Every housewife uses vinegar; it is always available in the house. It is used not only in the kitchen, but also for household purposes. In the old days, young ladies drank vinegar to lose weight and make their appearance pale. Is vinegar harmless and what happens if you drink it?
Characteristics of vinegar
Vinegar is a product containing acetic acid. It is obtained by microbiological synthesis using acetic acid bacteria from food raw materials containing alcohol. Vinegar can be natural or synthetic.
Table vinegar is prepared by diluting vinegar essence, which contains up to 80% acetic acid, with a certain amount of water. The product has a specific odor of this acid.
In addition to acetic acid, natural vinegar contains food acids - malic, tartaric, citric, complex alcohols, aldehydes, esters, which in combination give the product aroma.
Rectified and ethanol, as well as fruit juices and fermented wine materials. Alcohol oxidation occurs with the help of acetic acid bacteria. After fermentation, the vinegar is purified, pasteurized, diluted if necessary and bottled.
Consequences of drinking vinegar
If you accidentally or intentionally drink weakly concentrated table vinegar in a small amount, it will not cause much harm to the body if the person is healthy. If he has diseases - enteritis, colitis, gastritis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis, stomach or intestinal ulcers, then their exacerbation may occur. This is due to the fact that drinking vinegar has an irritating effect on the mucous membranes and enhances the activity of the digestive glands.
Taking a large amount of vinegar greater strength or vinegar essence is fraught bad consequences, up to fatal outcome. Vinegar poisoning occurs especially often in young children due to the carelessness of parents who keep vinegar in accessible places.
There are also cases of deliberate poisoning of adults with vinegar in order to commit suicide, as well as accidental use by people prone to alcoholism, who may mistake it for an alcohol-containing drink. In addition, you can be poisoned by vinegar by inhaling its vapors, and not just by ingesting it.
What happens if you drink vinegar?
When poisoning with vinegar due to a chemical burn of the mucous membrane, a person experiences burning pain, both in the throat and in the stomach. Swelling of the larynx, indigestion, and vomiting occur. The patient has a strong feeling of thirst. Urine may be colored dark color with a reddish tint, the protein content in the urine increases, and kidney failure may occur.
The mucous membrane of the food organs becomes loose, swells, ulcers may occur, and sometimes perforation of the walls. If you consume a large amount of vinegar essence (more than 50 grams), death can occur. Therefore, in case of vinegar poisoning, immediate medical attention is required.
What to do if you drink vinegar?
Call immediately ambulance, and before that, provide the patient with all possible assistance. First aid for such poisoning is as follows:
- apply ice compresses to the neck area;
- drink cold water, milk;
- use mucous decoctions of rice, barley or flax seeds;
- drink lime water.
If possible, gastric lavage should be performed.
How to prevent vinegar poisoning? Prevention measures
Natural table vinegar is made from fermented fruits, that is, it is peroxidized and purified wine. More precisely, oxidized ethanol. Wine vinegar is made from grape wine. From apple wine - apple cider vinegar. Table vinegar usually has a concentration of 6-9%.Synthetic acetic acid is made from wood waste. It can be assumed that the so-called “apple” and “wine” vinegar are probably produced from the same wood by dilution, flavoring and coloring. Although in many countries it is prohibited to use synthetic acetic acid for food purposes.
Vinegar essence has a high concentration (70%). There is also “glacial acetic acid” with a concentration of 98-99%. There are even pieces of ice floating in it at room temperature. This pure acid is produced for chemical laboratories. It can also be used as food, you just need to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1 part acid to 20 parts water (you get 5% table vinegar).
Symptoms of poisoning and the course of the poisoning itself will vary depending on the concentration of the liquid drunk.
Vinegar is usually drunk by mistake, by drunkards who want to “add more”, or by completely crazy “suicides”. I say abnormal because it’s hard to think of a more terrible and painful way to lose one’s life. In psychiatry it is believed that normal person the sense of self-preservation is so great that he cannot commit suicide. That is, if it can, it means it’s not normal.
In case of poisoning with food vinegar 6-9%, a burn of the mucous membrane of the esophagus occurs varying degrees severity depends on the amount drunk. If you drink 1-2 sips, poisoning is usually limited to a mild superficial burn of the esophagus and can pass without consequences. When drinking 50-200 grams or more, more severe consequences are possible - the acid is absorbed in the stomach and intestines and enters the internal organs and tissues. First of all, the blood suffers - red blood cells - erythrocytes. Their cell wall is destroyed, hemoglobin from the cells enters the blood and clogs small blood vessels kidneys, causing kidney failure. Circulation of toxins in the blood causes liver failure. In severe cases of the disease, death is possible.
If you take a few sips of vinegar essence or acid, then damage to the esophagus comes first - a strong, deep, large-area burn; a person can die from painful shock. If he recovered from the painful shock and survived, then defeat is inevitable internal organs- blood, liver, kidneys. If medicine saves him here too - with operations, numerous injections, blood purification using an “artificial kidney” apparatus, then scars will remain in the esophagus for life, which will gradually narrow its lumen and again he will have to turn to medicine for the next painful operations. In general, disability, suffering and communication with medicine for the rest of my life.
Therefore, be careful. It is better not to keep such dangerous things at home, or, if absolutely necessary, to keep them well closed, in special containers, from which it is immediately clear that this is not drink, say, chemical bottles made of dark glass with ground-in caps. Stick on a sticky plaster, write “POISON!!,” draw a skull and crossbones, put it in a distant drawer, close it well so that neither your children nor your tipsy relatives even think about joking with it. After all, no one is immune from mistakes.
If trouble does occur, the first thing to do in case of poisoning with strong vinegar is to immediately rinse your mouth and throat, gargle with water or a weak solution of soda. Then give them a few glasses of cool water, or ice water, to drink. Call an ambulance very quickly and tell them what happened. Under no circumstances should you give the soda solution to drink or induce vomiting, so that the damaged walls of the esophagus do not burst. Just drink water to dilute the vinegar inside, the more the better. You can put something cold on the stomach area, for example, ice wrapped in a towel.
The first specialized aid consists of gastric lavage using a tube, a painful procedure after a burn, but extremely necessary and very effective.
If the concentration of the solution is small and you only drink one or two sips, then you don’t have to panic and use “home remedies” - rinse your mouth, rinse your stomach, drink water or milk. But if there is pain, dizziness, agitation or lethargy, then you need to see a doctor, the sooner the better.
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Question:
A bottle of vinegar broke! I smelled it while I was cleaning, could some kind of poisoning occur?
Answer:
Vinegar, when inhaled its vapors, can cause irritation of the mucous membranes - cough, runny nose, lacrimation, but is unlikely to cause general poisoning of the body.
Question:
We have apple cider vinegar from 1999, threw it away, my mother-in-law took it out of the trash can and put it back in its place. What harm could there be in it and how can I convince her to throw it away?
Answer:
Vinegar is a very good preservative and hardly spoils. But nevertheless, its expiration date must be indicated on the packaging. If the vinegar has expired, use it for household needs. For example, you can wipe the refrigerator with vinegar after washing; it removes well unpleasant odors; Use vinegar to wipe dishes, glass, mirrors - they will shine better. And buy fresh vinegar for your mother-in-law.
Question:
My mother was poisoned with 70% vinegar. and she drinks the broth, rubs it through a sieve, and when she swallows, drool accumulates and then spits it out. Is it necessary to dilate the larynx?
Answer:
The information you provided is not enough to resolve the issue of surgery. An objective examination of the patient is required. For getting correct recommendation, please contact specialist surgeons. Personal opinion - even after a very good operation, the body will not be “like new”, but maybe life will be a little easier. Do not forget that every operation is a risk and anesthesia - that is, a load on the head and body.
Question:
I rinsed my daughter's hair with 10 glasses of water and 1 glass of 9% vinegar, can I get poisoned?
Answer:
When applied externally in small concentrations, vinegar usually does not cause poisoning.
Question:
My son is 1 year and 4 months old. I found 70% acetic acid in my sister’s refrigerator and licked it... Some droplet got into his mouth, and he started crying (well, it’s definitely unpleasant and not tasty)... I washed his mouth out cold water and gave him water with a small pinch of soda to drink. Nothing will happen to him... There are no threats?!?
Answer:
If you don’t know for sure whether he licked or sipped, consult a doctor. Examine your mouth carefully. If there are traces of burns, then it is likely that there are also burns in the esophagus. In this case, medical supervision is necessary.
Question:
I drink in moderation. But my wife added vinegar to the vodka and I drank 100 ml. What can happen to the body?
Answer:
Acute kidney failure may occur to the body. Depends on the amount and concentration of vinegar drunk. And how can a person who drinks in moderation not notice what he is drinking? Vinegar is not water; its taste and smell are quite noticeable.
Question:
How quickly is vinegar removed from the body, does it remain in the organs?
Answer:
Small amounts of vinegar are eliminated within a few hours and do not remain in the body.
Question:
I was preparing salad dressing and cooking balsamic vinegar and honey on the stove. I leaned over to smell it and the sharp smell of vinegar hit my mouth and nose; I could feel this taste in my throat for a long time. In the evening my throat hurt, I don’t have tonsils and have never had a sore throat, but now my throat is hurting terribly! Please tell me what needs to be done to remove this pain (for 3 days already)
Answer:
Perhaps the mucous membrane was burned by acid and an infection got on the burned surface. Try gargling with a solution of salt and soda (1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon of soda, pour a glass of warm water, stir well until almost completely dissolved), gargle well with a decoction of herbs (chamomile, sage). If the temperature rises and if the pain does not go away, consult a doctor for examination and consultation.
Question:
Daughter is 10 years old. We treated the head with vinegar (there were nits), the hair smelled very much like vinegar, only after several rinses the smell went away. After 1-2 days, our eyelids became swollen, then there was a rise in temperature. According to ultrasound, the spleen is enlarged, there is lymphocytosis and thrombopenia in the blood, rods-2, monocytes-8, while the child’s condition is not affected, there are no complaints, except for fatigue in the evenings??? Please answer whether this condition is possible due to a possible sharp concentration acetic acid(Did you dilute 9% in half and rinse your hair?
Answer:
It is unlikely that this condition is caused by vinegar poisoning. Perhaps my daughter suffered viral infection in this period.
Question:
01478 If the mucous membrane of the lips is burned by vinegar essence. How can you treat a burn like this?
Answer:
If the burn is superficial - only redness and swelling, then the burn site should be washed thoroughly clean water or a weak solution of soda, several times, again, again after a few minutes. If possible, immerse your lips in water for a few minutes. This burn does not require special treatment. For some time - a day or two - you need to avoid eating spicy, hot and cold foods. In the event that the burn is deep, with damage to the mucous membrane, if there are ulcers, bleeding, or the skin peels off, also carefully and carefully wash away the remaining acid from the skin and mucous membranes and seek medical help.
Question:
01855 I decided to cook fish and onions in vinegar and diluted 1.5 tablespoon of 70% vinegar in a glass of water (about 180-200 g), poured over the fish and onions and after 15 minutes diluted with 2 more glasses ordinary water and an hour later I drained everything and refilled it with clean water and drained it! I ate it and after a couple of hours it became strange taste in the mouth and may already burn in the stomach from fright! Could I have caused serious harm?
Answer:
Interesting technology for cooking fish :-). What kind of fish was it - raw, salted, pickled, boiled? Was it fresh enough? At such a low concentration, vinegar could hardly affect a healthy stomach. but if the fish was “second fresh,” it could give an unpleasant taste.
Question:
01985 My mother drank 70% vinegar. What can you do? Please, help. She is suffering a lot.
Answer:
Vinegar poisoning can have very serious consequences. One or two drops cannot do much harm, but even one or two spoons of a concentrated solution can be life-threatening. You should contact your doctor immediately.
Acetic acid poisoning is life-threatening. Accidental or intentional use of the substance causes burns to the mucous membrane, severe intoxication of the body, and swelling of the respiratory tract.
Symptoms of poisoning depend on the amount and concentration of vinegar. If vinegar essence (30-80%) is drunk, a person experiences a painful shock, he cannot breathe, swallow, and loses consciousness. May be observed bloody vomiting. With a small amount of table vinegar drunk (3-9%), a strong burning sensation in the throat, pain in the stomach, weakness occurs, the poisoned person’s consciousness becomes confused, the voice becomes hoarse, and difficulties arise with breathing and swallowing.
You need to act very quickly. First of all, we call an ambulance. Then the person needs to be given some water to rinse his mouth. Place the victim on their side to prevent vomit from getting into the Airways. It is strictly forbidden to rinse the stomach on your own or induce vomiting.
Acetic acid
Acetic acid is a flammable, colorless liquid with a pungent odor. It is obtained by acetic acid fermentation of ethyl alcohol.
Exist different types vinegars:
- glacial acetic acid (concentration almost 100%);
- vinegar essence (30-80%);
- table vinegar (3, 6, 9, 12%).
The substance is used in the pharmaceutical and food industries. Table vinegar (apple, grape) is found in almost every home. Indispensable for preservation - most marinades are prepared on its basis. Some housewives use vinegar as a disinfectant and odor remover.
If acetic acid enters the human body, it causes chemical burn mucous membrane of the esophagus and disrupts the functioning of internal organs - liver, kidneys, stomach and others. If help is not provided in a timely manner and treatment is not started, the poisoned person may die.
Clinical picture of poisoning
Vinegar poisoning can be fatal within the first 5 days. Surviving patients become disabled (in 99% of cases).
The clinical picture is usually as follows:
- The first 5-10 days. The so-called acute period. The victim feels unbearable pain in the mouth, pharynx and lower esophagus. Damage to the vocal cords leads to hoarseness and loss of voice. Salivation increases and the swallowing reflex is impaired. Periodically, vomiting occurs, often mixed with scarlet blood. Vapors of acetic acid, penetrating the respiratory tract, cause swelling, difficulty breathing, and pneumonia.
- 30 days. If the victim survives, then acute period his general state improves - the pain subsides, he begins to drink and eat on his own. There are no scars yet, but there is a rejection of dead (burnt) tissue. This process is dangerous due to perforation of the walls of the esophagus, bleeding, infection, and the development of pneumonia.
- 2-4 months - 3 years. During this period, the damaged tissue is replaced by connective (scar) tissue. As a result, the esophagus becomes narrowed (stricture), and its ability to contract and stretch is lost. The swallowing reflex is disrupted, food ceases to be digested properly. Late symptoms vinegar poisoning: heartburn, increased salivation, putrid smell from the mouth, belching, vomiting, discomfort and pain in the stomach.
The first signs of poisoning
The first thing that indicates poisoning with acetic acid is the characteristic smell of vomit from the victim’s mouth and a sharp cutting pain in the throat. When inhaling vapors, a runny nose occurs, headache, burning in the nasopharynx, dizziness, sometimes vomiting. Depending on the severity of vinegar poisoning, the following symptoms are observed:
- swelling of the throat;
- confusion, loss of consciousness;
- pressure drop;
- skin cold to the touch;
- swallowing disorder;
- increased salivation;
- difficult wheezing;
- severe pain syndrome;
- tachycardia;
- vomit;
- the appearance of blood in urine, feces, vomit;
- paroxysmal cough;
- lack of appetite;
- hoarseness;
- decreased or absent urination;
- black color of stool.
Severity
The severity of poisoning can be affected by the age of the patient, the general condition of the body, the simultaneous intake of other toxic substances, the speed of assistance, the concentration and amount of acetic acid.
There are three degrees of severity:
- Easy. It is observed when swallowing 5-10 ml of table vinegar or inhaling vinegar fumes. It is characterized by a burn of the mucous membrane of the mouth, nasopharynx, and upper parts of the esophagus. Does not cause serious consequences.
- Average. This degree is characterized by severe burns of the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. The poisoned person's urine turns pink, vomiting and confusion occur. Complications develop in the form of acidosis, hemolysis, hemoglobinuria, and moderate blood thickening. Requires hospitalization and long-term treatment.
- Heavy. Accompanied by severe pain in the epigastric region, behind the sternum, repeated vomiting, staining of urine scarlet or dark red. The victim may lose consciousness. Without assistance, death occurs from painful shock or acute renal failure.
Poisoning is the most severe vinegar essence: lethal dose of 70% concentrate is 308 mg/kg; To die, an adult man only needs to drink 40 ml of the substance.
Poisoning from vinegar vapors is less dangerous. With short-term exposure to a toxic substance, only the nasopharyngeal mucosa is affected, and mild intoxication of the body may occur. Usually after a few days the victim’s condition returns to normal. With prolonged exposure to vinegar fumes, gastritis (inflammation of the gastric mucosa) develops.
First aid
In a critical situation, it is important to calm down and stop panicking. The life of the victim depends on the correctness and speed of action.
First aid for acetic acid poisoning:
- Call an ambulance.
- If the poisoned person has not lost consciousness, let him rinse his mouth with water. Only after this can the poisoned person be given a small amount of liquid to drink (milk, water, mucous decoction).
- Ice can be used for pain relief. It should be applied to the stomach, allowed to be swallowed in small pieces (after cleansing oral cavity). If you have the drug Almagel A in your first aid kit, you can give the victim 2 measuring spoons.
- If a person is in unconscious, you should check his pulse and breathing. If necessary, you should unbutton the shirt and, tilting the victim’s head back, do artificial respiration mouth to nose and perform a heart massage. To do this, you need to sharply blow air into your nose 2 times, then sharply press on your chest 15 times (12 seconds), again 2 vigorous blows (3 seconds), 15 heart compressions. Continue resuscitation measures until the ambulance arrives.
- To prevent ingestion of vomit, the poisoned person should be thrown over his knee with his stomach down or laid on his side.
What you should not do if you are poisoned by vinegar:
- give the victim plenty of water;
- give vomiting agents;
- induce vomiting with fingers;
- Give a solution of soda and water or other folk remedies.
Treatment
The ambulance immediately hospitalizes the injured person. If the patient is in a serious, unconscious condition, then he is sent to the department intensive care where they spend resuscitation measures. For the remaining patients, upon arrival, the stomach is washed through a tube with 10 liters of water. Next, treatment is carried out aimed at restoring the damaged mucosa, relieving symptoms, preventing complications and normalizing organ functions.
The patient may be prescribed:
- painkillers;
- antibiotics;
- antispasmodics;
- glutargic acid;
- hormonal drugs;
- stimulation of urination with alkalization of blood;
- hemodialysis;
- transfusion of blood components.
At first, nutrition is provided parenterally (through injections nutrients). Almagel is prescribed orally for tissue regeneration, sea buckthorn oil. After 3 weeks, if necessary, bougienage of the esophagus is performed (restoring patency). If it is established that there was a deliberate attempt to poison oneself (for the purpose of suicide), the victim is registered with a psychiatrist. After treatment, he is prescribed a course of psychological rehabilitation.
In case of acetic acid vapor poisoning, the victim is prescribed peach or apricot oil instilled into the nose. It is also necessary to take a drug with anti-inflammatory and antibronchoconstrictor activity (Erespal and its analogues).
Vinegar poisoning never goes away without a trace - even with successful and timely treatment The structure of the mucous membrane changes in patients. Diseases subsequently develop digestive system- gastritis, esophagitis, disorders of acid-base balance, protein metabolism, etc. To avoid acetic acid poisoning, you should take preventive measures. Dangerous liquids must be kept out of the reach of children. If you are suicidal, you should visit a psychiatrist.
Household poisoning chemicals Not unusual. The reason for this is ordinary human carelessness or inattention. But the consequences of such conditions can remain for many years. Vinegar poisoning occurs when it is accidentally or intentionally ingested. Most often this happens to drunk people who are hoping to quench their thirst. If you are very intoxicated, you simply won’t be able to hear the sharp acidic odor from the substance you take.
Doctors often register poisoning apple cider vinegar in children. Unfortunately, kids think that a bottle with a sticker of apples on it must contain lemonade or any other sweet drink.
Anyone can become poisoned through carelessness. However, one or two sips of a 6% or 9% acid solution will not lead to very severe consequences. This dose is quite enough for a sober person to understand the danger of drinking liquid. But even with such a small amount of substance, timely first aid and correct treatment in a hospital are important.
There are also suicide attempts using vinegar or 70 percent acetic acid. But the consequences of such an act are very sad: death can occur after a fairly long period of time. From several days to a year. During this entire period, the victim experiences terrible agony, and his desire to part with life may be shaken in the first minutes when first aid or hospital treatment is provided.
The effect of acid on humans
The acid-base balance in the body must be stable. If it shifts in any direction (becomes more acidic or more alkaline), a person feels unwell, and some malfunctions occur in organs and systems. Balance can be restored using medical supplies or dietary adjustments.
A person almost always receives small portions of acid through diet. A small proportion of vinegar in marinades adds piquancy to them and allows them to be preserved for a certain period.
However, large doses of acid have a detrimental effect on humans. The skin and mucous membranes undergo severe burns, and since the digestive tract is created for the speedy processing of food, the resulting acid is quickly absorbed into organs and systems, grossly disrupting their functioning.
Acid in the body: dangerous symptoms
With vinegar poisoning, symptoms develop in literally a matter of minutes. If first aid is not provided within two hours and adequate treatment, then a person may die from painful shock or the consequences of the body digesting acid.
The harmful effects of acid unfold in several directions at once. Vinegar poisoning, the symptoms of which are difficult to recognize for a person who did not see the picture taking place, proceeds quite rapidly.
Damage follows one after another as the dangerous liquid moves through the digestive tract:
- Small vessels are destroyed.
- The liquid that enters the body disrupts the functioning of the liver, affecting its cells.
- Physiological changes occur in the blood, the amount of hemoglobin goes off scale, and red blood cells are destroyed at tremendous speed.
- The kidneys do not have time to process so many damaged blood cells. Kidney failure occurs.
- Vessels may become blocked by blood breakdown products.
- The intestines suffer least from acid entering the body, because help for vinegar poisoning, provided in time, will prevent the substance from moving further. In the absence of the necessary medical actions, a person may die before the acid reaches the intestines.
Concentration of ingested substance
The effect of an aggressive acidic environment is always the same: first of all, burns occur on the mucous membranes of the mouth and larynx, and then on the esophagus and stomach. However, the symptoms of poisoning with vinegar and concentrated acid are slightly different.
Diluted substance
Few people know what to do in case of poisoning of this kind. Most opinions agree that first aid consists of flushing the stomach using a method available at home: drink a large amount of water and press on the root of the tongue.
But it’s worth thinking for a moment, is it possible to really help a person in this way? After all, this is how we force the aggressive substance to rise up the esophagus again and cause additional burns to it. Therefore, whatever information there is about the importance of gastric lavage, it is important to remember that this is done when chemical poisoning should only be performed by a qualified specialist in a hospital setting.
Small concentrations of acid quickly eat into the mucous membranes. Having reacted with gastric juice, the substance becomes more aggressive and causes burns to the stomach and nearby organs.
Having damaged the liver and the main hematopoietic cells, vinegar practically loses its aggressiveness. The kidneys must cope with the abundance of damaged blood cells.
Concentrated acid
The most insidious in case of poisoning with a concentrated substance are its vapors. You can inhale them either by accident or with the aim of finding out what kind of product is in an unlabeled container. But if the acid has been swallowed, then the person continues to inhale burning vapors with every movement of the lungs.
From this arises coughing, a person can't breathe fresh air, driving microparticles of poison deeper into the lungs.
There are some positive aspects of concentrated acid entering the body. If swallowed
namely the essence, it does not break down in the stomach for some time, but is enveloped in its walls due to its high concentration. With timely help from doctors, they will be able to evacuate it with minimal losses to human organs and systems.
Actions in case of poisoning
It is very important to provide the person on time medical care. The severity of the condition and the duration of the necessary treatment will depend on the speed of reaction of others.
First aid
Find out for sure what is causing feeling unwell a stranger is swallowed vinegar, which can be detected by a sharp, specific odor from the mouth. The very first action should be to call an ambulance team.
Qualified actions of doctors
In the presence of necessary tools, the first gastric lavage can be performed by emergency physicians at home. To do this, use a special wide probe, generously lubricated with petroleum jelly.
Large doses of painkillers are administered intravenously, and in case of painful shock, narcotic substances are administered so that the person does not fall into a coma.
And as quickly as possible I transport the patient to a medical facility, to the intensive care unit.
Self help
Provide yourself necessary help quite difficult - a person requires strong painkillers, and if pain shock develops, narcotics. Therefore, the algorithm of actions should be something like this:
- Lay the victim on his side so that if vomiting occurs, he does not choke.
- If the person is conscious, you can offer a drink consisting of egg whites and milk - such a liquid will slightly slow down the absorption of acid and protect the walls of the stomach.
- Offer to suck or swallow ice cubes - this will stop the development of traumatic edema, which can completely block the larynx.
If a woman uses vinegar or its essence for cleaning, and during the process inhales the vapors and becomes poisoned, she must urgently go to a medical facility. Because damage to the airways can lead to post-traumatic pneumonia, the consequences of which can be unpredictable.
Treatment in hospital
An injury received from swallowing 30-50 ml of acid (or 200 ml of vinegar) can be considered fatal - it is equal to 30% of skin burns.
Treatment of internal chemical burns is very long; at any stage, signs of infection of the affected tissues may appear, which can lead to bacterial infection and death.
If gastric lavage was not performed by emergency physicians at home, it will be performed immediately upon arrival in the intensive care unit. With the help of potent substances, the person will be kept conscious or in artificial sleep to prevent shock and subsequent coma.
Procedures for maintaining affected organs in the hospital
Since clots of destroyed cells appear in the blood and the kidneys cannot cope with their breakdown, the victim is connected to hemodialysis. This procedure will be carried out at least several times.
Severe burns to the esophagus cause swelling, which can be so extensive that it blocks the airway. To avoid such complications, significant doses of hormonal drugs are administered.
Nutrition naturally becomes impossible due to significant damage to the esophagus - food intake will be carried out through a gastrostomy tube.
After a few days, the condition should stabilize, the insane pain subsides, but the well-being is only external. Mucous and damaged tissue will begin to scar, but any movement can lead to peeling of necrotic tissue and internal bleeding.
Vinegar is widely used in cooking. He is considered very dangerous substance requiring especially careful handling. However, even people who try to strictly follow all recommended precautions are not immune from unfortunate accidents. Sometimes simple inattention can cause serious poisoning. After reading the article, you will find out what will happen if you drink vinegar.
What is this liquid?
Vinegar is an excellent preservative. Therefore, in almost every kitchen there is a bottle of this substance. It is often used for pickling vegetables. Many housewives add it to meat and fish dishes. And some even use it to extinguish baking soda while preparing homemade baked goods.
Before you figure out what to do if you drink vinegar, you need to understand what this liquid is. To put it in simple language, this is nothing more than purified wine. As a rule, its concentration does not exceed 9%, and the name is determined depending on what fruit it was produced from.
Apple and wine vinegar are especially popular among domestic housewives. It should be noted that all varieties of this substance are considered dangerous to human health. Low concentrated natural vinegar is considered the most harmless.
Is it possible to get poisoned by this substance?
Those who are interested in what will happen if you drink vinegar should understand that it is practically not used in pure form. Therefore, it is almost impossible to be poisoned by it without a person’s desire. Even if during cooking the housewife pours more vinegar into the container than is provided for in the recipe, she will visually notice her mistake and correct it.
Usually, serious problems arise only when a person consciously drinks an amount of this liquid that is several times greater than the maximum acceptable standards. Such actions often lead to sad and sometimes irreversible consequences.
Symptoms of poisoning
For those who don’t know what will happen if you drink vinegar, you need to remember that it is fraught with serious consequences. On initial stage a chemical burn occurs to the mucous membrane of the oral cavity, pharynx and pharynx. A person develops sharp pain in the retrosternal region, repeated vomiting with blood and decreased diuresis.
In addition, the main symptoms of vinegar poisoning include red “lacquer” urine, noisy and wheezing breathing due to laryngeal edema, and reactive peritonitis.
Subsequently, as the resorptive effect manifests itself, the patient begins to experience a malfunction of almost all internal organs. His hemostasis system is disrupted. The patient develops acute nephrosis, accompanied by anuria and azotemia.
First aid
Having figured out what will happen if you drink vinegar, you need to talk about what to do in such situations. Let us immediately warn you that specialists should provide assistance to the victim in a hospital setting.
Before the doctors arrive, you need to place the patient on his side. This is necessary so that he does not choke on vomit. In addition, such actions will prevent re-irritation of the esophagus.
Those who are trying to figure out what to do if they drink vinegar need to remember that next step gastric lavage should begin. This should be done using a special probe, the surface of which is lubricated with Vaseline. It is strictly forbidden to induce vomiting directly by giving the victim something to drink. Such actions will only increase necrosis and provoke bleeding. You can't rinse your stomach soda solution. For these purposes, cold, clean water should be used.
Treatment options
The therapy used for vinegar poisoning is selected individually. It depends on many various factors, including the degree of damage received, the age of the patient, the amount and concentration of the substance consumed. The standard regimen used by intensive care unit doctors includes gastric lavage and cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract, infusion of plasma and sodium bicarbonate.
For further treatment Hormonal drugs are usually used. The patient is prescribed a whole range of procedures aimed at maintaining the affected organs. Also in such cases, physiotherapeutic treatment is recommended. After this, the victim is prescribed procedures necessary to prevent complications.
What to do if a child drinks vinegar?
It all depends on how much liquid gets inside child's body. If the baby drank only a couple of sips, the consequences will not be as serious as if 50 or more grams of this substance enters the stomach.
In any case, parents should remain calm. First of all, you need to immediately call an ambulance. Before her arrival, you can carry out some procedures yourself. It is advisable to rinse the victim's mouth and throat. Then you need to give a drink to the child who drank the vinegar. With water, you can reduce the concentration of a substance that accidentally enters the child’s stomach.
After this, the poisoned child must be put to bed. Under the head and top part It is advisable to place a high pillow on the body. It is recommended to put something cold on the stomach area. All other procedures necessary in such situations should be carried out by doctors.
Likely consequences
Having understood what will happen if you drink vinegar, you need to deal with possible complications arising as a result of such a rash or careless act. Drinking this liquid may cause scar contraction antrum stomach, aspiration pneumonia, chronic renal failure and post-burn asthenia. The latter is usually accompanied sharp decline body weight, a pronounced violation acid-base balance and failure of protein metabolism.
To more late complications resulting from the consumption of vinegar can be considered chronic gastritis, cicatricial changes in the pyloric and cardiac parts of the stomach. In addition, this is fraught with the development of infectious and inflammatory processes, such as purulent tracheobronchitis or pneumonia.
Also, ingestion of large doses of vinegar human body may provoke gastrointestinal bleeding and chronic cicatricial esophagitis. In some cases, burn surfaces begin to fester in victims.
Precautionary measures
Having figured out what will happen if you accidentally drink vinegar, you cannot help but mention how to prevent such incidents. To do this, it is enough to follow generally accepted safety measures. If a bottle with this substance is stored in the refrigerator, then it should be placed on the top shelves, which a child cannot reach. If liquid is stored in one of the kitchen cabinets, then it is advisable to lock it with a key. It is unacceptable to pour vinegar from the original container into another container. Otherwise, there is always a risk of mixing up the containers.
So that you don’t have to think about what will happen if you drink vinegar, while using this liquid you should not leave it unattended, even for a couple of minutes. When using the essence, you must not be distracted, so as not to add more substance to the food than is provided for in the recipe. After use, the bottle of vinegar should be immediately put back in its place.
