General Question

jesuso's avatar

Can it provoke digestive problems the ingestion of aluminum foil?

Asked by jesuso (3points) April 28th, 2010

I have consumed accidental a chunk of aluminum foil, am not worried by the toxicity, but by the possibility that it creates any physical damage in my digestive device, have heard that one does not digest and can permaner in the digestive device producing cuts. Does someone know if danger exists? And what must be done. thank you!

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8 Answers

Cupcake's avatar

How big of a chunk?

Cupcake's avatar

Here are a couple of references.

Lightlyseared's avatar

Assuming it was a small piece of kitchen foil I would say there is little danger of the foil casuing any damage to the GI tract. In @Cupcake‘s second reference the aluminum foil was part of a drug blister pack and looks as though the backing was plastic cut to a sharp angle which I suspect caused the damage.

If you are worried speak to your doctor or go to an ER.

Draconess25's avatar

How did it taste?

Coloma's avatar

There is a term with livestock called ‘hardware disease.’ lol

Geese, goats,horses and other creatures eating metallic trash ( by accident usually )...such as nails, bits of wire, etc.

I suggest a gallon of minerel oil intubated via your nostrils…might help…hahahahahaha

faye's avatar

I would think you will pass it with the rest of the remains of the food you ate that day.

Rarebear's avatar

Yes. It can cause a bowel obstruction if it’s big.

Richtofen's avatar

I also ate a small piece of foil and it caused intestinal perforation, very painful. The pain lasted for days, then I had to have surgery to remove the piece of foil. So, yeah it can be very bad.

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