BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuDrain cleaner poisoningDrain cleaners contain very dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to your health if you swallow them, breathe them in (inhale), or if they come in contact with your skin and eyes.This article discusses poisoning from swallowing or breathing in drain cleaner.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 Sodium hydroxide Where Found This poison is found in:Some drain cleaners Some aquarium products Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. Symptoms Symptoms of drain cleaner poisoning include:Abdominal pain (severe) Abdominal painAbdominal 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 Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Burns of the mouth and throat Chest pain 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 Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drooling Loss of vision if the poison touched the eyes Mouth pain (severe) Rapid drop in blood pressure (shock) Throat pain (severe) Severe burns and tissue damage Vomiting, often bloodyVomitingNausea 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms from getting sodium hydroxide on the skin or in the eyes include:Burning Severe pain Vision loss Home Care Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional.If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed 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 chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with at least 2 quarts (1.8 liters) for at least 15 minutes.DO NOT give vinegar or lemon juice, as this may cause more severe burning. Before Calling Emergency The following information is helpful for emergency assistance: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 However, DO NOT delay calling for help if this information is not immediately available. 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. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. 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 food pipe (esophagus) and stomach Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (intravenous or IV) Medicines to treat symptomsActivated charcoal, which is used to treat other types of poisoning, does not effectively treat sodium hydroxide poisoning.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 Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing this type of poison can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage to the esophagus and stomach continues to occur for several weeks after the sodium hydroxide was swallowed. Death may occur up to several months later from additional complications. Holes (perforations) in the esophagus and stomach may cause serious infections in the inside spaces of the chest and abdomen, which may lead to death. Surgery may be needed if the chemical has perforated the esophagus, stomach, or intestine.Open ReferencesReferencesHoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.Theobald JL, Kostic MA. Poisoning. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 77.Thomas SHL. Poisoning. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 10.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. 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.
Drain cleaner poisoningDrain cleaners contain very dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to your health if you swallow them, breathe them in (inhale), or if they come in contact with your skin and eyes.This article discusses poisoning from swallowing or breathing in drain cleaner.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 Sodium hydroxide Where Found This poison is found in:Some drain cleaners Some aquarium products Note: This list may not be all-inclusive. Symptoms Symptoms of drain cleaner poisoning include:Abdominal pain (severe) Abdominal painAbdominal 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 Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling SwellingSwelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Burns of the mouth and throat Chest pain 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 Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Drooling Loss of vision if the poison touched the eyes Mouth pain (severe) Rapid drop in blood pressure (shock) Throat pain (severe) Severe burns and tissue damage Vomiting, often bloodyVomitingNausea 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Symptoms from getting sodium hydroxide on the skin or in the eyes include:Burning Severe pain Vision loss Home Care Seek immediate medical help. DO NOT make a person throw up unless told to do so by Poison Control or a health care professional.If the chemical was swallowed, immediately give the person water or milk, unless instructed 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 chemical is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with at least 2 quarts (1.8 liters) for at least 15 minutes.DO NOT give vinegar or lemon juice, as this may cause more severe burning. Before Calling Emergency The following information is helpful for emergency assistance: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 However, DO NOT delay calling for help if this information is not immediately available. 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. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. 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 food pipe (esophagus) and stomach Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing) Fluids through a vein (intravenous or IV) Medicines to treat symptomsActivated charcoal, which is used to treat other types of poisoning, does not effectively treat sodium hydroxide poisoning.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 Outlook (Prognosis) How well a person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a person gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.Swallowing this type of poison can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage to the esophagus and stomach continues to occur for several weeks after the sodium hydroxide was swallowed. Death may occur up to several months later from additional complications. Holes (perforations) in the esophagus and stomach may cause serious infections in the inside spaces of the chest and abdomen, which may lead to death. Surgery may be needed if the chemical has perforated the esophagus, stomach, or intestine.Open ReferencesReferencesHoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 143.Theobald JL, Kostic MA. Poisoning. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 77.Thomas SHL. Poisoning. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 10.