What Are the Effects and Benefits of Alcohol?

The uses of alcohol are relatively widespread, but it is mainly used for medical purposes. Medical alcohol can not only disinfect and prevent bedsores, but also can be used for physical cooling, anti-itching, and swelling reduction for patients with high fever. However, alcohol is a colorless and transparent liquid that is volatile and flammable. Therefore, too much alcohol should not be stored at home to avoid potential safety hazards.

70%-75% alcohol is used for sterilization and disinfection, including skin disinfection, medical equipment disinfection, and deiodination of iodine.

40%-50% alcohol is used to prevent bedsores. Bedsores can be caused by prolonged pressure on the back, waist, and hips of patients who are bedridden for a long time, and they are difficult to heal once formed. Prevention methods include frequent turning over, washing, and massaging. During massaging, caregivers will pour 40%-50% alcohol into their hands and massage the patient's compressed areas evenly to promote local blood circulation and prevent the formation of bedsores.

25%-50% alcohol is used for physical cooling. In addition to drug treatment, the simplest, most effective, and safest method for reducing fever in patients with high fever is to use 25%-50% alcohol to wipe the skin for physical cooling. When wiping the patient's skin with alcohol, it can not only stimulate the dilation of blood vessels in the skin of patients with high fever, increasing the skin's ability to dissipate heat; but also, due to its volatility, it can absorb and carry away a large amount of heat, leading to a decrease in body temperature and relief of symptoms.

If you are bitten by mosquitoes or insects during outdoor activities, you may experience redness, swelling, and itching. Directly applying medical alcohol with a concentration of 75% can quickly kill bacteria and viruses, and can effectively reduce swelling and relieve pain.