Hydrochloric acid poisoning

Hydrochloric acid is a clear, poisonous liquid. It is highly corrosive, which means it immediately causes severe damage, such as burning, on contact.

This article discusses poisoning due to swallowing or breathing in hydrochloric acid.

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 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

Hydrochloric acid

Where Found

Hydrochloric acid is found in:

• Certain fertilizers
• Pool chemicals
• Soldering fluxes

  Fluxes

  Acid soldering flux is a chemical used to clean and protect the area where 2 pieces of metal are joined together. Flux poisoning occurs when someone...

   

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• Toilet bowl and other porcelain cleaners

This list is not all-inclusive.

Symptoms

Symptoms from swallowing hydrochloric acid may include:

• Abdominal pain - severe

  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.

   

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• Breathing difficulty due to swelling of throat
• Chest pain - severe
• Drooling
• Fever
• Mouth pain - severe
• Rapid drop in blood pressure
• Throat pain - severe
• Vomiting blood

  Vomiting blood

  Vomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear either a bright red or dark red c...

   

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Symptoms from breathing in hydrochloric acid:

• Bluish color to lips and fingernails

  Bluish color to lips and fingernails

  Cyanosis is a bluish color to the skin or mucous membrane that is usually due to a lack of oxygen in the blood.

   

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• Chest tightness
• Choking
• Coughing

  Coughing

  Coughing is an important way to keep your throat and airways clear. But too much coughing may mean you have a disease or disorder. Some coughs are d...

   

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• Coughing up blood

  Coughing up blood

  Coughing up blood is the spitting up of blood or bloody mucus from the lungs and throat (respiratory tract). Hemoptysis is the medical term for cough...

   

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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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• Low blood pressure
• Rapid pulse

  Rapid pulse

  A bounding pulse is a strong throbbing felt over one of the arteries in the body. It is due to a forceful heartbeat.

   

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• Shortness of breath

  Shortness of breath

  Breathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathingUncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough air

   

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• Weakness

If the poison touches your skin or eyes, you may have:

• Blisters
• Burns
• 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 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 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 person breathed in the poison, immediately move him or her to fresh air.

Before Calling Emergency

If possible, determine the following information:

• Person's age, weight, and condition (for example, is the person awake or alert?)
• Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
• When it was swallowed or inhaled
• How much was swallowed or inhaled

However, DO NOT delay calling for help if this information is not immediately available.

Poison Control

Your local poison 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 hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

This is a free and confidential service. 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 health care provider will measure and monitor the person's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. 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 to see burns in the airway (bronchoscopy)
• Camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and stomach (endoscopy)
• Chest x-ray
• EKG (electrocardiogram, or heart tracing)
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Medicines to treat symptoms
• Tube through the nose into the stomach to remove any remaining acid

Note: Activated charcoal does not effectively treat (adsorb) hydrochloric acid.

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

The person may need to be admitted to a hospital to continue treatment. Surgery may be needed if the esophagus, stomach, or intestine have holes (perforations) from the acid.

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 poison can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Extensive damage to the mouth, throat, and stomach are possible. Holes (perforations) in the esophagus and stomach may result in serious infections in the chest and abdominal cavities, which may result in death.