BENGALURU: After liquid nitrogen, health experts have also raised concerns over the hazardous effects of helium gas, commonly pumped into balloons children play with and frequently inhaled nowadays for fun activities to momentarily change one’s voice.
“Inhaling helium fills the lungs and creates a diffusion gradient that depletes oxygen. Essentially, each breath of helium reduces the oxygen in the system. After inhaling helium, the body’s oxygen level can rapidly drop to dangerous levels within seconds,” a government hospital doctor, on condition of anonymity, told TNIE.
Dr Sachin D, Consultant, Interventional Pulmonology Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Fortis Hospital, said that inhaling pure helium displaces oxygen, essential for body functions. This dilution of oxygen can result in hypoxia, characterised by dizziness, lightheadedness, and potentially unconsciousness, he added.
“The rapid decrease in oxygen is because helium does not trigger the body’s low oxygen warning system. Normally, bodies sense a drop in oxygen and increase breathing rate. Helium being lighter is easier to breathe, so the body does not perceive the danger and continues breathing normally which further allows oxygen levels to drop quickly,” Dr Sachin elaborated.
Dr Brunda MS, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Aster CMI Hospital, said, “Inhaling helium at high pressure can cause gas bubbles to form in the bloodstream. These bubbles can travel to the arteries and potentially block blood flow, leading to a life-threatening condition called arterial gas embolism (AGE) which can cause stroke, heart attack, or even death.”
Helium sourced from balloons or non-medical-grade suppliers might contain impurities like other gases or particles. Inhaling these impurities can exacerbate lung irritation and possibly result in respiratory issues. Early symptoms of oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) include lightheadedness, nausea, and dizziness. As helium inhalation continues, individuals may experience difficulty in breathing, coughing, chest tightness, confusion, or loss of consciousness, and sometimes irregular heart rate, low blood pressure, or a bluish discoloration of the lips, Dr Brunda highlighted.