15 November 2023 , 14:23
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There's nothing cosier than lighting a scented candle and snuggling up in a blanket, especially at this time of year - but it's important to be aware of the dangers.
When we burn candles, there's the potential danger of setting things alight, which is why you should never leave them unattended. But there is another hazard you need to be aware of.
A woman has gone viral after sharing a very scary event that happened as a direct result of her scented candles. She explained that she had five candles lit in her bedroom which had been burning for a number of hours. She blew them out right before getting into bed to go to sleep. But then she became aware that her whole body felt like it was 'dropping'.
"I started to lose sense of myself," the woman named Emy shared on TikTok. "I heard this voice saying something is wrong and I got up and my chest was so caved in and my heart was just going, going, going." She woke up her parents and told them to take her to hospital because she felt something was "very wrong". Her other symptoms at the time included feeling severely dehydrated, confusion, double vision, shortness of breath, chest pains, dizziness, shaking, and headaches.
By the time they arrived at the hospital, Emy's blood pressure was sky high. And once she told the medical staff about the candles, how long they had been lit, and the fact she had blown them out just before bed, they identified carbon monoxide poisoning.
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Emy was hooked up to oxygen and after a few hours, she felt well again. But she had a warning for viewers. "Moral of the story, I will never be using scented candles ever…" she said, as she reflected on the fact she could have died. "Your health really matters. Prioritise your health," she concluded. "Don't take things for granted. And just take care of yourself. I will do a better job."
Her video was quickly inundated with comments - and has been viewed 784.1k times. "I literally had no idea you can get carbon monoxide poisoning from candles," one person confessed. A second echoed: "Wait how do you get carbon monoxide poisoning from candles I always light candles all over my house been doing this for years especially bc I clean."
A third added: "That's why I cover them the second I blow them out, but I also have my windows open for fresh air too." And a fourth said: "YES I HAVE BEEN TELLING PEOPLE To swap their candles for diffusers instead!!!!"
While candles can produce small amounts of carbon monoxide, the levels are usually not significant enough to cause long-term health effects. However, prolonged and excessive candle use in poorly ventilated areas may increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.