If you grew up in a typical family, the moment when you come home while weeping because you fell down and acquired a wound, your mom would hurriedly pour alcohol all over your wound. I know that you had flashbacks of the agonizing and excruciating memory of that event.
Having wounds and scratches is something that we cannot avoid. Sometimes, there are even wounds that have an unknown cause. But just like what the title said, you should never, ever pour alcohol on your wound.
Our body is made up of living cells that of course, die after being damaged or because of old age. When we have cuts, abrasions, or wounds, the cells on that part of the body gets destroyed. Pouring alcohol on a wound is only acceptable when there are no available saline or iodine solutions that can be used as disinfectant when a medical practitioner is not around. Also, pouring it on an open and freely bleeding wound is not quite advisable.
Effects of Pouring Alcohol
There two consequences when you pour alcohol on a wound:
First, which is quite obvious and traumatic, is excruciating pain. Alcohol triggers VR1 receptors, which cause our body to send the same neurochemical signals that responds when we get burned. When we finally experience that pain, it’s impossible for us to not scream or not to writhe in pain.
Though it may be true that alcohol is a good disinfectant, the use of alcohol as a disinfectant can cause tissue damage. Itching on that area may also persist which can also cause a misdiagnosis of inflammatory damage. It can also interfere with the eventual healing of your wound.
The Alternatives
If you have a wound, it is advised that you clean it with sterile water. You can also use Hydrogen Peroxide or Povidone Iodine 10% as a substitute since both of these can cause lesser tissue damage. You can apply them using a cotton ball or a cotton roll. You just have to pour a generous amount of any of the two on a piece of cotton and gently dab it on the wound.
Do not pour it directly on top of it.
PNSS or Plain Normal Saline Solution can also be used as an alternative for disinfection. Some doctors would even use irrigating solutions to sterilize and disinfect wounds.
Being wounded is something that is inevitable. The only thing that we can do is for us to treat our wounds properly in order for us to avoid getting hideous scars that will last a lifetime. Pouring alcohol is something that is discouraged, but in dire situations, some damaged tissues is far better than losing actual life because of infections.
If you want to buy quality wound care products, you can visit us at our site Philippine Medical Supplies.
English
Arabic