initial discharge, between five and 55 days later. In some cases, inhalation injury can make the body more vulnerable to other infections and can exacerbate pre-existing lung or heart conditions. So, while the body can often be miraculous in its healing powers, you should always seek medical treatment for an acute inhalation injury.
