Friday, March 12, 2010

Alcohol Poisoning Remedy

There is no real "remedy" for alcohol poisoning. Our bodies absorb alcohol very quickly, and it takes some time to process it out again--about one hour for every bottle of beer, glass of wine or shot of hard liquor consumed. When alcohol poisoning has occurred--either by drinking too much alcohol too quickly or by drinking alcohol that isn't meant to be consumed (such as methanol alcohol)--the first step is to call 911 and get the patient to a medical professional. Beyond that, it's a question of making the patient safe while the body rids itself of the excess alcohol.


Keep Him Breathing








Alcohol poisoning can result in vomiting and unconsciousness, a combination that can prove lethal without close supervision. Get the patient to sit up, or turn him on his side so that he doesn't choke on any vomit. Vomiting can be a good thing (it gets excess alcohol out of his system before it can be absorbed), but it must clear the patient's air passages completely, and the patient should be watched so that he doesn't choke.


Keep Him Conscious


Sleep can easily turn into unconsciousness in cases of alcohol poisoning, making it very dangerous when considering the usual "sleep it off" remedy to get over a bout of drinking. Keep the patient awake and as alert as you can in a case of alcohol poisoning, and have someone sober monitor him so that he doesn't drift off.


Keep Him Warm


Alcohol poisoning often lowers the body temperature, which can exacerbate other conditions such as cold weather or a lack of proper clothing. Get the patient to a warm, dry place, give him blankets or coats to keep him warm, and avoid hangover "remedies" such as cold showers that may make the problem worse. Keeping him warm is important, but make sure you don't do so in such a way that allows him to drift off.


Keep Him Hydrated


Too much alcohol can cause dehydration, which is extremely dangerous. The hospital often provides glucose through an IV drip to hydrate the patient. If you don't have immediate access to a hospital, give him water to drink or chips of ice to suck on. Make sure he takes it in slowly to prevent vomiting, and don't let hydration efforts keep you from contacting medical personnel.


Call a Doctor


The worst damage of alcohol poisoning often takes place when people are too ashamed or too dismissive to call proper medical support. Hospitals can pump the alcohol out of the patient's stomach, provide intravenous treatments to keep him hydrated and monitor him 24 hours a day until the danger has passed. When you call 911, be sure to let the EMTs know whether the patient has taken any other drugs; it may have an effect on treatment methods.

Tags: alcohol poisoning, that doesn, Alcohol poisoning, doesn choke, drift Keep, excess alcohol