Examining Sterile Water And Its Uses

Sterile water is seeing a lot of use in medical procedures and some of them may be surprising. It is sterilized by using a special filtration system that eliminates contaminants like bacteria and fungi. Here important things to know about this product.

In many medical situations proper irrigation of wounds is vital. This helps to keep down the risk of infection. A sterilized solution containing nothing but H2O can be effective for cleaning many kinds of wounds. However, sanitary conditions must be maintained during these procedures, as there are no antibacterial agents used in the solution.

Sterile water can be used for cleaning instruments and medical equipment like catheters. This includes drainage tubes and surgical dressing, as well as specimens used in laboratory conditions. It is often used to dilute certain kinds of medications. During these procedures it is vital to maintain proper temperature and store solutions in the recommended containers.

In many countries a subcutaneous injection of sterile water is used to help with the back pain from labor. During pregnancy it is important to limit the use of pain drugs as it can affect the health of the unborn child. There have been several studies undertaken that show a significant amount of pain relief from the injections, when administered under the skin. In controlled studies the injections are more effective than saline and acupuncture.

For best results, injections of sterilized H2O must only be given by someone with the proper training. There are no known side effects from administering sterilized H2O to patients. However, difficulties can develop as a result of improper injection procedures and not following directions for diluting certain kinds of liquid drugs.

One should never try to interchange or confuse solutions like sterilized H2O with bacteriostatic or distilled H2O products. When something is distilled it is boiled and turned to gas (steam). The gas is then condensed back into liquid form, and this process effectively removes all ingredients and contaminants, making it pure. H2O that has been sterilized may contain chemicals like chlorine.

Bacteriostatic H2O has been sterilized by a specific process. It usually contains just under one percent benzyl alcohol that is used as a preservative. It is not the same as sterilized H2O as there are no agents or preservatives added to sterile water. Bacteriostatic H2O products are not classified as drugs. However, it may not be possible to purchase them without a prescription in many areas. Bacteriostatic products can be used for diluting certain kinds of drugs and should never be confused with saline. There is no salt or sodium in bacteriostatic products.

Several products on the market today can be used for cleansing wounds and some types of injections. It is important to know and understand the differences as they may have different applications. Sterile water is H2O that has been sterilized but it has not been distilled. As a result it is not totally pure like distilled. Bacteriostatic H2O contains benzyl alcohol for preservation purposes and saline is a mixture of H2O and salt.

You can learn everything you need to know about the wound irrigation process and find a brief summary of the reasons why you should clean lacerations with some sterile water at http://www.sterilewater.org right now.

Examining Sterile Water And Its Uses