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Table and apple cider vinegar poisoning
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025

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Vinegar poisoning is often accompanied by other pathological processes, in particular, secondary inflammatory processes in the area of various organs and systems. Inflammation and exudates form in the lungs. Tracheobronchitis, bronchitis, and pneumonia are common complications of poisoning. The brain suffers, and psychoses develop. The test results indicate severe intoxication of the body. Less pronounced pathological processes occur when vinegar gets on the skin. In this case, a local allergic reaction and irritation develop. A characteristic sign is the presence of urea, hemoglobin, and protein in the urine and blood. In severe conditions, markers of kidney, liver, and heart damage appear.
Vinegar poisoning
Table vinegar is a common cause of poisoning. In most cases, the cause of poisoning is accidental consumption of vinegar, when it is confused with other liquids. Poisoning is dangerous because vinegar essence penetrates the body and can have a systemic effect on it. In this case, a general inflammatory process develops, internal organs are affected, and inflammation develops. Intoxication increases and can ultimately result in severe damage to the liver, kidneys, and heart muscle. Brain damage is a common consequence.
Synthetic raw materials are used to produce table vinegar, in addition to cooking and everyday life, it has found wide application in the pharmaceutical industry, in the production of various substances and medicines, disinfectants. It is widely used in diagnostics and in laboratory conditions. Sometimes it is also used as an effective medicine, in particular, for colds, migraines, headaches, dyspeptic disorders and normalization of temperature.
Many have found a use for it to reduce appetite while dieting, to cleanse the body. It has been established that vinegar can help cure gynecological diseases, impotence in men. In adolescents, it often reduces libido. Thus, people widely and almost uncontrollably use this remedy everywhere, which often becomes the cause of poisoning. If you use it often, a chronic pathological disease can develop, which is most often associated with chemical damage to the esophagus, inflammation of the stomach under the influence of vinegar essence. Ulcers often form. Since blood circulation is sharply reduced and the blood clotting function is disrupted, bleeding can suddenly open.
Small erosions may appear, which also bleed frequently and heavily. Consuming large amounts of vinegar essence can be fatal. Therefore, it is important to provide first aid in a timely manner, the essence of which is to neutralize the vinegar as quickly as possible and remove it from the body. After this, restorative and symptomatic therapy is carried out.
Apple Cider Vinegar Poisoning
Apple cider vinegar differs from table vinegar in that it is made from natural ingredients. At the same time, the product necessarily contains an extract of natural alcohol. Apple cider vinegar contains many different components that can have both positive and negative effects on the body. Apple cider vinegar is widely used in cooking as a flavoring additive, flavoring agent, and fixative.
It significantly improves the taste of any product. It is also used in cosmetology, has a therapeutic and preventive effect. However, if you exceed the recommended dosage, it can turn from a useful substance into a component that destroys the main structures of the body, causes harm, disrupts the normal functioning of the main systems. It can cause serious poisoning.
Symptoms table and apple cider vinegar poisoning
The first sign of apple cider vinegar poisoning is severe intoxication of the body, which develops when a large amount of vinegar enters the body. In most cases, poisoning is accidental. Less often, there are cases of deliberate poisoning with suicidal intent. In any case, the victim needs urgent medical care.
First of all, it is important to neutralize the effect of the substance. To do this, you need to immediately recognize which substance caused the poisoning. Thus, specific symptoms indicating poisoning with apple cider vinegar are the suddenness of the manifestation of all the main symptoms. Severe toxicosis develops, in which a person feels sick, vomiting, and toxemia develop. Less often, diarrhea can develop. In this case, a sharp headache is observed, which is accompanied by a spasm of the brain, dizziness, weakness, development of shortness of breath, a feeling of lack of air.
Depending on the amount of substance ingested, the severity of vinegar poisoning symptoms can vary widely. Thus, with a mild degree of damage, only nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe sweating, headache, and dizziness may develop.
In moderate cases of poisoning, confusion may be observed, the person may be seized with trembling, heavy sweating, and sharp pain in the stomach. If a person has an ulcer or erosion, bleeding may develop, which is quite difficult to stop (due to the fact that the composition and functions of the blood change under the influence of vinegar). Almost always, there is no appetite, the heartbeat quickens, and breathing becomes difficult.
The development of concomitant diseases occurs, multiple pathologies of internal organs develop. Often, the body is poisoned, against the background of which a decrease in immunity develops. Also, the body's resistance decreases sharply, the degree of its reactivity to the effects of external factors increases. In this case, an infection may join in, secondary pathology may develop. Complications, exacerbations of chronic diseases are often observed. All this complicates recovery and requires additional measures aimed at overcoming the symptoms that have arisen.
In severe cases of poisoning, there is a sharp disruption of cerebral circulation, resulting in spasm, difficulty breathing, and impaired blood function. Multiple pathologies of internal organs may develop as a result of the toxin, as well as circulatory disorders. Lack of oxygen in the tissues and an excess of processed products and carbon dioxide (which occurs as a result of intoxication and vascular spasm) also have a negative effect. A severe chemical burn may develop, which only worsens the situation.
A dangerous sign is a decrease in daily diuresis, which entails impaired renal function, fluid stagnation in the body, and further increase in intoxication symptoms. In this case, black feces usually appear, indicating impaired intestinal motility and peristalsis, as well as decreased enzyme activity. Tachycardia develops, which can develop into a violation of the normal functioning of the heart muscle, up to the development of heart failure. The function of swallowing and digestion of food is significantly impaired. Excessive salivation appears.
Stages
Conventionally, we can distinguish several stages of vinegar poisoning. These are mild, moderate and severe stages.
The first stage is acute, observed from the moment the vinegar essence gets inside the body or damages the mucous membrane, skin. In this case, the reaction can go in two ways - slow and immediate. With an immediate reaction, there is a sharp increase in heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, intoxication symptoms appear, which are often accompanied by damage to the kidneys, liver, stomach and intestinal disorders, nausea, vomiting. In this case, the condition deteriorates sharply and the second stage comes abruptly, which is accompanied by severe intoxication and can lead to irreversible consequences. At this time, a person usually loses consciousness, develops dyspeptic disorders, headache, nausea, dizziness.
If a person is given timely assistance, the third stage may not occur. The person will gradually begin to recover, to recuperate. If first aid is not given, the poison will be absorbed into the body. The consequences can be unpredictable. Most often, the third, most dangerous stage develops. It is accompanied by damage to the brain, liver, kidneys, and various internal organs. Signs of intoxication also appear in the blood. In particular, a person begins to feel a constant lack of oxygen, anemia develops sharply, and the skin becomes cyanotic. The brain and internal organs do not receive the required amount of oxygen, which is accompanied by hypoxia - oxygen starvation. Against the background of oxygen deficiency, hypercapnia develops - a condition in which the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood increases sharply. In this case, the internal organs suffer, since carbon dioxide and metabolic products cease to be excreted, poisoning the body, thereby only aggravating the situation and delaying the intoxication process.
Red blood cells are gradually destroyed, an excessive amount of free hemoglobin is released into the blood, which causes additional stress on the body and leads to the development of severe blood diseases and bone marrow damage.
The picture is somewhat different with a delayed reaction or damage to the skin or mucous membranes by vinegar. With a delayed type of reaction, at this stage, a local allergic, hemorrhagic and other reaction usually develops. With external damage, this stage can last about a week, and ultimately manifests itself as a chemical burn, which tends to constantly progress.
This condition can be dangerous if the mucous membranes are damaged, for example, if it gets inside. Most often, the walls of the esophagus are damaged. In this case, acute corrosive esophagitis is observed, which is characterized by various types of damage, necrotic processes and damage to the walls. In this case, both the mucous membrane and the internal, deeper layers are damaged. Necrosis and inflammatory processes in the esophagus can have varying degrees of severity of the pathological process, which is determined by the amount and concentration of the substance that got inside. Esophageal damage can also be conditionally divided into three stages.
In the second week after the vinegar essence has been applied, the condition, at first glance, normalizes. But one should not delude oneself, since this is the period when pathological processes occur inside the cells and are quite hidden. At this time, the person feels quite well, this is the stage of imaginary well-being, after which the condition deteriorates sharply.
The deterioration is accompanied by a sharp rejection of damaged tissue, the formation of epithelial or granulation tissue in its place. It replaces the dead layers of the epithelium. Gradually, the deeper layers are replaced, which also die off. All this leads to the fact that the dead tissues are unable to perform their function. Accordingly, the functional capacity of the body is sharply reduced, the ability to recover is lost.
The more tissue is replaced, the higher the probability of death or disability, which occurs due to the limitation of many functions. The greatest danger lies in the rejection of mucous membranes. This is due to the fact that the risk of bleeding and infection by infectious agents increases sharply. Other pathological processes also develop.
The severity of such lesions depends, first of all, on the depth of the lesion. Secondary or primary bleeding may open, which is usually quite difficult to restore due to the fact that changes occur at the level of blood and hematopoietic organs. Thus, under the influence of vinegar, blood clotting decreases, the number and level of erythrocytes and platelets in the blood decreases. A large amount of heparin also appears, which makes the blood even more liquid, the amount of prothrombin factor and fibrinogen, which are responsible for blood clotting processes, decreases.
The third stage usually makes itself known by a sharp deterioration in a person's health. In fact, all those hidden processes that had been going on in the body unnoticed have simply manifested themselves. Now the damage to the mucous membrane and necrosis make themselves known by severe pain, and the lack of oxygen is accompanied by a feeling of lack of strength, yellowing or blueing of the skin, and oxygen starvation of the brain. As a result, a person develops constant headaches, migraines, and an increase in body temperature.
There may be more serious manifestations of intoxication, for example, inflammation of the affected mucous membrane, infection, spasm and disruption of metabolic processes, removal of toxic substances from the body. In this case, convulsions appear, a person may lose consciousness, a comatose state, paralysis, stroke and damage to the brain or kidneys may develop.
As a rule, such serious damage is typical for the fourth stage, and they are practically irreversible. Often, the fourth stage occurs immediately after the second, bypassing the third. Often, the fifth stage is death, less often chronic pathology develops, which is accompanied by severe renal and cardiac pathologies, up to the development of insufficiency.
Mild vinegar poisoning
Poisoning can be of three stages. At a mild stage, vinegar essence, getting into the body, provokes minimal damage. In this case, a chemical burn most often occurs, which is quite easily restored with the use of special therapy. Severe systemic damage is usually not observed. Only the digestive process can be disrupted. Most often, dyspeptic syndrome occurs. In this case, fluid loss occurs, edema, hyperemia of soft tissues can develop.
The danger of this condition is that absolutely any organs and systems can be subject to swelling, including the lungs and brain, and this already poses a mortal danger. Often, mild poisoning is accompanied by bleeding, since the permeability of small vessels increases significantly and the likelihood of the blood transitioning to a more liquid stage, during which the blood loses its ability to clot, decreases. Also, the walls of the vessels lose their elasticity, resulting in profuse bleeding and intense pain.
Mild poisoning may be accompanied by minor bleeding, headache, mild muscle spasms, convulsions, twitching. Vomiting with blood may occur. An unpleasant smell and taste may also appear in the mouth, which is quite difficult to recognize and accurately describe. Spasm of the respiratory tract may develop, resulting in shortness of breath, increased heart rate and headache. Skin rashes may also appear, which spread quite quickly over the skin. Erosion of the mucous membranes may also develop.
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Fatal Vinegar Poisoning
In order for vinegar poisoning to cause death, at least 70 ml must have entered the body. Although some researchers believe that a lethal dose should be considered approximately 250 ml. There are known cases when all doses in the lower range (below 250 ml) did not cause death, however, they caused serious disorders in the brain and spinal cord, as a result of which the body became deprived of protection, exposed to the action of the toxin. In this case, there is a high risk of paralysis and complete disability.
The lethal dose is also determined by the characteristics of the substance that enters the body. If it enters in its pure form, the lethal dose will be 20-40 ml. If table vinegar enters, at least 200 ml will be required. In the case of diluted or apple cider vinegar, toxicosis occurs when 50-80 ml enters.
The cause of death in poisoning is severe irreversible disruption of kidney and liver function, disruption of blood composition and function, destruction of red blood cells and release of free hemoglobin into the blood. Also, the cause of death can be a sharp disruption of the integrity of the walls of blood vessels. This can be a consequence of a simple rupture, thinning, erosion, disruption of the permeability of small capillaries. The walls of blood vessels, both large arteries and small capillaries, suffer.
Death can also occur as a result of pain shock, which accompanies all pathological changes occurring in the body. The maximum degree of pain syndrome is observed when the walls of the esophagus and stomach are affected. Large blood loss, lymph leakage from the body, excessive fluid retention in the body, observed against the background of increased swelling, can also cause death. No less dangerous are plaques that fill the bloodstream, they can cause vascular occlusion. Often, there is a breakdown of cellular structures. After this, it is often impossible to stop the pathology, death occurs.
Complications and consequences
Such dangerous complications as bradycardia, renal and hepatic failure, swelling of the throat, larynx, and bronchi may occur. In severe pathologies and increasing intoxication, pulmonary edema may occur, which often causes suffocation. In addition, renal and hepatic failure develops, and cardiac dysfunction occurs. Bloody vomiting may develop, indicating profuse bleeding caused by damage to the mucous membrane or the development of severe liver pathology. The danger is that a sharp drop in blood pressure may occur. Loss of consciousness and development of pain shock are often observed. A person may also experience psychomotor irritation or, conversely, inhibition of reaction.
Diagnostics table and apple cider vinegar poisoning
The blood formula manifests itself in a peculiar way. Thus, according to the clinical blood test, it is possible to recognize all the signs of acute intoxication. At the same time, the ESR increases significantly, the ratio of various blood cells changes. The number of erythrocytes increases sharply. In the blood, it is possible to detect an increased content of hemoglobin and protein, which indicates the resolution of erythrocytes and the release of free hemoglobin into the blood.
Also, a clinical blood test reveals an increased number of leukocytes. The number of lymphocytes in the blood increases, which indicates the development of an inflammatory process. Most often, this is either a local inflammation that occurs on the basis of primary tissue damage, a burn of the mucous membranes, or a secondary inflammatory phenomenon that develops on the basis of the systemic action of toxins that have penetrated the blood and a general decrease in immunity.
This pathology is often confused with a viral disease or an additional infection. To clarify the data, virological research methods and an immunogram can be prescribed. This will allow you to assess the state of the immune system, blood composition, assess the effect of vinegar essence on the body, and assess the severity of the pathological process.
An increased number of eosinophils indicates the development of an allergic reaction, increased sensitization of the body, excessive production of histamine and tissue mediators, basophils. This indicates that the symptoms of intoxication are progressing in the body, an allergic reaction is developing, the condition continues to worsen. Inflammation of other organs and systems may occur, in particular, complications may arise in the heart, liver and kidneys. If such a blood picture is detected, intensive therapy should be provided as quickly as possible, aimed at protecting the cardiovascular system, kidneys, liver and normalizing blood circulation.
An increased number of lymphocytes and eosinophils may indicate not only severe intoxication of the body, but also other adverse reactions not related to the effects of vinegar. This may serve as an important indication for conducting a study of sensitivity to allergens. In most cases, scarification tests are used, as well as general and specific analysis for immunoglobulin E, which is an indicator of allergy.
An analysis to determine the level of immunoglobulins A, G, which indicate the state of local immunity of the mucous membranes, can be quite informative. This can be the marker by which the state of the mucous membranes and the degree of chemical burn are determined.
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Treatment table and apple cider vinegar poisoning
In any case, regardless of the severity, the algorithm for providing first aid is always the same. As soon as we have recognized apple cider vinegar poisoning, we need to call an ambulance. Then we need to neutralize the effect of the substance, remove it. To do this, we need to give plenty of fluids, induce vomiting.
Upon arrival of the ambulance, the patient is necessarily hospitalized. In the hospital, the patient undergoes mandatory gastric lavage until the waters are clear. After this, vital signs are stabilized and monitored. It is important to ensure that there is no threat to life. After the threat has passed, it is necessary to move on to pathogenetic or symptomatic treatment and reduce the effects of poisoning. Restorative therapy is required.