We encounter acids in chemistry classes when, under the guidance of a teacher, we diligently fill tubes and mix them with various reagents. But the experience of handling concentrates and solutions must be preserved for life. It will be required in everyday life for each of us. For example, everyone in the kitchen has acetic acid. A burn with this substance is a fairly common household injury. Especially often children find a bottle with an interesting liquid. Today we consider the features of first aid in this case.
It’s easier to warn than to treat
Restoring the skin, and especially the mucous membranes lining the internal organs, requires quite a lot of time. Acetic acid burn is a rather serious injury, so you must do everything to prevent such an accident at home. Only 70% acid is most dangerous, since it is concentrated. At home, it is practically not used. For salads and pastries is table vinegar. Therefore, buying an essence, you can immediately part part. To do this, take one part of the acid and ten parts of water. It turns out 9% table vinegar, which is quite safe and will not cause a burn if it gets on your skin. And the essence bottle needs to be removed as reliably as possible.
Sometimes we ourselves can inadvertently get a burn with acetic acid. Performing workpieces for the winter, you can accidentally spill a little acid on the shirt. At first it will be imperceptible, but the composition is absorbed to the skin. As a result, a burn develops. After a while, you may feel pain. In this case, you need to quickly take off your clothes and assess the condition of the skin.
Acetic acid burns require immediate intervention. To do this, rinse the affected area well with water. To do this, it is better to make a weak pressure of slightly warm water. Rinse requires at least 15 minutes. During this time, prepare a soap or soda solution. They need to wash the affected area well, and then again immerse it in a stream of water.
Rate the condition
If the integrity of the skin is not broken, the redness is insignificant, then improvised means can be used. Sea buckthorn oil, fresh potato gruel or a compress with fresh aloe are suitable for this. But only if the patient has normally undergone primary treatment and does not experience severe pain.
If the surface of the skin is very white, and then begins to darken, it means that the lesion is quite serious. Treatment of a burn with acetic acid is the work of a specialist, most often this is done by the surgeon of the burn department. An antiseptic ointment should be applied to the affected skin and a bandage should be applied to immobilize the damaged area. With this, you need to go to the doctor’s appointment and continue to follow his recommendations.
Treatment for severe lesions
In this case, the therapy will be quite serious. It will be necessary to stop the pain. For this, painkillers are prescribed. The wound is treated with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic drugs. Antihistamines are often used. They help relieve swelling and speed healing. The slightest suppuration is the reason to prescribe and start taking antibiotics.
Man must not be allowed to endure pain. With a severe degree of damage to the skin, it is necessary for the victim to offer an anesthetic, apply a lidocaine compress to the damaged area. Sometimes a person rises in temperature. In this case, even before the ambulance arrives, it is necessary to give the victim an antipyretic. How to treat a burn with acetic acid on the skin? This should be decided by the attending physician.
Eye damage
It is also quite common. Moreover, the situation usually develops the same. The hostess is in a hurry to open a bottle of vinegar, holds it tight at the base and pulls the lid up with a sharp movement. After several attempts, it suddenly flies away easily and the liquid splashes out with a fountain up. Acetic acid burn (70%) of the mucous membrane of the eyes can lead to partial or complete loss of vision. The first reaction is burning in the eye area. Intuitively, my eyes close and I want to rub them with my hands.
What is needed? Instantly navigate. Shake a small amount of soda in a glass (1 teaspoon) and pour water. Rinse the affected area thoroughly with this solution. After that, rinse with clean water and immediately consult a doctor. Further treatment will depend on how much acid gets on the mucous membranes and whether you managed to neutralize its effect quickly enough.
Internal burn
Sometimes children manage to get to the bright bottle, and before the parents have time to react, they drink an interesting smelling liquid. In this case, an internal chemical burn occurs with acetic acid, which can threaten life and health. Now everything will depend on how quickly you react and can provide first aid to the victim.
The danger may be that vinegar essence can lead to necrosis of the tissues of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus and stomach. Acid ingestion is especially dangerous on an empty stomach. If a large amount of acid gets inside, peritonitis may develop due to the formation of open ulcers in the walls of the stomach and intestines.
Milestones and help
First, intoxication develops. Vinegar is a fairly toxic substance that causes toxemia. Infectious complications often develop, that is, pneumonia, peritonitis, gastritis, burn asthenia. So, if vinegar enters the oral cavity, rinse your mouth immediately with cold water. After that, you need to treat the oral cavity with soda solution and consult a doctor. Treatment may require an antibiotic, pain medication, and antihistamines. Sometimes an operation to remove dead areas of the mouth is required.
In this case, we are talking about a situation when the acid that got into the mouth was immediately spit out. The condition of the patient can be much more dangerous if he has managed to swallow part of the composition.
Laryngeal lesion
In this case, you need to immediately rinse the throat (and preferably the stomach) with a solution of soda. After this follows the mandatory hospitalization of the patient. In a hospital, the doctor will decide what to treat the patient with. For him, repeated washing of the larynx and stomach with special saline solutions can be carried out. They are designed to neutralize all acid ingested. After that, the treating specialist chooses further therapy, and also prescribes the strictest diet.
Esophageal burn with acetic acid
This is an extremely dangerous condition that occurs when a large amount of acid is swallowed. The victim will need intensive gastric lavage using large amounts of water. Therefore, do not hesitate and call an ambulance. In a hospital, washing will be carried out using a special probe. At the same time, special therapy is prescribed. It is necessary to block pain, reduce stomach cramps, drugs to normalize the work of the heart, liver and kidneys. At the same time, antiseptic drugs, antibiotics and means to relieve shock are mandatory. All together can save the life of your loved one.
Depending on the severity of the condition
Help with a burn with acetic acid depends on the severity of the patient's condition. If, after observation, doctors diagnosed a "first-degree burn", then you can be treated at home, but under the supervision of a doctor. In the second and third degree, the patient must be determined in a hospital.
Typically, the following methods are used:
- Severe pain is removed with the help of toxins, analgesics or sprays.
- Sedatives are used to calm the patient. It can be valerian or bromine.
- So that the wound does not fester and the infection does not get into it, sulfonamides are prescribed.
- With burnt throat, oil preparations are used, which are injected with a special syringe.
- With internal burns, it is necessary to carry out detoxification of the body. To do this, use a solution of homodez or glucose.
Instead of a conclusion
Acetic acid burn can be very serious. You should know what to do in this case, how to help your loved one or yourself in case of acid damage. In some cases, it is enough to rinse the affected area under water. In others, prolonged hospitalization will be required. In any case, only the attending specialist should deal with the assessment of the patient's condition.