# Am I overreacting to pepper spray?



## kehcorpz (Jul 31, 2016)

Yesterday I did a small test with PS.

In the bathroom I laid some paper tissue on the floor and then sprayed a tiny amound of PS on it. Really just a tiny squirt.

I wanted to see what color the PS has and just get an impression of what it smells like. I didn't hold it against my nose I just smelled

it from the distance.

After that I threw the tissue in the toilet. So the PS wasn't even IN the air.

But still I instanly felt it in my nose and then the nose started to run like crazy and this lasted for HOURS!

And even hours later when I went into the bathroom my nose issues got worse! How is this possible? I mean I didn't spray

the stuff IN the air in the first place. 

This is pretty scary. I mean if I get such a strong reaction without any real exposal to PS then I can't even imagine how

bad it would be to get this stuff sprayed into your face. Could this actually be life-threatening if your nose totally swells up

and clogs and at the same time you have to cough like crazy?


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## Kickboxer101 (Jul 31, 2016)

My god.....of course it's in the air you sprayed it so it's in the air. What a stupid idea it was in the first place and yeah of course it's bad that's the whole point of it. As long as you don't piss off any police or anyone who carries it you're good geesh


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## Danny T (Jul 31, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> Yesterday I did a small test with PS.
> 
> In the bathroom I laid some paper tissue on the floor and then sprayed a tiny amound of PS on it.
> 
> ...


Let's see...
You state: "...and then sprayed a tiny amount..." "So the PS wasn't even IN the air."

Just what does 'Spray' mean?
Spray: water or other liquid broken up into minute droplets and blown, ejected into the air.

Pepper Spray is a compound that makes the eyes tearful. The active ingredient in Oleoresin Capscicum is also an inflammatory agent that swells up the eyes and mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract, it causes pain, and often temporary blindness. It a few rare cases it has caused death.

Oleoresin capscicum concentrated oil is combined with water, glycol and a propellent, often nitrogen. Nitrogen is lighter that air so when sprayed even in a very small amount in a confined space the nitrogen will rise and disperse in the air of the combine space contaminating it with the OC that is carried with it. 

Simple basic physics.


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## kehcorpz (Jul 31, 2016)

With IN the air I mean I didn't hold the spray can and then sprayed into the air like I was using it as air freshner.

I sprayed it directly into the paper tissue! This way only tiny amounts can have gotten into the air.

This is NOTHING compared to getting this stuff right in your face! And that scares me. 

I have seen people testing PS on themselves spraying it in their face and they said it's not that bad. 

That's why I ask myself if my reaction is normal or if I am overly sensitive somehow.


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## Azulx (Jul 31, 2016)

I think I heard somewhere taht it is a good substitute for Tabasco.


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## donald1 (Aug 1, 2016)

In order to know for sure id recommend spraying it directly in the eyes for a minimal of three seconds. Also try not to blink while doing it to be safe. 

Joking aside; Im going to take a guess and say maybe its simply a normal reaction. Perhaps when you got curious about pepper spray you underestimated how strong it is and learned a valuable lesson.  in the future its best to keep that stuff away from your face at all times


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## donald1 (Aug 1, 2016)

Edit: accidentally posted same message twice


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## geezer (Aug 1, 2016)

Never had much experience with pepper spray ....except once over twenty years ago working a part time adult-education gig teaching night school. The cute, and rather buxom blonde teacher in the next room came running into my room saying that someone had released pepper spray in her classroom. The room had been evacuated, but she had left her purse behind. She couldn't go back in because she had asthma.... so could I run in and grab her purse for her? _...Boy,_ I thought, _she ran out and left her purse? What a dumb blonde!_

I said sure and ran into the room and grabbed her purse off her desk. Oddly enough, the purse seemed to be _emitting jets of whitish vapor_, and immediately my nose and eyes started burning  like crazy, and I began to cough uncontrollably. Anyway I ran outside to give the purse to her, but she back-peddled away and said "_Oh no ...just drop it *over there* where I can keep an eye on it!_ 

Then the truth came out. It was _her_ _own_ canister of pepper spray inside her half open purse that had ruptured. She and all her students just dropped everything and ran out the door. But then, realizing that she would need her purse, she came looking for a sucker to go in and get it for her. Who better than me! And boy I'll tell ya, that stuff does burn your eyes and sinuses like crazy, and make you cough, for quite a while too! 

I learned an important lesson though. There isn't a "dumb blonde" out there that is half a dumb as the men around her!


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## mograph (Aug 1, 2016)

geezer said:


> I learned an important lesson though. There isn't a "dumb blonde" out there that is half a dumb as the men around her!


Science! 
Interacting with women makes men stupid


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## oftheherd1 (Aug 1, 2016)

To the OP:  Pepper sprays are partly aerosols (some spray a stream, but there will still be an aerosol effect) and as such, tend to dissipate into the air on being sprayed.  So as others have said, of course there would be some released into the air, and in a closed space as are most bathrooms, some particles will stay in the air.  If you share that bathroom with anyone else, you need to start practicing your explanation of the neat new cockroach spray you discovered. * ;-)  *Also, I would was things such as mats and towels*.  *Opening window(s) and/or turning on any fans will help.  However, depending on the spray and what the capsicum is dissolved in, you may find some lasting effects anyway.  You may also be more sensitive that other people.  If so, avoid making citizens and police feel the need to use it.  You won't like the result.


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## kehcorpz (Aug 1, 2016)

It really worries me that pepper spray even in tiniest amounts causes such a strong reaction.

If I had to use PS against an attacker then depending on wether there is wind I most likely would also be exposed to amounts of PS

and probably more that during my trial.

What if the PS would also disable me and not only the attacker?!

In order to be protected you needed a gas mask and swimming glasses.


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## geezer (Aug 1, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> It really worries me that pepper spray even in tiniest amounts causes such a strong reaction.
> ...What if the PS would also disable me and not only the attacker?!



Something to seriously consider before choosing pepper spray for self defense.


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## jks9199 (Aug 1, 2016)

OC sucks.  But it's not at all something you can't cope with.  Mind altering chemicals, individual tolerance, and just plain being angry enough can get you through it...





(plenty of others out there if you search for 'em.)


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## kehcorpz (Aug 1, 2016)

I don't know if being angry really makes much of a difference if you can't breathe anymore. 

Are there any *remedies* to pepper spray which help quickly? Or do you basically feel like crap for hours or days?

I forgot to mention something!

I also got a little bit of spray on my fingers and the fingers also burned for hours even though I washed them many times!!!!


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## jks9199 (Aug 1, 2016)

OK....  some basics here.  Pepperspray or OC is oleo resin capsicum -- the"spicy stuff" in jalapeno, habanero, and other peppers.  Except it's at an exponentially higher concentration.  Effects of OC include mild skin burns (especially on fair skinned people), burning and tearing of the eyes, burning sensations of the mucus membranes, some difficulty breathing mostly caused by the burning sensation.  OC can be decontaminated over time (about 30 minutes in fresh air), soap and water (some swear by Dove dish soap), and milk, along with several products on the market.

Individual sensitivity varies.  And OC tends to work best on other cops... and worst on drunks and aggressively violent assailants.


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## lklawson (Aug 4, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> Could this actually be life-threatening if your nose totally swells up and clogs and at the same time you have to cough like crazy?


Deadly?  Yes, but *EXTREMELY* rare and usually related to asthma and related breathing preconditions.  Apparently less than 30 documented cases of death where OC was considered a contributing factor.

Pepper spray - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


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## Flying Crane (Aug 4, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> I don't know if being angry really makes much of a difference if you can't breathe anymore.
> 
> Are there any *remedies* to pepper spray which help quickly? Or do you basically feel like crap for hours or days?
> 
> ...


You can build up an immunity to it, but it takes perseverance.  You need to place a drop of it in each nostril and under your tongue, and in each eye, once daily.  Over time, your body will no longer react to it.  It varies from person to person, how long that desensitization takes, so it is very important to stick with it, don't give up.

I've done it, I can now take a full spray directly on the face and eyes, and it does not phase me at all.  You can do this too, if you get started and be consistent with it.  Keep at it, and good luck to you!


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## kehcorpz (Aug 4, 2016)

Flying Crane said:


> You can build up an immunity to it, but it takes perseverance.  You need to place a drop of it in each nostril and under your tongue, and in each eye, once daily.  Over time, your body will no longer react to it.  It varies from person to person, how long that desensitization takes, so it is very important to stick with it, don't give up.
> 
> I've done it, I can now take a full spray directly on the face and eyes, and it does not phase me at all.  You can do this too, if you get started and be consistent with it.  Keep at it, and good luck to you!



Are you serious? If not this would be irresponsible advice.

Could one also start lighter with tabasco instead of ps?


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## Flying Crane (Aug 4, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> Are you serious? If not this would be irresponsible advice.
> 
> Could one also start lighter with tabasco instead of ps?


It's not about starting lighter.  Rather, it is about developing a desensitization, or an immunity, rather, to a particular substance.  Tabasco does not have the same ingredient that is found in pepper spray.  So if you develop an immunity to Tabasco, it won't help you with pepper spray.  If you want immunity to pepper spray, you have to work with pepper spray.

Ya gotta just jump in and do it.

Results may vary.  I cannot make any guarantees to the results you may experience.


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## jks9199 (Aug 4, 2016)

kehcorpz said:


> Are you serious? If not this would be irresponsible advice.
> 
> Could one also start lighter with tabasco instead of ps?


The farm workers who harvest habanero, jalapeno, and other hot peppers are pretty much immune; they've been exposed to so much capsicum that it doesn't bother them in the least.


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## Juany118 (Aug 6, 2016)

Flying Crane said:


> You can build up an immunity to it, but it takes perseverance.  You need to place a drop of it in each nostril and under your tongue, and in each eye, once daily.  Over time, your body will no longer react to it.  It varies from person to person, how long that desensitization takes, so it is very important to stick with it, don't give up.
> 
> I've done it, I can now take a full spray directly on the face and eyes, and it does not phase me at all.  You can do this too, if you get started and be consistent with it.  Keep at it, and good luck to you!



First have to say in regards to the op...
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





That out of the way, for the eyes and nostrils yes but remember, unless you were also inhaling vapor, hold your breath because it will do a serious number on your lungs.  That is actually what you want to have happened.  I have been sprayed in training and accidentally during the chaos of fights (one guy I work with use to be notorious for even accidentally spraying himself.  Now he has a taser, we are waiting for that shoe to drop  ).  Even if it effects you, if you have the will you can fight through the pain in your eyes and the mucous membranes but the effect on the respiratory system, if it's a vapor spray vs stream or foam, I don't think that is something one can acclimate to.  I could be wrong though.


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