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Lifestyle and home remedies
By Mayo Clinic staffHome remedies for sobering up abound, but most are ineffective, and some can be dangerous. Here's what doesn't work:
- Black coffee
- A cold shower — the shock of cold can cause a loss of consciousness
- Walking it off
- Sleeping it off — you can lose consciousness while asleep
If you suspect that someone has alcohol poisoning, here's what to do:
- Stay with a person who is vomiting and try to keep him or her sitting up. If the person must lie down, make sure to turn his or her head to the side — this helps prevent choking. Try to keep the person awake to prevent loss of consciousness.
- Don't be afraid to get help for a friend, even if you think it won't be appreciated. Friends don't let friends drive drunk, and they also don't let them die of alcohol poisoning.
References
- Watson WA et al. 2004 annual report of the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System. American Journal of Emergency Medicine. 2005;23(5):589-666.
- Facts about alcohol poisoning. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.">http://www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov/OtherAlcoholInformation/factsAboutAlcoholPoisoning.aspx. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Alcohol poisoning. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/PEOPLE/outreach/SafeSobr/15qp/web/idalc.html. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Alcohol alert. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa37.htm. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
- Woolfenden S, et al. Children and adolescents with acute alcohol intoxication/self-poisoning presenting to the emergency department. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. 2002;156(4):345-348.
- Young-Hee Y, et al. Accidental alcohol poisoning mortality. National Institute on Alcohol Dependency. http://www.nicd.us/alcoholpoisoning.html. Accessed Sept. 6, 2008.
