Ethyl alcohol, which is the main component of vodka, has long been known as a powerful and extremely effective disinfectant. Actually, in medicine 90- and 70% ethanol is used very widely, but, in the overwhelming majority of cases, only for the treatment of the outer covers of the human body. This is explained by the fact that this liquid interacts too aggressively with mucous membranes. Yes, alcohol works no less effectively on them as an antiseptic, but at the same time it causes severe chemical burns, negating any beneficial effect.
Vodka contains only 40% ethyl alcohol and gargling with it does not entail such destructive consequences for its mucous membranes. But it must be remembered that ethanol effectively destroys bacteria only through direct contact. With angina, infectious foci with the bulk of bacterial bodies are located inside the tonsils. Of course, there are some pathogens on the surface of the mucous membranes, and rinsing with vodka will kill them. But alcohol will not penetrate deep into the tissue, which means that it is not able to cure the cause of the disease.
Important! Isolated throat treatment with vodka for angina is ineffective. To get rid of the disease, you must use other methods of therapy.
Nevertheless, rinsing with vodka for angina can bring certain benefits. Below we give a description of the most common effective ways to use this tool.
General disinfecting action
Rinsing with vodka, as well as using pure alcohol, has an antiseptic effect. The use of this property of ethanol will help you to sanitize the oral cavity with angina. This technique can be considered as a prophylaxis for the addition of a secondary infection, because the functions of the patient's immune system are in any case impaired, and this opens the way to the development of other diseases.
Rinse your mouth with vodka by adding 1 tsp into 50 g of vodka. edible salt. The resulting solution must be thoroughly mixed, poured into the mouth and rinsed, paying particular attention to the gums. Then the liquid should be spit out, and the mouth should be rinsed with clean boiled water. You do not need to swallow vodka. The procedure should be repeated 4-5 times a day.
Important! Treatment with vodka-based solutions cannot be carried out in children, as well as in adults with diseases of the digestive system, heart and liver.
The use of vodka with medicinal herbs
The main effect that ethanol has in solutions of phytopreparations is to enhance their action. This is achieved due to the fact that alcohol potentiates the absorption capacity of the stomach, which means that it improves the bioavailability of the active substances. On the basis of vodka, you can make various solutions of medicinal herbs. In particular, for angina, treatment with such tinctures is used:
- Place 1 tsp in half a liter of vodka. dry oak bark purchased from a pharmacy. Withstand such a solution should be at least 1 week. Then for 1 part of the resulting tincture, take 3 parts of warm boiled water, stir thoroughly and start rinsing.
- Wash and finely chop 2-3 aloe leaves. Pour the resulting vegetable mass with 0.5 glass of sugar and place in a dark and dry place for three days. After this time, 1 tbsp. Should be poured into the container. vodka and leave for another 3 days. Then you need to filter the resulting solution, dilute it with three times the volume of warm water and use it to gargle.
- Insist dry lilac flowers in a sufficient amount of vodka for at least 1 day. Strain the resulting solution and use it both for gargling (diluted with water) and for drip lubrication of the larynx.
- Wash thoroughly and chop 30 g of ginger along with the skin on it. Place it in a non-metallic and opaque container and then pour in 1 tbsp. vodka. Close the dishes tightly and leave warm for 2 weeks. The resulting tincture can be used as an internal remedy, or, diluted with water, used for rinsing.
Important! Treatment of the throat with any tinctures or solutions of medicinal herbs based on vodka should be used only if the patient is not allergic to these phytopreparations.
Preventive and immunostimulating action
This effect is possessed by vodka mixed with red or black hot pepper. Contrary to popular belief, pepper is the main therapeutic effect here. It contains a large amount of vitamin C - ascorbic acid - which is necessary for the normal functioning of the immune system.
In addition, pepper is associated with a specific bitter taste, which is given to this product by a substance called capsaicin. This compound has a strong irritant effect, which helps to improve local blood circulation in the larynx region, flushing out cellular debris and enhancing the immune response in this area.
But vodka mixed with pepper acts only as a kind of light anesthetic. It makes it easier to endure those burning sensations that occur when using pepper to treat a throat.
In order to prepare vodka with pepper, add no more than 1/3 teaspoon of pepper to 50 g of liquid. Of course, in this case you can only use ground pepper, but it will be red or black - not very important. After that, you should thoroughly stir the pepper with a knife and drink the solution in one gulp.
Important! Make sure not to exceed the amount of pepper. This can damage the lining of the throat or upper gastrointestinal tract.
Here are two more vodka and pepper recipes that you can make and use in your throat treatment:
- For half a liter of vodka, take 3-4 medium-sized red pepper pods. The pepper itself can be either fresh or dried. Cutting the pods into pieces is also optional. To obtain the best effect, the pepper should be infused for at least two weeks. The solution should be prepared and stored in a dark place (or in an opaque container), as well as in a cool place.
- To prepare vodka with pepper and honey, you should take half a liter of vodka and dilute it with three tablespoons. good liquid honey. Try to dissolve the honey as much as possible. Then add 1 hot pepper pod and 8-10 black peppercorns to the container. You can also add 2-3 cloves for flavor. The dishes should be tightly corked and placed in the dark and cool for 1 week. Once a day, the contents of the container must be shaken so that the settled honey goes back into solution. After that, let the liquid brew for another three days, filter it and pour it into a clean container.
Features and limitations
The benefits of gargling with vodka for angina are still extremely doubtful from the point of view of modern medicine. All those not particularly pronounced positive effects that 40% ethanol has are almost completely neutralized by the side effects of alcohol.
So, for example, it is impossible to do too frequent intensive rinsing of the throat with vodka - they can cause the mucous membrane to dry out. This is due to the fact that alcohol is hygroscopic, that is, it binds and absorbs water. In addition, the already inflamed larynx is highly irritated by ethanol. This not only increases inflammation, but also, in conditions of insufficient moisture, often leads to chemical burns.That is why, for any rinses with angina, it is imperative to dilute vodka infusions and solutions with warm boiled water in a ratio of at least 1 to 1 (or better - 1 to 3).
And, of course, such methods of treatment are completely inapplicable in childhood. Absorption of alcohol on the surface of the throat, larynx and mucous membranes of the pharyngeal tonsils leads to the development of symptoms of ethanol poisoning in children. The danger of these complications far outweighs the benefits of gargling with vodka.
