BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuCalcium hydroxide poisoningHydrate - calcium; Lime milk; Slaked limeCalcium hydroxide is a white powder produced by mixing calcium oxide ("lime") with water. Calcium hydroxide 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 Calcium hydroxide Where Found These products contain calcium hydroxide:Cement Limewater Many industrial solvents and cleaners (hundreds to thousands of construction products, flooring strippers, brick cleaners, cement thickening products, and many others) Many hair relaxers and straighteners Slaked lime This list may not include all sources of calcium hydroxide. Symptoms Below are symptoms of calcium hydroxide 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 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 Burns in the food pipe (esophagus) 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 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 Severe change in the acid level in the blood (pH balance), which leads to damage in all of the body organsLUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in substance) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty) SKINBurns Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath 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 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 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 them to fresh air. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product 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. They will give you further instructions.Local 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 needed.Tests that may be done include:Bronchoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs. Chest x-ray ECG (heart tracing)Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to treat symptoms 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), every few hours or 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) 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.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 calcium hydroxide gets into the lungs (aspiration), serious and possibly permanent lung damage can occur.If a chemical burn occurred in the eye, permanent blindness can result.Chemical burnChemicals that touch skin can lead to a reaction on the skin, throughout the body, or both.Read Article Now Book Mark Article BlindnessBlindness is a lack of vision. It may also refer to a loss of vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Partial blindness mean...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Calcium salts. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:41-42.Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 148.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. 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Calcium hydroxide poisoningHydrate - calcium; Lime milk; Slaked limeCalcium hydroxide is a white powder produced by mixing calcium oxide ("lime") with water. Calcium hydroxide 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 Calcium hydroxide Where Found These products contain calcium hydroxide:Cement Limewater Many industrial solvents and cleaners (hundreds to thousands of construction products, flooring strippers, brick cleaners, cement thickening products, and many others) Many hair relaxers and straighteners Slaked lime This list may not include all sources of calcium hydroxide. Symptoms Below are symptoms of calcium hydroxide 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 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 Burns in the food pipe (esophagus) 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 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 Severe change in the acid level in the blood (pH balance), which leads to damage in all of the body organsLUNGS AND AIRWAYSBreathing difficulty (from breathing in substance) Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty) SKINBurns Holes (necrosis) in the skin or tissues underneath 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 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 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 them to fresh air. Before Calling Emergency Have this information ready:Person's age, weight, and condition Name of the product 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. They will give you further instructions.Local 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 needed.Tests that may be done include:Bronchoscopy -- camera placed down the throat to look for burns in the airways and lungs. Chest x-ray ECG (heart tracing)Treatment may include:Fluids through a vein (by IV) Medicine to treat symptoms 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), every few hours or 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) 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.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 calcium hydroxide gets into the lungs (aspiration), serious and possibly permanent lung damage can occur.If a chemical burn occurred in the eye, permanent blindness can result.Chemical burnChemicals that touch skin can lead to a reaction on the skin, throughout the body, or both.Read Article Now Book Mark Article BlindnessBlindness is a lack of vision. It may also refer to a loss of vision that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Partial blindness mean...Read Article Now Book Mark Article Open ReferencesReferencesAronson JK. Calcium salts. In: Aronson JK, ed. Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs. 16th ed. Waltham, MA: Elsevier; 2016:41-42.Hoyte C. Caustics. In: Walls RM, Hockberger RS, Gausche-Hill M, eds. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 148.
