Rubbing alcohol can help cool a fever

According to a recent study in the journal Pediatrics, the folk treatment seems especially common among parents in low-income and minority communities, where it is passed down through generations and in some cases recommended by doctors. As rubbing isopropyl alcohol evaporates from skin, it soothes like a fresh breeze, potentially reducing body temperature. Many parents soothe their feverish children by rubbing it on the skin or adding a little to a sponge bath.

But using it this way can cause serious harm. Isopropyl alcohol is quickly absorbed through the skin, and large amounts applied topically can be inhaled, which can lead to alcohol poisoning and other problems. A number of case reports in the medical literature describe small children who slipped into comas after a caregiver tried to reduce their fevers with alcohol. Other reports have described cases in which adults suffered cardiac and neurological problems after using alcohol-soaked towels to cool down or ease pain.

For better results, try plain and simple acetaminophen, at least after the child’s first birthday , and a lukewarm bath — minus the rubbing alcohol.

The verdict

Applying rubbing alcohol to the skin, a popular remedy for reducing fever, can have serious side effects.