Chemical Pneumonia Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of chemical pneumonia vary greatly, and many factors can determine its seriousness. For instance, someone exposed to chlorine in a large outdoor pool may have only a cough and burning eyes. Someone else exposed to high levels of chlorine in a small room may die of respiratory failure.

• Factors that determine the severity of signs and symptoms include the following:
  
  
  • Type and strength of chemical
    
    
  • Exposure environment - Indoors, outdoors, hot, cold
    
    
  • Length of exposure - Seconds, minutes, hours
    
    
  • Form of chemical - Gas, vapor, particulate, liquid
    
    
  • Protective measures used
    
    
  • Prior medical condition
    
    
  • Your age
  
  
• Chemical pneumonia may have the following signs and symptoms:
  
  
  • Symptoms
    
    
    • Burning of the nose, eyes, lips, mouth, and throat
      
      
    • Dry cough
      
      
    • Wet cough producing clear, yellow, or green mucus
      
      
    • Cough producing blood or frothy pink matter in your spit
      
      
    • Nausea or abdominal pain
      
      
    • Chest pain
      
      
    • Shortness of breath
      
      
    • Painful breathing or pleuritis (an inflammation of the outside covering of the lungs)
      
      
    • Headache
      
      
    • Flu symptoms
      
      
    • Weakness or a general ill feeling
      
      
    • Delirium or disorientation
    
    
  • Signs a doctor might observe
    
    
    • Rapid or shallow breaths
      
      
    • Rapid pulse
      
      
    • Oral, nasal, or skin burns
      
      
    • Pale or cyanotic skin and lips
      
      
    • Much sweating
      
      
    • Altered thinking and reasoning skills
      
      
    • Unconsciousness
      
      
    • Swelling of eyes or tongue
      
      
    • Hoarse or muffled voice
      
      
    • Chemical odors on other areas of the body
      
      
    • Frothy spit from a cough
      
      
    • Fever