Symptoms of methanol poisoning. First aid, antidote for methanol poisoning

Methanol to taste and smell can not be distinguished from ethanol. This explains the frequent intoxication. In this article we will analyze the symptoms of methanol poisoning, talk about its effects on the body, and also tell about first aid to the victim.

What is the danger?

Methyl alcohol is a threat to the body, even in small doses. If a person mistakenly drank 100 grams of methanol, this can lead to death. If the body is weakened, serious complications can occur with smaller amounts of alcohol drunk. What to do if someone from your relatives or friends have signs of poisoning with methyl alcohol? Let's talk about this further, but first let's analyze the influence of the surrogate on the human body.

Where is methanol used?

Only half a cup of methanol can paralyze the cardiovascular and nervous system. And the negative impact on the excretory system requires immediate intervention. Methanol is often used as a cheap alternative for the production of surrogate alcohol. In its pure form it acts as a solvent in technical fluids. In this regard, it is prohibited from ingestion. Technical alcohol, in contrast to pure medical, is also one of the components in household chemicals and various detergents. The manufacturer places a warning on the package of the goods.

What is the effect on the body?

As we have already said, assistance with methanol poisoning must be provided immediately. Otherwise, people risk their lives. It must be remembered that methanol can have a long-term effect on the body. And if at the moment there are no characteristic symptoms, they can show up in a few days. First of all, the digestive and excretory systems suffer. Methanol, getting inside the stomach, instantly reacts with gastric juice and forms formaldehyde and formic acid.

Most of the methanol is excreted by the kidneys, so the excretory system is immediately paralyzed. When taken in small doses, symptoms of methanol poisoning may not be observed. However, the nervous system subsequently suffers severely, toxins are released that affect all internal organs, and cell work is partially blocked. It is not necessary to say about what exactly the use of methanol in surrogate alcoholic beverages on a permanent basis is fraught.

What are the symptoms of intoxication?

In detail, we will analyze the symptoms of methanol poisoning. The victim needs immediate assistance if:

• He complains of a sharp pain in the abdomen.
• Dizziness and headache are noted.
• Nausea is accompanied by severe vomiting.
• There is uncaused aggression.
• The victim partially or completely loses consciousness.
• He complains about stars or sparks in his eyes.
• He has a rapid heartbeat, as well as jumps in blood pressure.

If you notice increased salivation - you have a sharp intoxication. Remember that early symptoms indicate that a person can be saved, but later symptoms will be irreversible.

Observe the victim for three days, and so much is the effect of methanol on the body. If a person has visual impairment (up to blindness), and severe pain in the legs and in the head area, immediate hospitalization is required.

Late symptoms

Later symptoms of intoxication are considered superficial and deep to whom. In the first case, the person has lost the gift of speech, he constantly hiccups, and there are frequent calls for vomiting. As we said, when absorbed into the stomach, methanol strikes the excretory system. This is eloquently told by the skin of the victim: it becomes wet and cold. Symptoms of methanol poisoning are almost irreversible.

With a deep coma the pupils of the victim greatly expand. At this stage of poisoning, convulsions are observed, pain sensitivity disappears. This suggests that the body cells are already affected by toxins. The heartbeat of the victim is stable, but rapid, and his skin acquires a characteristic marble shade. The excretory system is completely struck. In this case, even quality medical care is sometimes powerless.

What you need to know about the defeat

So, we examined the symptoms of methanol poisoning. It's time to work out a clear action plan. It is necessary to intervene in processes that are launched by a surrogate in internal organs. Remember that the absorbents that are shown in conventional food poisoning, in this case, are powerless. Methanol is not in the stomach, under its influence in the body, chemical reactions have already occurred, and it has already penetrated into the blood. It is necessary to wash the stomach, as well as the introduction of intravenous drugs. At home it can not be done. Before the ambulance team arrives, you can do the following.

First aid

To some extent, the victim will be saved by the fact that he used fatty foods with surrogate alcohol. It slows down the chemical reactions produced by methyl alcohol in the body. Next, you need to induce vomiting artificially to empty your stomach. Give the affected person to drink three glasses of warm water, preferably boiled. The liquid should not contain various additives in the form of salt, manganese and other. Then put the victim on a chair, stock up the pelvis and towel.

Your life depends on your clear actions. Open the victim's mouth and apply a clean spoon to the base of the tongue until there is a urge to vomit.

Even before hospitalization, the ambulance team introduces to the patient a special drug-antidote for methanol poisoning.

What are the antidotes (antidotes)

Arriving ambulance team introduces intravenously 4-methylpyrazole or 30% solution of ethyl alcohol. Also, good resistance to methanol is folic acid. The patient is then sent for follow-up treatment and observation at the narcological dispensary, at the poison control center or the nearest resuscitation.

Possible health consequences

We detailed the topic "Poisoning with methyl alcohol". The consequences of intoxication may appear even after treatment in the clinic. Even after discharge, the patient may develop heart failure. With more severe lesions, a partial destruction of muscle tissue, blockage of blood vessels and disruption of normal kidney function are observed in a person. After being in a coma, respiratory failure often develops.

Medical workers warn that methanol intoxication affects the occurrence of irreversible processes in the body, among which the most common is visual impairment. There are cases when a person after intoxication (even accidental) becomes disabled.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones, value your own health.