BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuLighter fluid poisoningLighter fluid is a flammable liquid found in cigarette lighters and other types of lighters. Lighter fluid poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance.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 The harmful substances in lighter fluids are called hydrocarbons. They include:Benzene Butane Hexamine Lacolene Naptha Propane Where Found Various lighter fluids contain these substances. Symptoms Below are symptoms of lighter fluid poisoning in different parts of the body.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATLoss of vision Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue KIDNEYS AND BLADDERDecreased urine output STOMACH AND INTESTINESBlood in the stool Blood in the stoolBlack 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 Severe abdominal 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 Burns of the food pipe (esophagus) Vomiting Vomiting bloodVomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOODCollapse Low blood pressure that develops rapidly (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 do not get enough ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty Chest pain Cough Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty) NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) Confusion Dizziness Excitability Extreme sleepiness Hallucinations Headache Inability to sleep Irritability Lack of desire to do anything Tremor Twitching Uncoordinated movements Seizures (convulsions) Staggering SKINBurns Holes in the skin or tissues under the skin Irritation 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 lighter fluid is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the person swallowed the lighter fluid, give them water or milk right away, if a provider tells you to do so. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.If the person breathed in fumes of the lighter fluid, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: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.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram), or heart tracing Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach Medicine to treat symptomsTreatment may include:Fluids through the vein (by IV) 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 lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Surgery to remove burned skin Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on how severe their poisoning is and how quickly they receive treatment. 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 was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson 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, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 152.AllVideoImagesTogRelated Information Review Date: 11/13/2021 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, 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. © 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.
Lighter fluid poisoningLighter fluid is a flammable liquid found in cigarette lighters and other types of lighters. Lighter fluid poisoning occurs when someone swallows this substance.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 The harmful substances in lighter fluids are called hydrocarbons. They include:Benzene Butane Hexamine Lacolene Naptha Propane Where Found Various lighter fluids contain these substances. Symptoms Below are symptoms of lighter fluid poisoning in different parts of the body.EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND THROATLoss of vision Severe pain in the throat Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue KIDNEYS AND BLADDERDecreased urine output STOMACH AND INTESTINESBlood in the stool Blood in the stoolBlack 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 Severe abdominal 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 Burns of the food pipe (esophagus) Vomiting Vomiting bloodVomiting bloodVomiting blood is regurgitating (throwing up) contents of the stomach that contains blood. Vomited blood may appear bright red, dark red, or look lik...Read Article Now Book Mark Article HEART AND BLOODCollapse Low blood pressure that develops rapidly (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 do not get enough ...Read Article Now Book Mark Article LUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty Chest pain Cough Throat swelling (may also cause breathing difficulty) NERVOUS SYSTEMComa (decreased level of consciousness and lack of responsiveness) Confusion Dizziness Excitability Extreme sleepiness Hallucinations Headache Inability to sleep Irritability Lack of desire to do anything Tremor Twitching Uncoordinated movements Seizures (convulsions) Staggering SKINBurns Holes in the skin or tissues under the skin Irritation 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 lighter fluid is on the skin or in the eyes, flush with lots of water for at least 15 minutes.If the person swallowed the lighter fluid, give them water or milk right away, if a provider tells you to do so. Do not give anything to drink if the person has symptoms that make it hard to swallow. These include vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness.If the person breathed in fumes of the lighter fluid, move them to fresh air right away. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready: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.Tests that may be done include:Blood and urine tests Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs Chest x-ray ECG (electrocardiogram), or heart tracing Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach Medicine to treat symptomsTreatment may include:Fluids through the vein (by IV) 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 lavageGastric suction is a procedure to empty the contents of your stomach.Read Article Now Book Mark Article Surgery to remove burned skin Breathing support, including tube through the mouth into the lungs, and breathing machine (ventilator) Outlook (Prognosis) How well someone does depends on how severe their poisoning is and how quickly they receive treatment. 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 was first swallowed. Scars may form in these tissues leading to long-term difficulties with breathing, swallowing, and digestion.Open ReferencesReferencesAronson 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, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 152.
