Turpentine oil is a substance distilled from material that comes from pine trees. Turpentine oil poisoning occurs when someone swallows turpentine oil.

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.

• Turpentine

• Some floor and furniture waxes and polishes
• Some paint brush cleaners
• Turpentine

Note: This list may not include all sources of turpentine.

• Bladder and kidneys
  • Blood in urine
  • Kidney failure (no urine produced)
• Eyes, ears, nose, and throat
  • Loss of vision
  • Severe pain in the throat
  • Severe pain or burning in the nose, eyes, ears, lips, or tongue
• Gastrointestinal
  • Blood in the stool
  • Burns of the food pipe (esophagus)
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Vomiting
  • Vomiting blood
• Heart and blood
  • Collapse
  • Low blood pressure that develops rapidly
• Lungs and airways
  • Breathing difficulty (from breathing in poison)
  • Throat swelling (which may also cause breathing difficulty)
• Skin
  • Burns
  • Irritation

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.

Determine the following information:

• Patient's age, weight, and condition
• Name of the product (ingredients and strength, if known)
• Time it was swallowed
• 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 your vital signs, including temperature, pulse, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Symptoms will be treated as appropriate. You may receive:

• Breathing tube
• Bronchoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the airways and lungs
• Fluids by IV
• Endoscopy -- camera down the throat to see burns in the esophagus and the stomach
• Oxygen
• Surgical removal of burned skin (skin debridement)
• Tube through the mouth into the stomach to wash out the stomach (gastric lavage)
• Washing of the skin (irrigation) -- perhaps every few hours for several days

How well you do depends on the amount of poison swallowed and how quickly treatment is received. The faster you get medical help, the better the chance for recovery.

Extensive damage is possible to the:

• Mouth
• Stomach
• Throat

The outcome depends on the extent of this damage. Damage can continue to occur for several weeks after the substance was swallowed.