Peppermint oil overdose
Peppermint oil is an oil made from the peppermint plant. Peppermint oil overdose occurs when someone swallows more than the normal or recommended amount of this product. This can be by accident or on purpose.
This article is for information only. DO NOT use it to treat or manage an actual overdose. If you or someone you are with has an overdose, call your local emergency number (such as 911), or 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.
Overdose
An overdose is when you take more than the recommended amount of something, often a medicine or drug. An overdose may result in serious, harmful sym...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticlePoisonous Ingredient
Menthol is the ingredient in peppermint oil that can be poisonous in large amounts.
Where Found
Peppermint oil is used to flavor various products. It is also used:
- As a germ-killing (antiseptic) product
- As a numbing product (anesthetic)
- In herbal medicine to relieve spasms
Other products may also contain peppermint oil.
Symptoms
Below are symptoms of a peppermint oil overdose in different parts of the body.
HEART AND BLOOD
- Slow heartbeat
LUNGS
-
Shallow breathing
Shallow breathing
A normal breathing rate for an adult at rest is 12 to 20 breaths per minute. For an infant, a normal rate is 30 to 60 breaths per minute. Tachypnea ...
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Slow breathing
Slow breathing
Most people take breathing for granted. People with certain illnesses may have breathing problems that they deal with on a regular basis. This arti...
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STOMACH AND INTESTINES
-
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach region or belly.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Diarrhea
-
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting
Nausea is feeling an urge to vomit. It is often called "being sick to your stomach. "Vomiting or throwing-up forces the contents of the stomach up t...
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KIDNEYS AND BLADDER
-
Blood in urine
Blood in urine
Blood in your urine is called hematuria. The amount may be very small and only detected with urine tests or under a microscope. In other cases, the...
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NERVOUS SYSTEM
-
Convulsions
Convulsions
A seizure is the physical changes in behavior that occurs during an episode of specific types of abnormal electrical activity in the brain. The term ...
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Depression
Depression
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for shor...
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Dizziness
Dizziness
Dizziness is a term that is often used to describe 2 different symptoms: lightheadedness and vertigo. Lightheadedness is a feeling that you might fai...
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-
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness
Unconsciousness is when a person is unable to respond to people and activities. Doctors often call this a coma or being in a comatose state. Other c...
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Uncoordinated movement
Uncoordinated movement
Uncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...
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SKIN
- Redness
Home Care
Seek medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to.
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product (ingredients and strength, 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 center
For 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 ArticleThis 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
Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.
The provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.
Vital signs
Vital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleTests that may be done include:
- Blood and urine tests
-
Chest x-ray
Chest x-ray
A chest x-ray is an x-ray of the chest, lungs, heart, large arteries, ribs, and diaphragm.
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Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Tube down the windpipe and lungs to look for damage and burns (bronchoscopy)
Bronchoscopy
Bronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.
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Treatment may include:
- Fluids through a vein (by IV)
- Medicine to treat symptoms
- Activated charcoal
- Laxative
- Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
Ventilator
A ventilator is a machine that breathes for you or helps you breathe. It is also called a breathing machine or respirator. The ventilator: Is attac...
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Outlook (Prognosis)
How well someone does depends on the amount of peppermint oil swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance is for recovery.
Survival past 48 hours is often a good sign that recovery will occur. If the kidneys are damaged, they may take several months to heal. Long-term injury to the lungs can also occur.
References
Aronson JK. Menthol. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:831-832.
National Center for Biotechnology Information website. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 1254, Menthol. pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Menthol. Accessed November 24, 2023.
Review Date: 11/2/2023
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.