Patient's question:
On the first night, I drank half a liter of baijiu, and the next day my eyes and face were swollen.Doctor's answer:
Medical Analysis: Methanol poisoning occurs when it enters the human body through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, or skin.Medical Advice: This is because baijiu is a distilled liquor, with its main components being water and ethanol, along with trace amounts of harmful substances such as methanol, fusel oils, heavy metals, lead, and others. Effective measures are taken during the manufacturing process to control these harmful substances. According to national standards, the methanol content in baijiu must not exceed 0.04 grams per 100 milliliters. If baijiu contains excessive methanol (such as counterfeit liquor made from cheap methanol or industrial alcohol), it can easily cause methanol poisoning. Delayed treatment often leads to vision impairment, even blindness or death.
Methanol poisoning occurs when it enters the human body through the digestive tract, respiratory tract, or skin. Ingesting 5 milliliters can cause blindness, while 30 milliliters can be fatal. Due to individual differences, reactions may vary. Symptoms of acute methanol poisoning typically appear 8 to 36 hours after consumption, with patients often experiencing headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, skin pain, and, in some cases, gastrointestinal bleeding (with coffee-colored vomit). Vision gradually deteriorates, potentially leading to blindness, and pupils dilate. In severe cases, hallucinations, limb numbness, and coma may occur, resulting in death.
Chronic cumulative methanol poisoning can occur with long-term excessive consumption of high-concentration low-quality baijiu, inhalation of high-concentration methanol vapor, or prolonged skin contact. Symptoms develop gradually, with patients often experiencing headaches, dizziness, insomnia, irritability, excessive sweating, finger tremors, and vision impairment or retinal bleeding.
Acute methanol poisoning patients should be promptly transported to the hospital for emergency treatment. Early treatment for accidental methanol ingestion may involve washing the stomach with soda water to eliminate methanol retention. For cases lasting more than three days, diaphoretics and laxatives can be used. When vision disorders occur, repeated lumbar punctures should be performed to prevent optic atrophy, along with the administration of large doses of B vitamins and vasodilators, or oxygen inhalation and small, frequent blood transfusions. Acupuncture and traditional Chinese medicine treatments may also be applied.