Symptoms of pufferfish poisoning: hallucinations

For those who like to eat puffer fish, they must go to a place that specializes in processing puffer fish to eat puffer fish, because if puffer fish is not handled properly, people will become poisoned after eating it, and in severe cases, they will have hallucinations. Generally, this situation is mostly a temporary paralysis of the nervous system. Therefore, you need to go to the hospital immediately for medical treatment. In view of the dangers of eating puffer fish, it is better for everyone not to eat puffer fish, so as not to harm your health.

How long does pufferfish poisoning last?

Tetrodotoxin can cause central nervous system paralysis, block neuromuscular conduction, and cause progressive paralysis of voluntary muscles; directly block skeletal fibers; and cause peripheral vasodilation and a sharp drop in arterial pressure. The incubation period is 10 minutes to 3 hours. In the early stages, there is a tingling sensation in the fingers, tongue, and lips, followed by gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Weakness in the limbs, coldness, numbness of the lips and extremities. In severe cases, pupil and corneal reflexes disappear, and the muscles of the limbs become paralyzed, which may lead to whole-body paralysis. In severe cases, patients may suffer from difficulty breathing, low blood pressure, coma, and eventually die from respiratory failure. There is currently no specific antidote for tetrodotoxin poisoning, and victims often die within 4 to 6 hours. Even with emergency treatment, the mortality rate is as high as 40% to 60%.

Symptoms of pufferfish poisoning

The incubation period of puffer fish poisoning is very short. Gastrointestinal symptoms can appear within tens of minutes after consumption, manifested as abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, followed by numbness of the lips, difficulty speaking, facial flushing, shallow breathing, pupil constriction or dilation, and a drop in body temperature.

People with mild poisoning may not experience systemic motor muscle paralysis and can recover on their own; while those with severe poisoning may die from respiratory or circulatory failure within 5 hours.

First aid for puffer fish food poisoning

First of all, we must know that the toxin of pufferfish is very strong. Once poisoned, it will paralyze the human nervous system and eventually cause death from respiratory failure. Moreover, the onset of pufferfish toxin is very fast and there is no incubation period. Therefore, once an attack occurs, rescue must be given quickly, otherwise it will be life-threatening.

Puffer fish food poisoning Puffer fish poisoning Puffer fish food poisoning symptoms

1. In mild cases, induce vomiting on the spot: use chopsticks or tongue depressor to stimulate the throat to induce vomiting, or take 50-200ml of 1% zinc sulfate aqueous solution orally to induce vomiting.

2. Gastric lavage: Repeated gastric lavage with 1:2000 potassium permanganate solution or 0.5% medicinal charcoal suspension. Take 20g of sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate orally as a cathartic. Slowly inject scopolamine butylbromide 20 mg/time, 3 times/day, for 1-2 days.

3. Fluid replacement: Intravenous drip of 10% glucose solution 1000ml adding 0.5g vitamin C can accelerate detoxification.

4. Oxygen inhalation: Oxygen inhalation is required in case of respiratory failure. You can also use drugs such as nikethamide, lobeline, anacaine, etc. Refer to the dosage in the instructions and inject them alternately.

5. Increase blood pressure: When blood pressure drops, you can use pressor drugs such as alamin and dopamine. Call the emergency station for rescue or send to the hospital.

The toxin of puffer fish is very strong. Once poisoned, it can paralyze the human nervous system and eventually cause death from respiratory failure. Moreover, pufferfish toxin takes effect very quickly and there is no incubation period. Therefore, once puffer fish food poisoning occurs, rescue must be given quickly, otherwise it will be life-threatening.