BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAmmonia poisoningAmmonia is a strong, colorless gas. If the gas is dissolved in water, it is called liquid ammonia. Poisoning may occur if you breathe in ammonia. Poisoning may also occur if you swallow or touch products that contain very large amounts of ammonia.WARNING: Never mix ammonia with bleach. This causes the release of toxic chlorine gas, which can be deadly.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 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. Poisonous Ingredient The poisonous ingredient is:Ammonia Where Found Ammonia can be found in:Ammonia gas Some household cleaners Some liniments Some fertilizers Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. Symptoms Symptoms can affect many parts of the body.AIRWAYS, LUNGS, AND CHESTCough Chest pain (severe) Chest tightness Difficulty breathing Rapid breathing Wheezing BODY-WIDE SYMPTOMSFever EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATTearing and burning of eyes Temporary blindness Throat pain (severe) Mouth pain Lip swelling HEART AND BLOODRapid, weak pulse Collapse and shock 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 NERVOUS SYSTEMConfusion Difficulty walking Dizziness Lack of coordination Restlessness RestlessnessAgitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Stupor (altered level of consciousness) SKINBluish-colored lips and fingernails Bluish-colored lips and fingernailsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe burns if contact is longer than a few minutes STOMACH AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTSevere stomach pain Vomiting Home Care DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional. Seek immediate medical help.If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless told otherwise by a health care provider. DO NOT give water or milk if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.If the poison was inhaled, immediately move them to fresh air. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed 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.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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood and urine tests will be done. The person may receive:Airway and breathing support, including oxygen. In extreme cases, a tube may be passed through the mouth into the lungs to prevent aspiration. A breathing machine (ventilator) would then be needed. Bronchoscopy, which involves inserting a camera into the throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs to check for burns in those tissues. Chest x-ray. Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing). ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Endoscopy - a camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and stomach. Fluids through a vein (by IV). Medicines to treat symptoms. Outlook (Prognosis) Damage is related to the amount and strength (concentration) of the ammonia. Most household cleaners are relatively weak and cause little or mild damage. Industrial strength cleaners can cause severe burns and injury.Survival past 48 hours most often indicates recovery will occur. Chemical burns that occurred in the eye frequently heal; however, permanent blindness may result.Chemical burnsChemicals that touch skin can lead to a reaction on the skin, throughout the body, or both.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesLevine MD. Chemical injuries. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 55.Meadon CW, Nelson LS. Inhaled toxins. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 148.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.AllVideoImagesTog Tests for Ammonia poisoning Ammonia blood testRelated Information Review Date: 10/6/2022 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. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Ammonia poisoningAmmonia is a strong, colorless gas. If the gas is dissolved in water, it is called liquid ammonia. Poisoning may occur if you breathe in ammonia. Poisoning may also occur if you swallow or touch products that contain very large amounts of ammonia.WARNING: Never mix ammonia with bleach. This causes the release of toxic chlorine gas, which can be deadly.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 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. Poisonous Ingredient The poisonous ingredient is:Ammonia Where Found Ammonia can be found in:Ammonia gas Some household cleaners Some liniments Some fertilizers Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. Symptoms Symptoms can affect many parts of the body.AIRWAYS, LUNGS, AND CHESTCough Chest pain (severe) Chest tightness Difficulty breathing Rapid breathing Wheezing BODY-WIDE SYMPTOMSFever EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATTearing and burning of eyes Temporary blindness Throat pain (severe) Mouth pain Lip swelling HEART AND BLOODRapid, weak pulse Collapse and shock 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 NERVOUS SYSTEMConfusion Difficulty walking Dizziness Lack of coordination Restlessness RestlessnessAgitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal. An agitated person may feel stirred up, excited, tense, confused, or irritable.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Stupor (altered level of consciousness) SKINBluish-colored lips and fingernails Bluish-colored lips and fingernailsA bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. The medical term is cyanosis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Severe burns if contact is longer than a few minutes STOMACH AND GASTROINTESTINAL TRACTSevere stomach pain Vomiting Home Care DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by poison control or a health care professional. Seek immediate medical help.If the chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless told otherwise by a health care provider. DO NOT give water or milk if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.If the poison was inhaled, immediately move them to fresh air. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of product (as well as the ingredients and strengths, if known) Time it was swallowed 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.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. What to Expect at the Emergency Room The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Blood and urine tests will be done. The person may receive:Airway and breathing support, including oxygen. In extreme cases, a tube may be passed through the mouth into the lungs to prevent aspiration. A breathing machine (ventilator) would then be needed. Bronchoscopy, which involves inserting a camera into the throat, bronchial tubes, and lungs to check for burns in those tissues. Chest x-ray. Chest x-rayA chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.Read Article Now Book Mark Article ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing). ECGAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Endoscopy - a camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and stomach. Fluids through a vein (by IV). Medicines to treat symptoms. Outlook (Prognosis) Damage is related to the amount and strength (concentration) of the ammonia. Most household cleaners are relatively weak and cause little or mild damage. Industrial strength cleaners can cause severe burns and injury.Survival past 48 hours most often indicates recovery will occur. Chemical burns that occurred in the eye frequently heal; however, permanent blindness may result.Chemical burnsChemicals that touch skin can lead to a reaction on the skin, throughout the body, or both.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesLevine MD. Chemical injuries. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 55.Meadon CW, Nelson LS. Inhaled toxins. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 148.Meehan TJ. Care of the poisoned patient. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 135.