Drain cleaners contain very dangerous chemicals that can be harmful to your health if swallowed or breathed in (inhaled). This article discusses poisoning from swallowing or breathing in drain cleaner.

This is for information only and not for use in the treatment or management of an actual poison exposure. If you have an exposure, you should call your local emergency number (such as 911) or the National Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Sodium hydroxide

• Some drain cleaners
• Some aquarium products

• Abdominal pain (severe)
• Breathing difficulty due to throat swelling
• Collapse
• Diarrhea
• Mouth pain (severe)
• Rapid drop in blood pressure
• Throat pain(severe)
• Severe burns and tissue damage
• Vomiting

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 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 patient is having symptoms (such as vomiting, convulsions, or a decreased level of alertness) that make it hard to swallow.

DO NOT give vinegar or lemon juice, as this may cause more severe burning.

Determine the following information:

• The patient's age, weight, and condition
• The name of the product (ingredients and strengths if known)
• The time it was swallowed
• The amount swallowed

The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222) can be called from anywhere in the United States. This national hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions.

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.

See: Poison control center - emergency number

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. The patient may receive:

• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
• Fluids through a vein (IV)
• Oxygen

How well a patient does depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment was received. The faster a patient gets medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Swallowing such poisons can have severe effects on many parts of the body. Damage continues to occur in the esophagus and stomach for several weeks after the drain cleaner was swallowed.

Death may occur as long as a month after the drain cleaner was swallowed.

Goldfrank LR, ed. Goldfrank's Toxicologic Emergencies. 8th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2006.

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006:2380-2381.