Even without conscious input from your brain, your lungs react to this irritant to rid your airways of the painful fumes by breathing in and out deeply. These big bursts of air bring more oxygen into your body, which is carried to the brain through your bloodstream.
Football, basketball, and hockey players have all been seen using smelling salts while conscious, claiming it helps keep them alert for long games or after a big hit.
Use of smelling salts in this manner may give athletes a jolt because that strong irritant causes them to take deeper breaths, taking in more oxygen, and thus making them feel more awake. Read More. A beginner's guide to the brain and nervous system.
For Educators Log in. Someone get the smelling salts! A doctor quickly places a vial under their nose and they wake back up. How do they work? What are the short-term effects? Are there any long-term effects? What are the risks? How can I use them safely? The bottom line. Read this next. Treatments for Dizziness. Medically reviewed by Nancy Hammond, M. What Causes Fainting?
Medically reviewed by Suzanne Falck, MD. Concussion Recovery Medically reviewed by Sachin S. Kapur, MD, MS. Medically reviewed by Deborah Weatherspoon, Ph. How to Remove a Leech. But from what we can tell, all it does is cause the breathing reflex.
In the case of a concussion, smelling salts would similarly be ineffective, because concussions are caused by a brain injury, not by oxygen deprivation. So, their use in sports is not backed up by the science. It would be possible to burn the membranes of the nostrils through overuse, but one would have to be using it often and in heavy doses. There is a danger if a person suffered a head injury, either through a concussion that knocked them unconscious , or if they fell on their head after fainting.
Because the ammonia is an irritant, it can cause some unconscious people to reflexively jerk their head away or turn their neck. Just as the lungs try to clear the nasal passage, your body instinctively wants to move away from the source of the pain in your nose, like if you put your hand on a hot stove. It can also make a person who suffered a head injury harder to evaluate. Breathing rate is one of the ways that doctors will judge the severity of a concussion, so applying smelling salts can throw off their assessment, and make it more difficult to treat in the short term.
Michael W. Richardson Michael W. Richardson is a writer and editor based in Brooklyn, New York, covering topics ranging from the brain and behavior to the environment. Every month, we choose one reader question and get an answer from a top neuroscientist.
Always been curious about something? A new study in mice suggests that having a healthy and intact gut microbiome may be necessary for optimal muscle growth after exercise. Drinking coffee before working out can improve muscle endurance, cognitive function, and muscle performance.
Learn more. Meal deliveries can be convenient and help a person meet their nutritional needs. Learn about some of the top options for bodybuilders here. Are smelling salts bad for you? Medically reviewed by Alan Carter, Pharm. What are they? Risks Use Benefits Side effects Summary People have used smelling salts for hundreds of years to revive someone who has fainted or passed out. What are smelling salts? Share on Pinterest An athlete may use smelling salts to increase their alertness and focus.
Are they bad for you? Smelling salts use.
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