MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Eucalyptus oil overdose

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Eucalyptus oil overdose

Contents of this page:
Definition Poisonous Ingredient Where Found Symptoms Home Care	Before Calling Emergency Poison Control What to Expect at the Emergency Room Outlook (Prognosis)

Definition

This is poisoning from swallowing a large amount of eucalyptus oil.

Poisonous Ingredient

Eucalyptus oil

Where Found

Eucalyptus oil is an ingredient found in many over-the-counter products, including some:

Medicated rubs and liniments
Diaper rash creams
Inhalers to relieve nasal congestion
Medication for sore gums, mouths, and throat
Mouthwashes

Note: This list may not be all inclusive.

Symptoms

Lungs
- Breathing - rapid
- Breathing - shallow
Eyes, ears, nose, throat, and mouth
- Difficulty swallowing
- Burning sensation in mouth
- Pinpoint pupils
Skin
- Redness and swelling (from touching the skin)
Gastrointestinal
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Heart and blood
- Rapid, weak heartbeat
Muscles and joints
- Muscle weakness
Nervous system
- Drowsiness
- Unconsciousness
- Dizziness
- Seizures
- Slurred speech

Home Care

Do not make the person throw up unless told to do so by a physician or other health care professional.

Wash exposed skin with soap and water.

Before Calling Emergency

Determine the following information:

Patient's age, weight, and condition
Name of the product (ingredients and strengths, if known)
Time it was swallowed
Amount swallowed

Poison Control

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 U.S. 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.

Take the container with you to the hospital, if possible.

See National Poison Control center.

What to Expect at the Emergency Room

The health care provider will measure and monitor the patient's vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure.

The patient may receive:

Fluids
Medicines to treat symptoms
Activated charcoal

Outlook (Prognosis)

Survival past 48 hours is usually a good sign that recovery will occur. If any damage to the kidneys has occurred, it may take several months to heal. Drowsiness may persist for several days.

Update Date: 3/18/2006

Updated by: Janeen R. Azare, PhD, MSPH, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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