Description
Smelling salts are used to arouse consciousness because the release of ammonia (NH3) gas that accompanies their use irritates the membranes of the nose and lungs, and thereby triggers an inhalation reflex. This reflex alters the pattern of breathing, resulting in improved respiratory flow rates and possibly alertness.Are smelling salts likely to work for sport‐related mild head injury? It is unlikely that the induced inhalational reflex has a significant therapeutic effect over and above the natural history of the condition. Increasing the respiratory rate alone certainly has no beneficial pathophysiological effect on the nature or underlying cause of concussive injury. Whether the salts increase alertness or improve reaction times or have other positive cognitive benefits remains to be proven scientifically.
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