Smelling salts, often known as fragrant ammonia, are a stimulant that’s inhaled by the nostril. They’re sometimes used to revive somebody who has fainted or is feeling faint. Smelling salts work by irritating the mucous membranes within the nostril, which triggers a reflex that stimulates the respiratory and circulatory programs. This can assist to extend coronary heart charge, blood stress, and respiration.
Smelling salts have been used for hundreds of years to deal with quite a lot of situations, together with fainting, shock, and nausea. They’re additionally generally utilized by athletes to enhance efficiency. Nevertheless, smelling salts ought to be used with warning, as they’ll trigger unwanted side effects equivalent to dizziness, headache, and seizures.