Does iodine have a shelf life?

The medical drug iodine can be used to treat some skin injuries such as burns and knife wounds. It is mainly applied to the injured area, which can have a disinfecting and analgesic effect. However, iodine tincture naturally has a certain shelf life. It is best not to use expired iodine tincture, otherwise it will not have the best effect and may aggravate your skin infection after application.

Iodine is very effective in disinfecting common injuries such as burns, frostbite, knife wounds, abrasions, and bruises. Because iodine

Compared with alcohol, the irritation and pain caused by iodine tincture is milder, it is easier for patients to accept, it is widely used and has definite effects. It has basically replaced skin and mucous membrane disinfectants such as alcohol, mercurochrome, iodine, and gentian violet. In addition, low-concentration iodine tincture is a light brown solution that is not easy to stain clothing.

Although iodine tincture has been widely used in hospitals, non-medical staff's understanding of iodine tincture is not as good as that of traditional disinfectants such as mercurochrome, iodine tincture, and gentian violet.

The common concentration of medical iodine tincture is 1%, which can be directly applied for skin disinfection.

Diluted twice, it can be used as a mouthwash for stomatitis;

2% iodine is used to disinfect hands and other parts of the skin during surgery;

0.5% iodine tincture is used for flushing treatment of vaginitis. [1]

Iodine is an external medication and is not for oral administration.

Iodine tincture dilute solution is low in toxicity and non-corrosive. However, dilute solutions are unstable and need to be prepared before use. Avoid contact with silver, aluminum and divalent alloys because they are corrosive to metals. It is forbidden to use it with antagonistic drugs such as mercurochrome. The iodine stock solution should be stored at room temperature away from light. [2]

It has obvious irritation to mucous membranes during normal use. A few people have allergic reactions.

Misuse reactions: Oral overdose may cause corrosive gastroenteritis-like symptoms, including vomiting, hematemesis, heartburn, bloody stools, etc. In severe cases, shock may occur.

High concentrations of iodine tincture contacting skin and eyes can cause burns, ulcers, etc.

Severe allergic reactions may cause laryngeal edema, asthma-like attacks or shock. When dealing with eye or skin contamination, rinse immediately and thoroughly with clean water. If symptoms do not improve or worsen, you should see a specialist hospital for treatment.

After oral poisoning, you can take a lot of starch or rice soup, and pay attention to preventing and treating laryngeal spasm and pulmonary edema.

When an allergic reaction occurs, give anti-allergic drugs and symptomatic treatment.