The etymological origin of the term intoxication is found in Latin. Specifically, we can indicate that it is the result of adding three lexical components of said language, such as the following:
-The prefix “in-”, which means “to be inside”.
-The word “toxicum”, which can be translated as “poisonous” or “toxic”.
-The suffix “-cion”, which is used to indicate “action and effect”.
Intoxication is the act and consequence of intoxicating : causing damage or disorder through something toxic . Toxic substances, meanwhile, contain some type of poison .
Among the words that can function as synonyms for intoxication, we must highlight some such as perversion, poisoning, damage, vice or poisoning. On the contrary, among its antonyms we have to highlight detoxification.
Intoxication is called, in this way, the result of ingesting or being exposed to a toxic element . The intoxicated person can suffer multiple inconveniences and, in extreme situations, even lose their life .
There are different types of poisoning. In some cases, poisoning is accidental : the subject consumes or comes into contact with the poison without realizing it or accidentally. There are also voluntary poisonings , when the individual chooses to ingest the substance to alter their state of consciousness or cause death .
Carbon monoxide poisoning , for example, develops when this gas enters the body. When a stove does not burn correctly and its ventilation system does not work well, it produces carbon monoxide that remains in the environment. If a person inhales this odorless gas, they will suffer poisoning that can cause death.
Arsenic poisoning , on the other hand, arises from the action of this chemical element. Arsenic is used for different purposes in various industries: to make herbicides, smelt copper, etc.
Plant poisoning (which usually occurs when toxic plants are consumed when their characteristics are unknown), alcohol poisoning (caused by excessive alcohol intake) and food poisoning (usually generated by the presence of parasites or bacteria in food ) are among the most frequent and require different treatments depending on their characteristics.
We have to explain that food poisoning manifests itself through symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, watery diarrhea, fever and even pain. As a rule, such poisoning does not require medical attention and disappears on its own.
However, there are cases in which it is necessary to go to a health center or even the hospital. Specifically, it is necessary to seek help from a medical professional if the vomiting or stool contains blood, if the pain or cramps are very strong, if the person feels muscle weakness and has blurred vision, and even if they show clear symptoms of dehydration.
The people who may suffer the most from a food poisoning problem are pregnant women, minors, those who have a chronic illness, and even older adults. All of them are part of what is called risk groups.