BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuBoric acid poisoningBorax poisoningBoric acid is a dangerous poison. Poisoning from this chemical can be acute or chronic. Acute boric acid poisoning usually occurs when someone swallows powdered roach-killing products that contain the chemical. Boric acid is a caustic chemical. If it contacts tissues, it can cause injury.Chronic poisoning occurs in those who are repeatedly exposed to boric acid. For example, in the past, boric acid was used to disinfect and treat wounds. People who repeatedly received such treatment got sick, and some died.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Boric acid Where Found Boric acid is found in:Antiseptics and astringents Enamels and glazes Glass fiber manufacturing Medicated powders Skin lotions Some paints Some rodent and ant pesticides Photography chemicals Powders to kill roaches Some eye wash products Note: This list may not be all inclusive. Symptoms The main symptoms of boric acid poisoning are blue-green vomit, diarrhea, and a bright red rash on the skin. Other symptoms may include:Blisters BlistersA vesicle is a small fluid-filled blister on the skin.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Collapse CollapseFainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and y...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma (lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fever Headache Lack of desire to do anything (lethargy) Low blood pressure Restlessness Significantly decreased urine output (or none) Decreased urine outputDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sloughing of skin Twitching of facial muscles, arms, hands, legs, and feet Twitching of facial musclesA facial tic is a repeated spasm, often involving the eyes and muscles of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Home Care If the chemical is on the skin, remove it by washing the area thoroughly.If the chemical was swallowed, seek medical treatment immediately.If the chemical contacted the eyes, wash the eyes with cool water for 15 minutes. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:The person's age, weight, and condition The name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) The time it was swallowed The amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Local poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Treatment depends on the individual symptoms. The person may receive:Airway support, including oxygen, breathing tube through the mouth (intubation), and breathing machine (ventilator) Blood and urine tests Camera down the throat (endoscopy) to see burns in the esophagus and stomach Chest x-ray CT (computerized axial tomography) scan ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (IV) Medicines to treat symptoms Note: Activated charcoal does not effectively treat poisoning by acids.For skin exposure, treatment may include:Surgical removal of burned skin (debridement) Transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care Washing of the skin (irrigation), possibly every few hours for several days The person may need to be admitted to a hospital for more treatment. Surgery may be needed if the esophagus, stomach, or intestine has a hole (perforation) from the acid. Outlook (Prognosis) The infant death rate from boric acid poisonings is high. However, boric acid poisoning is considerably rarer than in the past because the substance is no longer used as a disinfectant in nurseries. It is also no longer commonly used in medical preparations. Boric acid is an ingredient in some vaginal suppositories used for yeast infections, although this is NOT a standard treatment.Swallowing a large amount of boric acid can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage to the esophagus and stomach continues to occur for several weeks after the boric acid was swallowed. Death from complications may occur as long as several months later. Holes (perforations) in the esophagus and stomach may result in serious infections in both the chest and abdominal cavities, which may result in death.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Boric acid. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:1030-1031.Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 1/2/2023 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. 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Boric acid poisoningBorax poisoningBoric acid is a dangerous poison. Poisoning from this chemical can be acute or chronic. Acute boric acid poisoning usually occurs when someone swallows powdered roach-killing products that contain the chemical. Boric acid is a caustic chemical. If it contacts tissues, it can cause injury.Chronic poisoning occurs in those who are repeatedly exposed to boric acid. For example, in the past, boric acid was used to disinfect and treat wounds. People who repeatedly received such treatment got sick, and some died.This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual poison exposure. If you or someone you are with has an exposure, call the local emergency number (such as 911), or the local poison center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. Poisonous Ingredient Boric acid Where Found Boric acid is found in:Antiseptics and astringents Enamels and glazes Glass fiber manufacturing Medicated powders Skin lotions Some paints Some rodent and ant pesticides Photography chemicals Powders to kill roaches Some eye wash products Note: This list may not be all inclusive. Symptoms The main symptoms of boric acid poisoning are blue-green vomit, diarrhea, and a bright red rash on the skin. Other symptoms may include:Blisters BlistersA vesicle is a small fluid-filled blister on the skin.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Collapse CollapseFainting is a brief loss of consciousness due to a drop in blood flow to the brain. The episode most often lasts less than a couple of minutes and y...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Coma (lack of responsiveness) ComaDecreased alertness is a state of reduced awareness and is often a serious condition. A coma is the most severe state of decreased alertness from whi...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures SeizuresA seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drowsiness DrowsinessDrowsiness refers to feeling more sleepy than normal during the day. People who are drowsy may fall asleep when they do not want to or at times whic...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fever Headache Lack of desire to do anything (lethargy) Low blood pressure Restlessness Significantly decreased urine output (or none) Decreased urine outputDecreased urine output means that you produce less urine than normal. Most adults make at least 500 milliliters of urine in 24 hours (a little over ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Sloughing of skin Twitching of facial muscles, arms, hands, legs, and feet Twitching of facial musclesA facial tic is a repeated spasm, often involving the eyes and muscles of the face.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness Home Care If the chemical is on the skin, remove it by washing the area thoroughly.If the chemical was swallowed, seek medical treatment immediately.If the chemical contacted the eyes, wash the eyes with cool water for 15 minutes. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:The person's age, weight, and condition The name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known) The time it was swallowed The amount swallowed Poison Control Your local poison control center can be reached directly by calling the national toll-free Poison Help hotline (1-800-222-1222) from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.Local poison control centerFor a POISON EMERGENCY call:1-800-222-1222ANYWHERE IN THE UNITED STATESThis national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. This ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article This is a free and confidential service. All local poison control centers in the United States use this national number. You should call if you have any questions about poisoning or poison prevention. It does NOT need to be an emergency. You can call for any reason, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Treatment depends on the individual symptoms. The person may receive:Airway support, including oxygen, breathing tube through the mouth (intubation), and breathing machine (ventilator) Blood and urine tests Camera down the throat (endoscopy) to see burns in the esophagus and stomach Chest x-ray CT (computerized axial tomography) scan ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (IV) Medicines to treat symptoms Note: Activated charcoal does not effectively treat poisoning by acids.For skin exposure, treatment may include:Surgical removal of burned skin (debridement) Transfer to a hospital that specializes in burn care Washing of the skin (irrigation), possibly every few hours for several days The person may need to be admitted to a hospital for more treatment. Surgery may be needed if the esophagus, stomach, or intestine has a hole (perforation) from the acid. Outlook (Prognosis) The infant death rate from boric acid poisonings is high. However, boric acid poisoning is considerably rarer than in the past because the substance is no longer used as a disinfectant in nurseries. It is also no longer commonly used in medical preparations. Boric acid is an ingredient in some vaginal suppositories used for yeast infections, although this is NOT a standard treatment.Swallowing a large amount of boric acid can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage to the esophagus and stomach continues to occur for several weeks after the boric acid was swallowed. Death from complications may occur as long as several months later. Holes (perforations) in the esophagus and stomach may result in serious infections in both the chest and abdominal cavities, which may result in death.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Boric acid. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:1030-1031.Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.