Baking soda is available in every home. It is often used in cooking and everyday life. Less often, they try to treat various ailments, such as heartburn, sore throat, or use it for coughs and for weight loss. It seems that this product is harmless, but in fact it is a caustic alkali, which, if used regularly in even small concentrations, can cause harm to human health.
In the article, the reader will learn about the negative effects of this substance, how you can be poisoned by baking soda, first aid and prevention methods.
Baking soda is primarily a reactive alkali.
Why is baking soda dangerous?
Baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) is an alkali. If it enters the body once, it will not cause harm. However, with prolonged use or consumption in large quantities, pathological reactions of the body may occur.
It should be noted that sodium bicarbonate can be introduced into the body intravenously. But this procedure is carried out strictly according to indications by experienced medical professionals.
When alkali penetrates the body, the blood becomes alkalized, that is, its acid-base balance is disturbed. With a strong shift, metabolic alkalosis develops , which manifests itself :
- Hypotension (low blood pressure);
- Cramps;
- Poor circulation of the brain and heart muscle;
- Breathing disorders.
Sodium bicarbonate can be an irritant to soft tissue . With prolonged contact with the skin, it becomes inflamed. The mucous membranes also become irritated upon contact with the substance, and if they are damaged, the condition worsens. That is why, if there are ulcers and inflammation in the stomach, it should not be taken orally, and the stomach should not be washed with soda solution.
The caustic variety of alkali is the most dangerous for the body - a burn of the skin and mucous membranes with such soda causes severe intoxication.
Use by pregnant women and children
An adult always has in his medicine cabinet a lot of different drugs for all occasions. It is difficult for pregnant women and young children to find a drug that would help reduce nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. Poisoning can lead to serious consequences, so it is better to see a doctor.
As for treatment with soda solution, children under five years old are prohibited from taking the substance orally. Baking soda can cause severe gas and stomach pain.
Attention! There is no need to try to flush a small child’s stomach on your own. This could turn into an accident.
For expectant mothers who suffer from swelling of the legs, soda is also not recommended, since it retains fluid in the body.
Is it possible to take sodium bicarbonate for poisoning?
Soda is used for poisoning in adults and children over 5 years of age. However, you should remember what kind of poisoning this substance can be used for.
Alkali solution is used for poisoning with the following substances:
- Ethyl alcohol (alcohol, surrogates of alcoholic beverages);
- Mercury, lead;
- Fluorine;
- Formaldehyde;
- Poor quality food.
Baking soda is used to prepare a solution for washing the stomach, and in severe cases, the intestines. An alkali solution helps remove toxins and harmful substances from the stomach and intestines. Also helps reduce acidity.
Soda should not be used for acid poisoning! This can cause the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide and rupture of the stomach.
If poisoning is accompanied by severe dehydration, sweating, weakness and hyperthermia, it is recommended to drink a solution with sodium bicarbonate.
Recipe for preparing an alkali solution for oral use for food and alcohol poisoning:
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon baking soda;
- 1 liter of boiled water at room temperature.
In case of alcohol intoxication, it is recommended not only to rinse the stomach and use a solution with salt, but also to administer a solution of sodium bicarbonate intravenously. With alcohol poisoning, the blood oxidizes, that is, the acid-base balance shifts to the acidic side. In this case, it is necessary to alkalize the blood. In this case, the symptoms of intoxication pass faster.
Harm
Despite the many positive qualities of soda, it should be used with caution. Excessive concentration of the product in the stomach can cause unpleasant symptoms and, in some cases, serious health problems. A large amount of soda entering the stomach provokes an increased concentration of carbon dioxide. As a result of this effect, the stomach swells and discomfort appears. Note! The use of baking soda powder is strictly contraindicated for people with high acidity in the stomach or ulcers. Treatment in this manner may worsen the course of the disease, causing other therapy to be ineffective.
Ingestion of this product is permissible only in case of urgent need. Before this, a consultation with a doctor and a detailed examination of the body, as well as obtaining test results, are required.
Gastric lavage
Washing the stomach with soda in case of poisoning has a detoxifying effect. This procedure is included in the algorithm for providing first aid to a poisoned victim.
Recipe for preparing a solution for gastric lavage in case of poisoning:
- 2 teaspoons of lye;
- 1 liter of boiled water at room temperature.
To lavage the child’s stomach, it is necessary to prepare a weak alkali solution:
- A teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate;
- A liter of boiled and chilled water.
Soda for gastric lavage is often used at home. When washing at home, it is necessary that the patient is conscious.
More often, washing is carried out using the restaurant (probeless) method. To do this, you need to give a soda solution to drink. Then you should induce vomiting by irritating the root of the tongue. Washing is carried out to clean wash water.
Contraindications
Sometimes it happens that in an attempt to provide first aid, a person only causes additional harm to the victim’s health. Most often this happens due to ignorance about some of the individual characteristics and diseases of the person who finds himself in such a difficult situation. We are talking about existing contraindications to gastric lavage with sodium bicarbonate solution.
The following circumstances prohibit the use of soda as a remedy for intoxication of the body:
- excessively low acid levels;
- pregnancy period;
- diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular peptic ulcer; hypertension;
- the presence of malignant tumors;
- diabetes;
- individual intolerance to soda, which can trigger allergies.
In addition, the category of people for whom cleansing procedures with sodium bicarbonate are highly discouraged includes children under 5 years of age. In this case, gastric lavage should be carried out only by doctors and exclusively in a hospital setting.
Independent measures for mushroom poisoning involve the implementation of two points.
Is it possible to get poisoned by soda?
Baking soda poisoning is possible. Exactly what amount is dangerous for humans? This question cannot be answered with an exact number. It should be noted that frequent, daily intake of the substance (7 days or more) or a single use of several teaspoons provokes a change in the acid-base balance in the body.
Causes of sodium bicarbonate poisoning:
- Use of this substance for the purpose of weight loss . Currently, you can find many articles on the Internet about the benefits of alkali for losing weight. However, it is not;
- Use of a substance for medicinal purposes . Recently, various healers have recommended treating cancer with sodium bicarbonate. However, such therapy further weakens the body;
- Accidental consumption (children).
Baking soda poisoning is not common, especially the acute form. But this pathology is also dangerous to human life, like other types of intoxication.
Baking soda poisoning is characterized by the following symptoms:
- Pale or gray skin;
- Cardiopalmus;
- Weakness, decreased blood pressure;
- Decreased appetite;
- Psycho-emotional state disturbance (irritability);
- Strong unquenchable thirst;
- Rare breathing;
- Headache;
- Memory loss.
Use in home cosmetology
Wanting to prolong the health and radiance of their skin, many women use various expensive cosmetics. Overlooked are substances that are always at hand, but due to their simplicity do not seem effective.
Many products have proven this belief wrong, one of which is soda. It is known for its cleaning ability and is widely used in powders, dishwashing detergents, and oven cleaners. The effect is actively used in cosmetology, because the skin of the face, head, and body also needs to be cleansed of toxins and other harmful elements.
Food-grade sodium bicarbonate is used for the facial area as a scrub, its small particles mechanically affect the skin, which leads to the removal of dead, dry epidermal cells, increased regeneration of acne marks, soda helps neutralize bacteria, relieves inflammation and redness. Its particles remove excess fat and dirt from the skin, which causes the problem of clogged pores.
Despite all the positive aspects, it is an aggressor in relation to the epidermis of the facial area; you should not get carried away, but you should take into account several rules:
- You cannot use baking soda in this form;
- It should be used no more than once a week;
- Refuse soda masks if there are scratches or torn pimples; the situation will worsen due to the corroding of the skin around the affected area.
To make an elementary, multifunctional soda scrub, you should take baking soda and salt (preferably coarse-crystalline) in equal proportions, combine with a small amount of oil, olive, sunflower or any cosmetic, and apply with massage movements on the face for a couple of minutes. This composition can be used to massage the entire body; this remedy is good for getting rid of rough skin on the feet.
In order to cleanse your hair and rid it of excess applied hairsprays, gels and other products, you need to add baking soda to regular shampoo in a ratio of 4 to one, wash your hair as usual, applying the prepared shampoo over the entire length of the hair. To improve the effect, you can keep the mixture on your hair for several minutes. As a result, excess sebum, dust, and harmful substances will be removed, and the hair will become light and shiny.
Help with poisoning
First aid for alkali poisoning (especially caustic) is as follows:
- Find out the fact of substance use (this is especially important to clarify with the child);
- Call an ambulance;
- Provide access to fresh air (open a window or take the person outside);
- If sodium bicarbonate gets on the skin and mucous membranes, it is necessary to rinse them with clean water in large quantities;
- Give the victim a large amount of milk (about 3 glasses) or sour juice (cranberry or lemon) to drink;
- It is not recommended to induce vomiting , especially in case of caustic soda poisoning. Since this may cause a deterioration in the patient’s condition;
- If the patient is unconscious, then it is necessary to lay him on his side and monitor his condition;
- If convulsions occur, restrain the patient to prevent head injury.
Gastric lavage in case of alkali poisoning is carried out by medical workers using a tube method. If necessary, hospitalization is carried out.
Prevention
To avoid soda poisoning, you need to follow the simple rules listed below:
- Use baking soda internally in doses and carefully . If you have gastrointestinal diseases, consult your doctor before use.
- When handling caustic soda, be sure to use rubber gloves and safety glasses. If the concentration of substance vapors in the air is high, a respirator should be used.
- Ventilate the room when working with caustic sodium.
- Store the toxic substance in a closed container out of the reach of children . It is better to sign the packaging so as not to confuse it with another substance in the future.
- Upon completion of work with the substance, thoroughly remove the surface and wash your hands.
Soda burn: what to do
A burn can occur on the lining of the digestive tract, but this condition is quite rare. Caustic soda burns are much more common and more pronounced.
A chemical burn is manifested by the following pathological signs:
- Pain in the area of contact with alkali (skin, mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth);
- Pain in the epigastrium and esophagus occurs when alkali enters the body through the mouth;
- Hyperemia (redness) of the skin and mucous membranes;
- If alkali gets into the eyes, vision is impaired until it completely disappears.
In case of severe poisoning (caustic soda) there is:
- Heart dysfunction;
- Pain in the mediastinum and abdomen. It occurs due to perforation of the esophagus. That is, a hole is formed in the esophagus (sodium bicarbonate destroys soft tissue), through which alkali penetrates into neighboring organs;
- Inflammation of the lungs and abdominal organs.
In case of severe intoxication, urgent hospitalization in the intensive care unit is required. Gastric lavage is performed only in a hospital. Before doctors arrive, it is necessary to monitor the patient’s condition. Rinse the skin and mucous membranes if they have been contaminated with a toxic substance.
Effect on the visual apparatus
Based on recent discoveries and experiments, it was possible to conclude that soda has some positive effects on the functioning of the human visual apparatus. As it turned out, its effect is that, having alkaline properties, it has a beneficial effect on pH during physical stress, when lactic acid is produced.
When an alkali acts on an acid, the latter is neutralized. As a result, the resulting overvoltage is reduced, which affects the muscles of the body and the visual apparatus.
Photoreceptors: cones and rods, which are located in the retina of the eye, are responsible for the perception of objects around them; when they receive a fraction of the voltage, they stop working. If you remove the irritating factor, your vision will become sharper.
The indicated effect on the activity of the eye system has not yet been finally clarified, so it is impossible to say with certainty how and in what form it is necessary to take soda powder to achieve this result.
