How does stomach pumping work

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Stomach pumping, gastric irrigation, gastric suction, gastric lavage -- the procedure goes by several names, but it all does the same thing: gets whatever is in your stomach out.

Despite the name, when you get your stomach pumped, you're not really having anything "pumped" out of your stomach. Instead, the procedure is more like a washing or irrigating process that rinses out the contents of the stomach using water or another solution like saline [source: Jacoby].

Gastric lavage works by inserting a flexible tube through either the nose or the mouth, down the esophagus and into the stomach. A liquid is pumped into the stomach through the tube, and then is removed by suction or siphoning, taking out the contents of the stomach along with the liquid [source: Eisner ]. The process is repeated until whatever needs to be removed comes out.

We most often hear about stomach pumping being used when someone is poisoned or overdoses on medication, but there are actually a bunch of reasons doctors would want to clean out your stomach. Here we'll explore five reasons doctors might want to get the contents of your insides on the outside. One of the worst-case scenarios, and also the most common, in which stomach pumping is used is to save you from an overdose or poisoning.

After someone overdoses on drugs, alcohol or medication, or ingests a poison, pumping the stomach can help stop whatever remains from getting absorbed into the body.

It can also reduce the impact of the drug or poison and possibly even save the person's life. Whether the overdose is accidental or intentional, stomach pumping is one of the most common procedures for helping a patient recover from ingesting unwanted substances.

The sooner you're taken to the hospital after an overdose or poisoning, the more the doctors will be able to remove from your stomach before it enters the bloodstream. Most drug overdoses involve over-the-counter medications, however when the substance in the stomach is a corrosive -- such as lye or ammonia -- gastric lavage is not performed because the substance could also corrode the tube and equipment used to perform the pumping [sources: Jacoby; Lippincott's Nursing Procedures].

If that happens, fluid could leak -- possibly into the lungs -- causing further harm to the patient [source: Jacoby]. After pumping, a solution containing activated charcoal is often introduced into the stomach.

It's thought to help prevent any remaining poisons from getting absorbed into the system [source: Mayo Clinic ]. Another common use for stomach pumping is to help clear the digestive tract before stomach surgery or an endoscopy.

Before most surgeries and endoscopies, you'll be told not to eat or drink anything several hours before the procedure, which helps make sure everything is cleaned out and the doctors can see what they're doing. It also makes the anesthesia more effective. In some cases, however, it's necessary to take the extra step of washing the stomach, especially if the procedure is an emergency, the patient is unconscious or there is bleeding in the stomach that could obscure the camera's view [source: Kleinman].

Another reason to clean out the stomach is after surgery or trauma. In those situations, stomach pumping can be used to clear out any blood or fluids that may have collected in the stomach. Stomach pumping has been used by doctors since the s to remove poisons from people's stomachs.

Hyperthermia , or overheating, is a serious risk during the summer months. Every year people perish from hyperthermia , especially when deadly heat waves sweep the country. The regulation of your body's internal temperature is essential for the body to function properly. Call as soon as you notice any of the previous signs of overdose. If the person is having a seizure, carefully hold their head to prevent any injuries.

Try to tilt their head to one side to prevent them from choking if they vomit. Emergency help should provide essential care at the scene or walk you through what to do over the phone. A complete drug and poison screening will help determine the substances the person took.

Intravenous fluids will help ease side effects like nausea and high blood pressure. Medications might help prevent further overdose effects, alleviate withdrawal symptoms, and prevent long-term complications such as kidney failure. If you or someone you love is battling an addiction, seeking professional help immediately is crucial.

Addiction is a progressive disease, and due to the highly addictive nature of this specific chemical substance, rapid physical deterioration is common and especially devastating. At Lighthouse Recovery Institute, our addiction specialists are ready to help you find the best treatment course to overcome addiction.

Contact our team today and learn more about our drug addiction treatment programs. Lighthouse Recovery Institute aims to improve the quality of life for anyone struggling with substance use or mental health disorder.

We provide fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options, and their outcomes. The material we publish is researched, cited, edited, and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide in our posts is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

It should never be used in place of the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider. A survey found that over , people over 12 reported using cocaine for the first time last year. Cocaine is a powerful stimulant that can be highly addictive and is linked