Does wildfire smoke affect lung function? Is there a necessity to detox your lungs after wildfire smoke inhalation? How to get fire smoke out of your lungs?

With growing natural disasters, the world remains shaken and unprepared. Earthquakes, flash floods, and wildfires occur spontaneously, like in India and Hawaii.

Wildfires are not just dangerous due to the massive destruction. They also cause lung damage. Wildfires destroy forests and houses; they even cause nearby people to burn up to third degree!

Make sure that you and your pets stay a safe distance from wildfires. Often, pets run loose, and you end up burning yourself to rescue them. Always keep a first aid safety kit ready in case of emergencies.

In wildfire inhalation, a natural detox may aid in the expulsion of foreign particles and restore health.

This makes it important to learn how to get fire smoke out of your lungs.

1. How to Get Fire Smoke Out of Your Lungs

Smoke from fires like wildfires causes inhalational injury and smoke injury. This mainly affects the lungs. During combustion, a major element in smoke is released—carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a poisonous and odourless gas. When you inhale smoke, this gas also passes into your body, affecting your mouth, windpipe, throat and lungs. Instead of oxygen entering your blood cells, carbon monoxide enters the red blood cells, reducing the oxygen your body receives.

You may notice indications like headaches, reduced cognitive functions like thought processes, and unconsciousness. These are the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. But do not worry—this poisoning is treatable.

However, a second type of problem might happen when surrounded by fire or smoke. Another molecule called hydrogen cyanide is also released during combustion depending on the fire and the burning materials. Hydrogen cyanide also passes into your body like carbon monoxide when you inhale it. But it is worse as hydrogen cyanide can also bind with the hemoglobin in our red blood cells. To treat this type of poisoning, the treatment is called – hydroxocobalamin. This injects vitamin B12 into your body, which helps release hydrogen cyanide molecules from the hemoglobin products.

Other gases that may harm you during a fire may be sulphur dioxide, mostly near volcanoes.

Smoke also causes inflammation. Inflammation occurs when the white blood cells start fighting to protect your body. Instead of air, your body starts filling up with inflammation, which causes shortness of breath.

Smoke affects people with lung problems more severely, for example, a patient suffering from asthma. Such people should avoid going to places which are likely to have wildfires are located near places that have ongoing wildfires. Small symptoms from smoke inhalation can trigger bigger issues, leading to you visiting the emergency room. So, before going anywhere, be mindful, take precautions, study the area beforehand, carry medical supplies, and keep at-hand contact with emergency personnel. If you are suffering from any illness, try to travel with a friend or someone to accompany you rather than solo.

But despite all the precautions, you may face smoke inhalation, maybe due to a fire in your cabin in the woods or your office building.

So, let us learn about different ways to get fire smoke out of your lungs. This is not restricted to wildfires. Here, we will discuss simple ways to ensure that smoke from wildfires, building fires, and cigarettes, whether consumed actively or passively, is removed and your lungs properly detoxify.

1.1 Water. Drink Lots of Water

Take ice. Get some water. It’s no old mantra. There is nothing revolutionary about these tips. You may already have said the same thing several times. Unfortunately, most people suffer from dehydration. It’s tough for people to detox after a fire’s harmful effects.

Wildfire smoke can trap tiny molecules in the lungs. It may enter the bloodstream. They can also spread across a person’s body and contaminate another organ. Water helps eliminate particles in the body. Typically, 10-8-ounce glasses of water are good targets. As part of your detoxification, increase your intake from 12 to 14.

1.2 Use a Saline Nasal Spray

Using tobacco can easily cause sinusitis, shortness of breath, and irritation. The solution moisturizes your mouth and soothes your throat. Hopefully, this will be an effective tool in expelling alien particles from your throat.

1.3 Medical Treatment

Several treatment methods are available to control cigarette inhalation in the workplace.

A study is also being done on advanced high-pressure hyperbaric oxygen rooms for fire inhalation treatments.

1.4 Receive a Vitamin-Rich IV Drip

How can you get fire smoke out of your lungs? One way is to Provide IV drip therapy, which can help your body get enough nutrients for optimal health. The doctor might help you with the specific cocktail you need. Premier Integrative specializes in naturopathic treatments, including special detox drips for your body.

1.5 Up Your Glutathione Levels

Glutathione is a major antioxidant. It can help generate cellular energy and protect your RNA against oxidative damage from exposure to smoke. In some cases, your body produces glutathione. It is possible to get glutathione naturally by eating vegetables like kale, garlic, or supplements.

Avoid “extra exposures”.

Foods particularly high in antioxidants are often called “superfoods” or “functional foods.” Examples of antioxidants found in food include

Vitamin A: Dairy products, eggs, liver.

Vitamin C: Most fruits, vegetables: especially fruits and berries; Oranges and bell peppers.

Vitamin E: Nuts, seeds and safflower.

Food with high amounts of CoQu10: Salmon, trout, salmon

Don’t have time for thyme or can’t source it? Plain steam is great, too! Eucalyptus is also helpful!

It’s a great option to treat sinus infections or allergies throughout the year.

Buy pesticide/spray-free (organic!) produce whenever possible to limit exposure to more chemicals and toxins.

Foods of vibrant colours have a rich and varied antioxidant content.

1.6 Airway-Supportive Option

Another airway-supportive option includes lavender, plantains, and mulledin. Mullein is demulcent and expectant. It has proven to be beneficial for bronchitis and has been used to prevent asthma and dry cough for hundreds of years. The lung and bronchial tone product from Natura has several breathing support products. Bonus Tip: Make an online profile to receive a 10% discount on all of our nutrients and supplements listed on the blog.

2 Why is it Important to Learn How to Get Fire Smoke Out of Your Lungs

In recent years, wildfire outbreaks have plagued the West Coast and Northern California. Wildfire smoke inhalation is an unfortunate fact. The same happened in San Pedro, where blazes destroyed thousands of homes, a lot of land, and everything on their path. Detoxing after tobacco exposure can also be beneficial for both the long term and the short term.

2.1 Smoke Exposure and Air Quality

Smoke inhalation or smoke exposure causes smoke inhalation injuries. These smoke inhalation victims/smoke inhalation victims suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning, poor air quality, itching in the respiratory tract/respiratory irritation, carbon dioxide poisoning and significant respiratory distress.

2.2 Carbon Monoxide Exposure

It can be avoided by using carbon monoxide detectors. Other problems of smoke inhalation include arterial blood gas imbalance, irritant compounds combustion, respiratory irritation, sulphur dioxide poisoning, blood urea nitrogen level imbalance and smoke inhalation damage.

3 Numerous Prevention Strategies for How to Get Fire Smoke Out of Your Lungs?

• Ginger improves blood circulation
• Natural nasal rinse
• Emergency medical services/Emergency medical help
• Drink hot liquids, cilia
• Contact poison control center
• Vitamin-rich iv drip/Vitamin IV drip
• Carry oxygen
• Daily vitamin supplement
• Local emergency department
• Healthcare professional
• Follow up care
• Expel foreign substances
• Create thyme-filled steam
• Blood tests – enough white blood cells, enough red blood cells
• Smoke detectors
• Natural antioxidant

4 Symptoms of Smoke Inhalation

• Smoke inhalation
• Smoke exposure
• Respiratory irritation
• Respiratory problems
• Upper airway blocked
• Commonly called burning
• Burned particles deposited
• Acute mental status changes
• Smoke filled environment
• Mucous membranes are affected
• Smoke produced
• Rapid breathing
• Oxygen shortage
• Chemical irritants
• Altered mental status
• Serious risk
• Chemical asphyxiation
• Chemical irritants found
• Respiratory complaints
• Noisy breathing

The world is changing quickly. Either you may suffer fire smoke inhalation through smoking cigarettes or passively inhaling it, or you get caught in a building fire, or you are near a wildfire site. Get away from the site. Seek immediate attention. If immediate medical care is not possible, try to detox your lungs using a nasal spray, drink lots of water, eat superfoods, and take care of your health properly. It is important to know how to get fire smoke out of your lungs.

5 Frequently Asked Questions: How to Get Fire Smoke Out of Your Lungs

Smoke inhalation occurs from wildfires and can happen due to any fire. Let us discuss some common questions and facts about smoke inhalation that you should keep in mind before learning about how to get fire smoke out of your lungs.

1 What happens when fire smoke gets in your lungs?

Fine particles of fumes can travel deeply within respiratory tracts and reach the lung. Inhaling particles in your body may have various effects like respiratory discomfort, shortness of breath or stuttering. Often, they cause a severe asthma attack or pulmonary embolism.

2 What should you do if you inhale smoke from a fire?

How to get fire smoke out of your lungs?

Seek medical help as soon as possible if you face severe breathing problems or feel dizzy or your friend falls unconscious.

Get away from the smoke and keep your nose and mouth covered.

Get some good rest. Drink lots of water.

Take some coughing pills and chew a piece of soft candy for relief and pain in the throat.

Use cough medicines as directed.

Don’t let anyone else smoke. Avoid stuff that can cause inflammation in the lungs.

3 How long does It take to heal lungs affected by wildfire smoke?

Mild symptoms should disappear within 4-6 days of the end of exposure.

If your symptoms aren’t improving, talk to your doctor first.

In the case of severe lung disease or other lung conditions, immediate medical care is required.

4 What are the symptoms and signs of smoke inhalation?

Symptoms of inhaling smoke are varied. It is important to identify signs such as soot on the airways or skin colour changes.

It is usually accompanied by breathing problems or headaches and a heightened feeling of anxiety or irritability.

Some smokers have developed signs that may require up to 48 hours for breathing.

We face smoke every day in multiple ways – cigarette smoke, secondhand smoke, air pollution, etc. But the worst is smoke from wildfires, volcanic eruptions, and sudden house or building fires. Fire from burning crops also can be harmful to health. If you are exposed to smoke every year in some form or another, you are bound to develop a chronic illness that may build up and act as a trigger. Especially senior citizens, pregnant women and their unborn babies are affected the worst.

If you face symptoms like headache, lightheadedness or shortness of breath when surrounded by smoke, it is most likely that you inhaled the smoke. In such a case, reach out to the nearest medical professional, drink lots of water, use a nasal spray and get away from the smoke as soon as and as far as possible. Medical professionals will help give you extra oxygen support and clear out your lungs. You may also receive vitamin injections to help your respiratory system recover. When surrounded by smoke, keep your mouth and nose covered. Use a nearby cloth like a scarf or handkerchief. If possible wet the cloth with water.

Last Updated on May 5, 2024 by Gautam