Grills, hibachis, and generators produce CO and should never be used indoors and that includes basements and garages. Tragedies often happen during a power outage. A CO detector would alert them to their grave mistake. Everyone should know the early signs of carbon monoxide poisoning, said Dr. Bayer. Symptoms include headache, nausea, unclear thinking, shortness of breath, weakness, and loss of muscle control.
Symptoms often mimic the flu leading to misdiagnosis by both patient and physician.
Be suspicious of CO poisoning if symptoms vanish when you leave your home or other regularly frequented environment, said Dr. Bayer. Severe symptoms can include unconsciousness and convulsions. Preliminary evidence suggests that chronically exposed individuals may suffer from neurological damage, affecting memory, concentration, high-level functioning, and motor skills. According to Dr. Bayer, symptoms from chronic exposure include headache, nausea, dizziness and malaise. Dr. Bayer strongly advocates CO detectors.