Nitrous Oxide: Doctor warns of using "Laughing Gas" after spate of cases

[webfact]

Picture: Daily News

 

The habit of inhaling "laughing gas" or nitrous oxide from balloons has become something of a craze again in Thailand, reported Daily News.

 

People have been filming themselves ingesting the gas and giggling in high pitched and strange voices.

 

But a well known online doctor has cautioned about the practice saying health problems can result.

 

Mor Lab Panda - real name Dr Pakphoom Dechahasdin - said that ear problems, paranoia or heart seizures could result from inhaling the gas. 

 

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[tomacht8]

I would argue that this is just a minor problem of the many Thailand currently has.

[marcusb]

Our research showed helium makes high pitch voice, nitrous makes a low pitch.

17 minutes ago, webfact said:

ingesting the gas and giggling in high pitched and strange voices.

 

[mtls2005]

Balloons for sale, again, in the thai-centric entertainment venues (KSR, W, etc.).

 

Sold openly, captured on many videos (TikTok, FB, Youtube).

 

Whippit good.

[noserious]

The riskiest health problem that occurs from inhaling nitrous oxide is passing out while trying to hold in the gas. People who inhale it standing up sometimes fall over and hit their head or injure their body. It should be done from a sitting position with a "trip sitter" for harm reduction.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

People have been filming themselves ingesting the gas and giggling in high pitched and strange voices.

I used to like the girls wearing a "giggle garter" get passed that and you're laughing... no need for gas.

[007 RED]

I think the so called 'Doctor' needs to do a bit of investigation before making such a comment.  If he did he would have discovered that so called 'party balloons' are not filled with nitrous oxide, they are filled with helium which is lighter than air and hence the balloon raises into the air.  Nitrous oxide is heavier than air and the balloon will sink to the floor.

 

Nitrous oxide, sometimes called Entonox or laughing gas, is used within the medical field as a form of pain relief.  It is frequently given to women during labour in hospital and by emergency ambulance personnel when dealing with serious medical emergencies/trauma.  

 

The gas is normally self administered, that is to say the mouth piece is given to the patient and they hold it and inhaled from it.  After a few intakes of breath the gas will make them feel woozy (light headed) at which point they will normally stop inhaling the gas by themselves.  The effects of the gas quickly wear off once the patient stops inhaling it.

 

As far as I'm aware nitrous oxide is not available to the public and I've never seen it used in hospitals other than under the supervision of an anaesthetist.

[madmitch]

6 minutes ago, 007 RED said:

I think the so called 'Doctor' needs to do a bit of investigation before making such a comment.  If he did he would have discovered that so called 'party balloons' are not filled with nitrous oxide, they are filled with helium which is lighter than air and hence the balloon raises into the air.  Nitrous oxide is heavier than air and the balloon will sink to the floor.

 

Nitrous oxide, sometimes called Entonox or laughing gas, is used within the medical field as a form of pain relief.  It is frequently given to women during labour in hospital and by emergency ambulance personnel when dealing with serious medical emergencies/trauma.  

 

The gas is normally self administered, that is to say the mouth piece is given to the patient and they hold it and inhaled from it.  After a few intakes of breath the gas will make them feel woozy (light headed) at which point they will normally stop inhaling the gas by themselves.  The effects of the gas quickly wear off once the patient stops inhaling it.

 

As far as I'm aware nitrous oxide is not available to the public and I've never seen it used in hospitals other than under the supervision of an anaesthetist.

Nitrous oxide filled balloons aren't uncommon, though not as common as helium balloons, and it could be the good doctor is confusing the two upon reading the article.

 

I just hope his anaesthetists don't confuse the two!

Edited November 16, 2021 by madmitch

[mrfill]

1 hour ago, 007 RED said:

I think the so called 'Doctor' needs to do a bit of investigation before making such a comment.  If he did he would have discovered that so called 'party balloons' are not filled with nitrous oxide, they are filled with helium which is lighter than air and hence the balloon raises into the air.  Nitrous oxide is heavier than air and the balloon will sink to the floor.

 

Nitrous oxide, sometimes called Entonox or laughing gas, is used within the medical field as a form of pain relief.  It is frequently given to women during labour in hospital and by emergency ambulance personnel when dealing with serious medical emergencies/trauma.  

 

The gas is normally self administered, that is to say the mouth piece is given to the patient and they hold it and inhaled from it.  After a few intakes of breath the gas will make them feel woozy (light headed) at which point they will normally stop inhaling the gas by themselves.  The effects of the gas quickly wear off once the patient stops inhaling it.

 

As far as I'm aware nitrous oxide is not available to the public and I've never seen it used in hospitals other than under the supervision of an anaesthetist.

Well, I think you've been going to the wrong parties. NO or 'hippy crack' as the tabloids like to call it, is very popular indeed in Partyland and at festivals - largely because it is cheap and, in most countries, legal. I suspect you may not be old enough to remember dentists using the stuff regularly for general anaesthetic (as no qualified anaesthetist was required to administer) but now it is a trendy party thing. Pic shows a UK park from last year...

[Grusa]

1 hour ago, 007 RED said:

 

 

As far as I'm aware nitrous oxide is not available to the public and I've never seen it used in hospitals other than under the supervision of an anaesthetist.

Nitrous oxide is easily available. It is sold for cream whippers, and not to be confused with CO² for soda syphons.

It is expensive in this form and I defy anyone to achieve any physiological effect from a bulb or two!

[connda]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

People have been filming themselves ingesting the gas and giggling in high pitched and strange voices.

"Giggleing in high-pitched and strange voices?"
That's not Nitrous Oxide - it's Helium.

Nitrous Oxide is heavier than air.  Those balloons will not float and breathing it in will not change the tonal pitch of your voice.
Helium - which is lighter than air - will cause balloons to float and the lower density of the gas causes your voice to sound squeaky, "high-pitched and strange."

But?  You know Thai doctors.  They need to get the 15 minutes of fame in the MSM.  Funny though when a medical doctor doesn't seem to grasp very basic chemistry and physics.  <laughs>

The primary danger from both is that if you fail to breath normally between inhales (of either N2O or He) you can pass out due to lack of oxygen.  Other than that though - heck - it's just good fun.  I've done both.  Great party fun as long as you don't have some goodie-two-shoes telling you it's going to kill you for sure.  Lordy, how did I survive my teens and early 20s?    According to doctors like this, I should be dead or permanently injured.  <laughs> Nope.

[RobU]

I think the reporter has got it wrong and quoted nitrous oxide instead of helium the symptoms described are from over use of helium without oxygen added effectively causing anoxia

[Gsxrnz]

The good doctor is obviously confusing N₂O with He.

 

Not surprising really.  Show a periodic table to a Thai (even an alleged doctor) and he'll probably order pad-gap-pow gap kai-daow.

[mtls2005]

Not saying every balloon sold in a night-time party/entertainment zone is N2O, but most are. 

 

Helium is not dispensed from Whip-It! cartridges.

 

Nitrous balloons are filled at the point of sale.

 

They are not "floating" as they are held by the consumer.

 

Probably not the most eco-friendly high?

 

 

An older story...

 

https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30372842