Fuel oil poisoning
Fuel oil poisoning occurs when someone swallows, breathes in (inhales), or touches fuel oil.
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
Substances called hydrocarbons are the harmful ingredients in fuel oil.
Where Found
Hydrocarbons are found in:
- Fuel oil
- Kerosene
- Gasoline
There may be other sources of fuel oil or other chemicals contained in the fuel oil.
Symptoms
Below are symptoms of fuel oil poisoning in different parts of the body.
EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROAT
- Loss of vision
- Pain in the throat
- Pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
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 -
Blood in the stool
Blood in the stool
Black or tarry stools with a foul smell are a sign of a problem in the upper digestive tract. It most often indicates that there is bleeding in the ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting (may contain blood)
HEART AND BLOOD
- Collapse
-
Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
Low blood pressure
Low 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
LUNGS
-
Breathing difficulty (from breathing the fumes)
Breathing difficulty
Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
NERVOUS SYSTEM
-
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...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Difficulty concentrating
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Feeling of being drunk (euphoria)
-
Headaches
Headaches
A 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 - Lightheadedness
- Loss of alertness (unconsciousness)
-
Seizures (convulsions)
Seizures
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 ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Staggering
- Weakness
SKIN
- Blisters
- Burn
- Irritation
- Peeling of the skin
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 fuel oil is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.
If the person swallowed the fuel oil, give them water or milk right away, unless poison control or a provider tells you not to. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, seizures, or a decreased level of alertness.
If the person breathed in fumes, move them to fresh air right away.
Before Calling Emergency
Have this information ready:
- Person's age, weight, and condition
- Name of the product, 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
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
-
Bronchoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs
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.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article -
Chest x-ray
Chest x-ray
A 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)
Electrocardiogram
An 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 stomach
Endoscopy
Endoscopy 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 a vein (by IV)
- Medicine to treat symptoms
- Washing of the skin (irrigation), perhaps every few hours for several days
- Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
Gastric lavage
Gastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs and connected to a breathing machine (ventilator)
Breathing machine
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...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article
Outlook (Prognosis)
How well someone does depends on how much fuel oil was swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster medical help is given, the better the chance for recovery.
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 is first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.
If fuel oil gets into the lungs (aspiration), serious and possibly permanent lung damage can occur.
References
Aronson JK. Organic solvents. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:385-389.
Wang GS, Buchanan JA. Hydrocarbons. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 147.
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.