Inhalants and Their Effects on Human Body

Inhalants are generally used for cleaning, painting, and other similar things. Some people think that they are the best alternatives for mood altering drugs. They can be purchased legally and are cheap. There are four common types of inhalants and they include volatile solvents, gases, aerosols and nitrites.

Following are the effects of use of inhalants on the body:

• Initially lungs absorb the inhaled chemicals and these are passed in to the blood stream quickly and are distributed throughout the body.
• Initial effects are similar to the effects that are produced by alcohol such as slurred speech, lack of coordination, euphoria and dizziness.
• Other short term defects of the inhalants includes increased heart rate, hallucinations, lost feeling, nausea and vomiting, loss of coordination etc.
• Nitrates are one of the type of inhalants that increase the size of blood vessels and relax the muscles.
• Long term inhalant use can break down myelin which is a protective cover that surrounds many of the body's nerve fibers and also help nerve fibers to carry their messages to and from the brain.
• Inhalants also can damage brain cells and prevents them from receiving enough oxygen. This effect is known as brain hypoxia and it is dependent on the area of the brain affected.
• Regular use of the inhalants can also cause harm to important organs of the body like heart, kidneys, and liver.
• Certain inhalants cause the body to produce only few blood cells, which can cause anemia.
• Frequent long term use of certain inhalants can cause a permanent change or malfunction of peripheral nerves, called polyneuropathy.
• Long term use of these inhalants can lead to compulsive drug use, and mild withdrawal symptoms.

The above are the harmful effects of inhalants on human body.