BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuSolder poisoningSolder is used to connect electric wires or other metal parts together. Solder poisoning occurs when someone swallows solder in large amounts. Skin burns can occur if solder touches the skin.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 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. Poisonous Ingredient The substances in solder that can be harmful are:Antimony Bismuth Cadmium Copper Ethylene glycol Lead Mild acids Silver Tin Zinc Where Found Solder contains these substances. It may also contain other harmful substances. Symptoms Symptoms for lead:BLADDER AND KIDNEYSKidney damage EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATMetallic taste Metallic tasteTaste impairment means there is a problem with your sense of taste. Problems range from distorted taste to a complete loss of the sense of taste. A...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vision problems Vision problemsThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Yellow eyes (jaundice) Yellow eyesJaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jau...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hearing lossSTOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain 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 Constipation Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive thirst Loss of appetite Vomiting Weight loss HEART AND BLOODCollapse 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 High blood pressure High blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body. Hypertension is the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure (shock)Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MUSCLES AND JOINTSParalysis ParalysisMuscle function loss is when a muscle does not work or move normally. The medical term for complete loss of muscle function is paralysis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle aches Muscle achesMuscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Fascias are th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness WeaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint pain NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and 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 Confusion ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Excitability ExcitabilityAgitation 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 Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache HeadacheA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Irritability Lack of desire to do anything Sleeping difficulty Tremor TremorA tremor is a type of shaking movement. A tremor is most often noticed in the hands and arms. It may affect any body part, including the head, tong...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Twitching TwitchingMuscle twitches are fine movements of a small area of muscle.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Uncoordinated movements Uncoordinated movementsUncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures (convulsions)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 SKINPale skin Yellow skin (jaundice)Symptoms for tin and zinc chloride:BLADDER AND KIDNEYSDecreased urine output No urine output EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATBurns in mouth and throat Yellow eyes (jaundice) STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting SKINYellow skin (jaundice)Symptoms for ethylene glycol:Disturbance in the acid balance of the blood (can lead to failure of many organs) Kidney failure Symptoms for cadmium:Kidney damage Reduced brain function or intelligence Reduced lung function Softening of the bones and kidney failureSymptoms for bismuth:Diarrhea Eye irritation Gum disease (gingivitis) GingivitisGingivitis is inflammation of the gums.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney damage Metallic taste Skin irritationSymptoms for silver:Grayish-black staining of the skin and mucous membranes Silver deposits in the eyesSymptoms for antimony:Chemical burns Depression DepressionDepression 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Eczema (skin dryness and irritation) EczemaAtopic dermatitis is a long-term (chronic) skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. It is a type of eczema. Other forms of eczema include...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Irritation of mucous membranes (mouth, nose) Stomach problemsSymptoms for copper:Abdominal pain Diarrhea Vomiting Heart, kidney, and liver failure (uncommon) Confusion (uncommon) Fever Home Care Get medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the solder is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the solder was swallowed, give water to the person right away, unless instructed otherwise by poison control or a provider. Do not give water if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, seizures, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (and ingredients, 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 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 signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 Electrocardiogram (ECG) ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomachEndoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through the vein (by IV) Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison Activated charcoal Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage) Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Surgery to remove burned skin Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Breathing machineA 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dialysis (kidney machine) Outlook (Prognosis) How well the person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.Outcomes depend on the type of poison swallowed:Ethylene glycol is extremely poisonous. Complete recovery from lead poisoning may take a year or more. It may cause permanent brain, nerve, or kidney damage. If the amount of zinc or tin swallowed is low, recovery should occur within approximately 6 hours. Skin color changes due to silver poisoning are permanent. Long-term poisoning with antimony and cadmium may lead to lung cancer. Recovery from acid poisoning depends on how much tissue has been damaged. Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in infection, shock, and death even several months after the substance was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.Open ReferencesReferencesNelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.Theobald JL, Mycyk MB. Iron and heavy metals. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 146.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information 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. 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.
Solder poisoningSolder is used to connect electric wires or other metal parts together. Solder poisoning occurs when someone swallows solder in large amounts. Skin burns can occur if solder touches the skin.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 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. Poisonous Ingredient The substances in solder that can be harmful are:Antimony Bismuth Cadmium Copper Ethylene glycol Lead Mild acids Silver Tin Zinc Where Found Solder contains these substances. It may also contain other harmful substances. Symptoms Symptoms for lead:BLADDER AND KIDNEYSKidney damage EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATMetallic taste Metallic tasteTaste impairment means there is a problem with your sense of taste. Problems range from distorted taste to a complete loss of the sense of taste. A...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vision problems Vision problemsThere are many types of eye problems and vision disturbances, such as: Halos Blurred vision (the loss of sharpness of vision and the inability to see...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Yellow eyes (jaundice) Yellow eyesJaundice is a yellow color of the skin, mucus membranes, or eyes. The yellow coloring comes from bilirubin, a byproduct of old red blood cells. Jau...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Hearing lossSTOMACH AND INTESTINESAbdominal pain 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 Constipation Diarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Excessive thirst Loss of appetite Vomiting Weight loss HEART AND BLOODCollapse 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 High blood pressure High blood pressureBlood pressure is a measurement of the force exerted against the walls of your arteries as your heart pumps blood to your body. Hypertension is the ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Low blood pressure (shock)Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...Read Article Now Book Mark Article MUSCLES AND JOINTSParalysis ParalysisMuscle function loss is when a muscle does not work or move normally. The medical term for complete loss of muscle function is paralysis.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Muscle aches Muscle achesMuscle aches and pains are common and can involve more than one muscle. Muscle pain also can involve ligaments, tendons, and fascia. Fascias are th...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Fatigue FatigueFatigue is a feeling of weariness, tiredness, or lack of energy.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Weakness WeaknessWeakness is reduced strength in one or more muscles.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Joint pain NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and 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 Confusion ConfusionConfusion is the inability to think as clearly or quickly as you normally do. You may feel disoriented and have difficulty paying attention, remembe...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Excitability ExcitabilityAgitation 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 Hallucinations HallucinationsHallucinations involve sensing things such as visions, sounds, or smells that seem real but are not. These things are created by the mind.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache HeadacheA headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Irritability Lack of desire to do anything Sleeping difficulty Tremor TremorA tremor is a type of shaking movement. A tremor is most often noticed in the hands and arms. It may affect any body part, including the head, tong...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Twitching TwitchingMuscle twitches are fine movements of a small area of muscle.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Uncoordinated movements Uncoordinated movementsUncoordinated movement is due to a muscle control problem that causes an inability to coordinate movements. It leads to a jerky, unsteady, to-and-fr...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Seizures (convulsions)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 SKINPale skin Yellow skin (jaundice)Symptoms for tin and zinc chloride:BLADDER AND KIDNEYSDecreased urine output No urine output EYES, EARS, NOSE, MOUTH, AND THROATBurns in mouth and throat Yellow eyes (jaundice) STOMACH AND INTESTINESDiarrhea DiarrheaDiarrhea is when you pass loose or watery stool.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Vomiting SKINYellow skin (jaundice)Symptoms for ethylene glycol:Disturbance in the acid balance of the blood (can lead to failure of many organs) Kidney failure Symptoms for cadmium:Kidney damage Reduced brain function or intelligence Reduced lung function Softening of the bones and kidney failureSymptoms for bismuth:Diarrhea Eye irritation Gum disease (gingivitis) GingivitisGingivitis is inflammation of the gums.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Kidney damage Metallic taste Skin irritationSymptoms for silver:Grayish-black staining of the skin and mucous membranes Silver deposits in the eyesSymptoms for antimony:Chemical burns Depression DepressionDepression 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dizziness Eczema (skin dryness and irritation) EczemaAtopic dermatitis is a long-term (chronic) skin disorder that involves scaly and itchy rashes. It is a type of eczema. Other forms of eczema include...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Headache Irritation of mucous membranes (mouth, nose) Stomach problemsSymptoms for copper:Abdominal pain Diarrhea Vomiting Heart, kidney, and liver failure (uncommon) Confusion (uncommon) Fever Home Care Get medical help right away. Do not make the person throw up unless poison control or a health care provider tells you to. If the solder is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the solder was swallowed, give water to the person right away, unless instructed otherwise by poison control or a provider. Do not give water if the person is having symptoms (such as vomiting, seizures, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow. Before Calling Emergency Determine the following information:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product (and ingredients, 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 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 signsVital signs reflect essential body functions, including your heartbeat, breathing rate, temperature, and blood pressure. Your health care provider m...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs BronchoscopyBronchoscopy is a test to view the airways and diagnose lung disease. It may also be used during the treatment of some lung conditions.Read Article Now Book Mark Article 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 Electrocardiogram (ECG) ElectrocardiogramAn electrocardiogram (ECG) is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to look for burns in the esophagus and the stomachEndoscopyEndoscopy is a way of looking inside the body using a flexible tube that has a small camera and light on the end of it. This instrument is called an...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Treatment may include:Fluids through the vein (by IV) Medicine (antidote) to reverse the effect of the poison Activated charcoal Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage) Gastric lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days Surgery to remove burned skin Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) Breathing machineA 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...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Dialysis (kidney machine) Outlook (Prognosis) How well the person does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.Outcomes depend on the type of poison swallowed:Ethylene glycol is extremely poisonous. Complete recovery from lead poisoning may take a year or more. It may cause permanent brain, nerve, or kidney damage. If the amount of zinc or tin swallowed is low, recovery should occur within approximately 6 hours. Skin color changes due to silver poisoning are permanent. Long-term poisoning with antimony and cadmium may lead to lung cancer. Recovery from acid poisoning depends on how much tissue has been damaged. Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Burns in the airway or gastrointestinal tract can lead to tissue necrosis, resulting in infection, shock, and death even several months after the substance was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.Open ReferencesReferencesNelson ME. Toxic alcohols. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 136.Theobald JL, Mycyk MB. Iron and heavy metals. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 146.