Vinegar poisoning - symptoms, first aid, treatment, consequences

Acetic acid poisoning poses a threat to human life. The victim must be assisted immediately to avoid dangerous consequences. Vinegar intoxication has clear clinical symptoms, which prevents it from being confused with poisoning of another nature.

Acetic acid is a clear, colorless liquid with a specific odor. It is used both for industrial purposes (for example, in the manufacture of medicines) and in everyday life as table vinegar.

Toxic effect of acetic acid

The effect of acid on the human body is determined by two components:

local damaging effect (associated with direct contact of acid with tissues),
general (resorptive) – damage to various organs and systems as a result of acid absorption.

The most dangerous and at the same time the most common poisoning with acetic acid is associated with its ingestion. Poisoning by acetic acid vapors is rare and occurs during accidents at work or in laboratory conditions. The damaging effect of acid when inhaled can be accompanied by severe damage to the respiratory system, but extremely rarely ends in death. Household cases of inhalation poisoning with vinegar or vinegar essence are usually limited to mild or moderate damage to the upper respiratory tract (nasopharynx, larynx, trachea).

Prevention and recovery

Basically, preventive measures are necessary for people who have children, because their poisoning occurs completely accidentally. In children, a burn to the esophagus can lead to irreversible consequences, so the following must be done:

Store acetic essence and other acids out of the reach of children.
Do not add more vinegar to food.
If the vinegar is expired, it should be thrown away.
To avoid burns to the respiratory tract, the room should be ventilated.
If you have gastrointestinal diseases, avoid drinking vinegar.
It is advisable to write the name of the acid on the bottle in large letters so that no one can confuse it.

With severe vinegar poisoning, many people die, if not immediately, then within the first month of life after poisoning. Another part of people remain disabled for the rest of their lives.

Thus, acetic acid is a rather dangerous product. It is necessary to use vinegar even in food with caution, since even consumption in food can cause a burn.

Clinical picture of acetic acid vapor poisoning

Acid vapors in the air cause eye irritation, which is manifested by pain, burning, and lacrimation. Acetic acid upon contact with the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract causes a chemical burn, which is accompanied by inflammatory phenomena. When inhaling concentrated acid vapors, a sharp pain in the throat and behind the sternum and shortness of breath occurs. As a result of swelling of the larynx, suffocation and stridor breathing may occur. Damage to the vocal cords is manifested by complete aphonia or, in mild cases, hoarseness. I am bothered by a painful and painful dry cough, which then changes to a productive one. The sputum is mucopurulent in nature. With severe damage, toxic pulmonary edema develops. In this case, the sputum becomes abundant, foamy and mixed with blood. Shortness of breath increases, the skin becomes cyanotic or grayish, tachycardia increases, and blood pressure decreases. Auscultation of the lungs reveals a mass of different-sized wet and dry rales.

Subsequently, severe inflammatory processes develop in the trachea, bronchi, and lungs.

Less concentrated solutions of acetic acid are accompanied by a slight flow. May cause sneezing, sore throat, unproductive cough, hoarseness.

The resorptive effect of acid during inhalation poisoning is not pronounced and appears with prolonged inhalation of highly concentrated acid, which manifests itself in the form of metabolic acidosis.

Providing assistance with acetic acid vapor poisoning

First aid consists of restoring airway patency. Mechanical asphyxia caused by laryngeal edema may require tracheostomy; in milder cases, decongestants and anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed; if they are ineffective, intubation is performed.

Further treatment includes painkillers, antihistamines, glucocorticosteroids, antispasmodics and anticholinergics. Purulent complications are treated using antibacterial drugs. Symptomatic treatment is carried out.

Table vinegar first appeared about 7-8 thousand years ago in Babylon and Ancient Egypt. At first, people did not know how to use it. Today it is used in different directions, so the benefits and harms of table vinegar are known to almost everyone.

Types of vinegar

There are table and synthetic. In order not to cause irreparable harm to the body, you should know the main differences, properties and applications.

Synthetic vinegar

It was first obtained from coal and sawdust. Today the technology is not much different. It contains toxic mixtures and aldehydes, so it not only has beneficial properties, but can be harmful if used incorrectly. Unfortunately, you can increasingly find it on sale on store shelves under the name “Canteen”. At factories, the acid undergoes modern purification, which makes it possible to classify it as a food product.

The benefits and harms of synthetic vinegar are described in many textbooks. It is very inferior to natural in all respects: smell, taste, properties, but has one feature - low price.

Natural vinegar

This is a twice fermented fruit wine. Bacteria in the process of natural fermentation under the influence of oxygen convert alcohol into acetic acid.

Seasonings consist of a low percentage of alcohol and acid. Each type has unique properties and benefits. Used for preservation, marinades and as a dressing for various dishes. Contains vitamins and valuable microelements. The benefits and harms of food vinegar are based exclusively on natural products.

Medical measures

When a patient with poisoning is admitted to a medical facility or after the medical team arrives at the site, the stomach is washed through a tube. For this purpose, at least 10 liters of water are used. The following are assigned:

analgesic drugs;
forced diuresis and alkalization of blood plasma;
vitamin therapy;
blood products;
protein-based hydrolysates.

To prevent infection, the patient is prescribed an antibacterial course; narrowing of the esophagus can be avoided by hormonal therapy. Specific treatment methods and dosages of drugs are selected taking into account the patient’s age, body condition, the activity of the acid and the severity of symptoms. In any case, anesthesia is carried out every three hours.

In case of renal failure with an increase in the content of creatinine and urea in the blood serum, hemodialysis is performed. In case of serious breathing problems due to a burn of the larynx, a tracheostomy is performed on an emergency basis, and the patient is transferred to mechanical ventilation. Toxic shock is treated in the intensive care unit.

After vinegar poisoning, the patient is initially fed through a feeding tube. Subsequently, tactics are chosen individually. Sometimes it is necessary to dilate the esophagus in order to restore its patency. At the second or third stage, a person may lose their swallowing reflex. In such situations, a gastrostomy tube is used.

The negative effect of apple cider vinegar on the human body is due to the presence of acid. The use of natural seasoning is contraindicated for some people:

for stomach ulcers;
with hyperacid gastritis;
with pathology of the pancreas.

With frequent use, vinegar irritates the throat, causing chronic pharyngitis, laryngitis with loss of voice.

The harm of vinegar manifests itself when it interacts with insulin and diuretics, which provokes a decrease in potassium in the body.

As you can see, even natural seasoning is not useful for everyone. Be careful when purchasing it. Businessmen in the food industry produce synthetics under the guise of apple, raspberry, orange and other vinegars. The artificial origin of the liquids is clearly indicated by the composition on the label:

high percentage of acetic acid;
conservatives;
flavorings;
dyes.

The acidity of any natural vinegar does not exceed 3–5%. It does not contain the listed chemical additives. Only natural wine vinegar, extract or juice of fruits or berries may be included.

Hot and sour seasoning improves the taste of food when used correctly. It’s up to you to decide what kind of vinegar you need – table or natural. To avoid buying harmful synthetics, carefully read the labels.

What are the benefits of table vinegar?

One of the main advantages in ancient times was considered to be the antiseptic property of the table substance. Therefore, the first place where it was used was medicine.

Currently, the table product is widely used in pharmaceuticals and in the preparation of some medicines for animals and humans. Despite the harm that some components can cause, its properties are used in dietary nutrition, since it is believed that the beneficial properties can remove waste and toxins from the body, quench thirst and reduce appetite. Vitamin A improves immunity and slows down the aging process.

Using table vinegar

The benefits of table vinegar for the human body lie in its composition. They are used in a variety of ways, from whitening clothes to food.

In cooking

The product is popular as a salad dressing and marinade for meat or fish. But, besides this, it is used for the following purposes:

for airy baking (quench soda);
helps preserve the color and freshness of many dishes (especially fruits and vegetables);
eggs will be easy to peel if you pour 30 ml of vinegar into the water during cooking;
just a few drops will make the meat tender and soft during cooking;
adds a piquant sourness to various dishes;
while cooking rice (to prevent sticking);
serves as a preservative during the preparation of winter preparations.

In folk medicine

Its benefits in home treatment are undeniable. The healing properties of table vinegar are known from our ancestors. Many people don’t even know how to use it in the treatment of a particular disease.

The harm of table vinegar

Knowing only the beneficial properties, many, using it in folk medicine, do not even think about how dangerous vinegar can be if the proportions are not respected and cause harm to health. Abuse of this product can lead to serious complications.

Vinegar vapor poisoning

Inhaling vapors of any chemical substance is harmful and dangerous to the human body. Knowledge about the dangers and benefits of table vinegar for the body will help prevent unpleasant situations. Burns of the mucous membrane of the upper and lower respiratory tract often occur.

How to recognize harm caused to the body:

breathing becomes shallow and deep;
swallowing becomes difficult;
the voice becomes hoarse;
blood pressure decreases.

All this occurs against the background of swelling of the vocal cords, bronchi and lungs. This often happens in laboratory conditions or in industrial plants. At home, only the nasal mucosa is generally at risk.

Chemical skin burn

Use in the treatment of skin diseases may cause burns. Vinegar can cause both benefit and harm to human health. With chemical skin damage, the following symptoms appear:

the upper layer of the epidermis turns red;
pain and burning appears, and later blisters.

The first thing to do is rinse your skin under cool running water. If the lesions are extensive, then you should seek qualified help.

Getting vinegar into the gastrointestinal tract

The benefits of products with table vinegar are valued in cooking. But if consumed uncontrolled, the solution enters the gastrointestinal tract and causes a burn to the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus.

The following symptoms will appear:

severe abdominal pain;
vomiting with blood;
black chair;
increased salivation.

Possible consequences

Most often, burns from drinking 9 percent table wine or apple cider vinegar occur in the kitchen, since this is one of the most accessible preservatives and leavening agents. An overdose of the substance is possible when eating homemade canned foods. The cause of injury is carelessness or improper storage.

Children can drink vinegar, due to their age, they have the habit of tasting everything. But injury from a vinegar burn is one of those that is easier to prevent than to treat. The consequences of poisoning will be:

cicatricial changes in the walls of the stomach and esophagus;
narrowing of the esophagus and its obstruction;
disturbances of the acid-base balance in the body;
disturbances of protein metabolism with severe post-burn asthenia;
weight loss;
chronic gastritis, belching, bad breath;
involuntary vomiting;
the likelihood of developing cancer.

Doctors' recommendations will help the poisoned person live as before, but after treatment, annual diagnostics in clinics will be required to avoid complications.

Table vinegar is a 9% solution of acetic acid. In small doses it is not dangerous to health, except that it is not recommended for use by people suffering from diseases of the digestive tract.

Due to the pronounced smell, accidental poisoning with vinegar is almost impossible, with the exception of small children who, due to the negligence of adults, can drink vinegar left within their reach, mistaking it for water. Most often, acetic acid is taken deliberately for suicidal purposes, using strong solutions with a concentration of 30-70%. The lethal dose of such a solution is 100-150 ml.

Security measures

In folk therapy, table vinegar must be diluted with water. It will not lose its beneficial properties, and the harm will be significantly reduced. This way, when treating fungus or lightening age spots, there will be no chemical burn. In cooking, a small amount is enough to dress a salad to give the dish a piquant taste. When cleaning an apartment, you do not need to inhale fumes, especially when cleaning kettles, microwave ovens and all those cases where the product is boiled.

Treatment

After providing first aid, the patient must be taken to a hospital, where he will receive proper treatment. First of all, therapeutic measures are aimed at eliminating inflammation and relieving pain. The patient is prescribed antibiotics, analgesics and a number of other drugs.

The following measures are aimed at treating poisoning:

The use of diuretics to increase urine volume and accelerate the elimination of toxins.
Infusion therapy with sodium chloride restores the acid-base balance.
Refortam and stabizol are used to eliminate burns.
A solution of novocaine is administered intravenously.
Antispasmodics are prescribed, most often papaverine.
Antibiotics are used to prevent relapses.
To avoid hemorrhages, blood plasma transfusions are used.

Since rough scars form after burns, surgical intervention may be required. The bougienage method is used. It is rarely used when the patient's condition is very severe and he cannot eat due to a burn to the esophagus. The operation is carried out no earlier than three weeks after the burn.

Diet is also used. However, the duration of the diet after vinegar poisoning may vary, as can its menu. Most often, the diet remains for the rest of your life.

Toxic effect of acetic acid

The effect of acid on the human body is determined by two components:

local damaging effect (associated with direct contact of acid with tissues),
general (resorptive) – damage to various organs and systems as a result of acid absorption.

Diagnostics

To make a correct diagnosis, the doctor collects anamnesis and conducts an examination. The diagnosis is established based on the following criteria:

External signs, smell of vinegar.
Character of washing waters.
Laboratory research.

For laboratory tests, a general urine test, a general and biochemical blood test are taken.

The urine is characterized by the appearance of protein and hemoglobin, and the urine may have a red tint.
When poisoning with vinegar in the blood, you can detect a change in cells and their number, free hemoglobin appears.
In a biochemical blood test, changes are observed in an increase in the concentration of urea, uric acid and the appearance of markers indicating damage to the liver and kidneys.

Based on an external examination and laboratory results, an experienced doctor can easily establish the correct diagnosis.

Clinical picture of acetic acid vapor poisoning

Providing assistance with acetic acid vapor poisoning

Is it possible to be poisoned by vinegar vapors and what is first aid for intoxication?

Acetic acid poisoning is a state of acute intoxication combined with a chemical burn of the mucous membranes of the mouth, esophagus and stomach due to accidental or intentional ingestion of a substance or inhalation of its vapors. This is due to the presence of vinegar essence or its derivatives in every household for use for hygienic or culinary purposes.

The population does not have a clear understanding of the difference between vinegar essences and acids. Differences in concentration: essence has a concentration of 70%, and acid - 6-9%. For a fatal outcome, a person only needs to take 12-15 ml of concentrate or 200 ml of acid. For a child, the lethal dose is less (5-7 ml). When purchasing vinegar with a higher concentration, it is worth diluting it with water in a ratio of 1:20 and storing the solution in this form.

The danger of acetic acid for children and adults is that inhaling the vapors of the substance is harmful to the upper respiratory tract and can cause burns. Such poisoning occurs in industrial conditions when safety precautions are violated. Acetic acid burns have a high mortality rate in moderate to severe cases, and if the victim manages to survive, there is a high probability of remaining disabled and in constant pain for the rest of his life.

The International Classification of Diseases classifies cases of vinegar poisoning under the section “Toxic effects of corrosive substances,” another code code used by pathologists when recording the death of a victim is “Poisoning and exposure to other and unspecified chemical and toxic substances of uncertain intent.” Intoxication with acetic acid has ICD-10 codes T54.2 and Y19.

Diagnosing essence poisoning at home is not difficult. Symptoms of vinegar poisoning will appear before a person has time to throw away the bottle with the remaining contents:

visible ulcers on the face, lips, tongue;
acute pain along the path of acid in the human body: in the mouth, esophagus, thoracic region, stomach;
difficulty breathing with whistling due to swelling of the larynx;
vomiting, often black, due to clotted blood due to chemical reactions;
pink urine with traces of blood;
yellowing of the skin and sclera of the eyes due to acute liver failure;
vinegar smell from the victim.

Symptoms of respiratory burns caused by vinegar include:

burning of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx;
acute respiratory failure;
tearfulness;
cough;
runny nose;
difficulty breathing;
development of inflammatory processes in the bronchi.

Poisoning by vinegar vapor will not cause the death of the patient, but it will be necessary to treat its consequences and be observed by a doctor. The intensity of symptoms of poisoning depends on the amount of the substance drunk, its concentration and the time that has passed since its ingestion.

The clinical picture of a burn of internal organs with vinegar depends on the severity of the damage and is as follows:

A mild burn does not have serious consequences for the body. Treatment is symptomatic, local. Minor damage to the mucous membrane of the mouth and esophagus occurs.
Moderate poisoning means serious injury. The esophagus and stomach suffer most. Internal bleeding occurs, the acid-base balance in the tissues changes towards acidification, and the blood coagulates and thickens at the site of organ damage. The body becomes dehydrated and the load on the human cardiovascular system increases.
A severe degree is characterized by the rapid development of renal failure, blockage of blood vessels due to blood thickening, black vomiting, and the presence of red traces in the urine. The injury is comparable to 30 percent of human skin burns.

The algorithm of action when a victim of vinegar ingestion is detected includes: immediately calling an ambulance. Further pre-medical procedures are carried out according to the following principle:

lay the victim on his side so that he does not choke;
rinse your mouth without swallowing water;
apply ice to the stomach area, this will slow down the absorption of the substance;
take Almagel A and burnt magnesia for local anesthesia and neutralization of toxins;
give a few sips of any vegetable oil or a cocktail of egg whites (2 whites per 0.5 liters of water).

induce vomiting forcibly;
give water to drink;
Do gastric lavage yourself without using a gastric tube;
try to neutralize the acid with soda or alkali.

First aid for vinegar poisoning should be provided by physicians no later than 2 hours after oral administration, since the pathogenesis of the disease is rapid. Timely emergency procedures to rid the stomach of toxins, stabilize blood pressure and relieve acute sensations will prevent the victim from dying from painful, hypovolemic or hemorrhagic shock.

The first thing doctors do when they arrive at the scene of an accident is to rinse the stomach with saline solution using a medical probe so as not to re-injure the walls of the esophagus, and relieve pain with intravenous medications. This occurs before the patient enters a medical facility. Further medical care in a hospital setting is provided in the intensive care unit. Treatment for poisoning is aimed at:

removal of intoxication;
plasma infusion;
restoration of the body's water balance;
blood thinning;
reduction of the inflammatory process;
pain relief;
alkalization of blood;
preventing narrowing of the esophagus and its bougienage;
maintaining the functioning of the patient’s internal organs.

In the final stages of recovery, the patient undergoes therapy to remove scar tissue from the esophagus and restore its elasticity, but the victim still will not be able to return to normal life. Throughout his life, the patient will experience pain in internal organs and eating disorders, which will have a negative impact on his quality of life.

Possible consequences

In the first hours after vinegar poisoning, 10% of victims experience acute perforations (violations of integrity) of the stomach or esophagus.

Later complications are:

cicatricial narrowing of the antrum of the stomach and esophagus;
severe gastrointestinal bleeding;
aspiration pneumonia;
chronic renal failure;
infectious and inflammatory complications (suppuration of burn surfaces, pneumonia, purulent tracheobronchitis);
cicatricial changes in the cardiac and pyloric parts of the stomach;
chronic gastritis;
chronic cicatricial esophagitis;
post-burn asthenia, accompanied by severe disturbances in acid-base balance, protein metabolism, and sudden weight loss.

The prognosis of vinegar poisoning largely depends on the quality and timeliness of first aid provided, as well as on the dose of poison taken and the changes it causes in the body.

The most life-threatening period is the first day after poisoning, when death can occur due to peritonitis or exotoxic shock.