Twenty-Three-Year-Old Individual Suffers Frostbite After Utilizing Whippets
The recreational use of nitrous oxide, commonly known as "whippets" or "laughing gas," is a practice that carries significant risks and potentially serious long-term effects. A recent case at the University of Virginia has highlighted one such risk: frostbite.
In this instance, a 23-year-old man developed frostbite in his mouth and throat after inhaling a nitrous oxide canister. The man, who experienced painful swallowing and hoarseness for two days, admitted to doctors that his symptoms began after inhaling nitrous oxide from a handheld canister. A physical examination revealed swollen white blotches on the roof of the man's mouth, uvula, and throat.
Frostbite is caused by ice crystals forming in our skin and tissues. In this case, the cold from the compressed gas released from the whipped cream canisters, which can reach temperatures as low as -40 degrees Fahrenheit, triggered the frostbite. The cold from the compressed gas can cause frostbite in body parts inadvertently exposed to it while using whippets.
While frostbite to the mouth and throat is less common than frostbite to the thighs or hands, it is a notable risk when handling nitrous oxide incorrectly.
Nitrous oxide, used recreationally to induce euphoric, if short-lasting, effects, also carries other short-term risks. Users often experience euphoria, dizziness, headache, confusion, blurred vision, slurred speech, and impaired judgment. Improper handling of the cold gas canisters can cause frostbite injuries to the mouth, hands, or legs due to the extremely cold gas released. Nausea, changes in blood pressure including sudden drops, temporary numbness, and blackouts are common.
The most severe short-term risk is asphyxiation. Nitrous oxide can displace oxygen in the lungs, leading to a lack of oxygen to the brain, which may cause loss of consciousness, brain damage, or even death.
Long-term recreational use of nitrous oxide can lead to depletion of vitamin B12 in the body. This can result in nerve damage and symptoms such as muscle weakness and neuropathy. Prolonged use of nitrous oxide can result in serious complications such as paralysis and permanent neurological damage.
Moreover, nitrous oxide abuse can precede or coincide with the use of other substances, increasing the risk of more dangerous drug abuse and overdose. Psychological dependence, cravings, and the risk of developing substance use disorders are significant concerns. Users may develop anxiety, depression, or other mental health problems, especially if nitrous oxide is used as a coping mechanism.
In summary, although nitrous oxide is legal and has legitimate uses, including acting as a medical sedative and helping create whipped cream, its recreational use carries serious health risks that can have lasting impacts on the brain, nervous system, and vital organs, as well as posing immediate dangers such as asphyxiation and frostbite.
[1] American Society of Anesthesiologists. (2019). Nitrous Oxide Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://www.asahq.org/resources/nitrous-oxide-fact-sheet [2] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Nitrous Oxide (Whippets). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nitrous-oxide [3] National Health Service. (2020). Nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Retrieved from https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nitrous-oxide-laughing-gas/ [4] New England Journal of Medicine. (2020). Frostbite of the Oropharynx after Inhalation of Nitrous Oxide. Retrieved from https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMc2011053 [5] Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Recreational Use of Nitrous Oxide. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ipcsneng/neng0501.html
- The recreational use of nitrous oxide, also known as "whippets" or "laughing gas," can result in frostbite, as evidenced by a recent case at the University of Virginia, where a man developed frostbite in his mouth and throat after improper use.
- A physical examination revealed swollen white blotches on the roof of the man's mouth, uvula, and throat, which are symptoms of frostbite caused by ice crystals forming in the skin and tissues.
- Improper handling of the cold gas canisters can cause frostbite injuries to various body parts, including the mouth, hands, or legs, due to the extremely cold gas released.
- Long-term recreational use of nitrous oxide can lead to serious complications, such as depletion of vitamin B12 in the body, which can cause nerve damage and symptoms like muscle weakness and neuropathy.
- Furthermore, nitrous oxide abuse can precede or coincide with the use of other substances, increasing the risk of more dangerous drug abuse, overdose, and mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, or other substance use disorders.
