Alcohol poisoning


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Lifestyle and home remedies

By Mayo Clinic staff

Home remedies for alcohol poisoning won't work. This is an emergency situation.

Dangerous myths
You can't reverse the effects of alcohol poisoning, and you could actually make things worse through some actions. Here's what doesn't work:

  • Black coffee or caffeine — this does not counteract the effects of alcohol poisoning
  • A cold shower — the shock of cold can cause a loss of consciousness
  • Walking it off — this does not increase the speed alcohol leaves your body
  • Sleeping it off — you can lose consciousness while asleep
Prevention Treatments and drugs
References
  1. Vacca VM, et al. Alcohol poisoning. Nursing. 2013;43:14.
  2. Tonisson M, et al. Acute alcohol intoxication characteristics in children. Alcohol and Alcoholism. 2013;48:390.
  3. Langhan ML. Acute alcohol intoxication in adolescents: Frequency of respiratory depression. Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2013;44:1063.
  4. Van Zanten E, et al. Gender, age and educational level attribute to blood alcohol concentration in hospitalized intoxicated adolescents: A cohort study. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research. In press. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  5. Alcohol. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Health Care Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/special_subjects/drug_use_and_dependence/alcohol.html. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  6. Alcohol. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/alcohol.html. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  7. Alcohol overdose: The dangers of drinking too much. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/AlcoholOverdoseFactsheet/Overdosefact.htm. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  8. A word about alcohol poisoning. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohol-poisoning. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  9. Cowan E, et al. Ethanol intoxication in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  10. Baum CR. Ethanol intoxication in children: Epidemiology, estimation of toxicity and toxic effects. http://www.uptodate.com/home. Accessed June 18, 2013.
  11. Loukianova LL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 8, 2013.
  12. Hall-Flavin DK (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 10, 2013.
DS00861 July 23, 2013

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