The severity of signs and symptoms of radiation sickness depends on how much radiation you`ve absorbed. How much you absorb depends on the strength of the radiated energy and the distance between you and the source of radiation.Signs and symptoms also are affected by the type of exposure — such as total or partial body and whether contamination is internal or external — and how sensitive to radiation the affected tissue is. For instance, the gastrointestinal system and bone marrow are highly sensitive to radiation.Absorbed dose and duration of exposureThe absorbed dose of radiation is measured in a unit called a gray (Gy). Diagnostic tests that use radiation, such as an X-ray, result in a small dose of radiation— typically well below 0.1 Gy— focused on a few organs or a small amount of tissue.Signs and symptoms of radiation sickness usually appear when the entire body receives an absorbed dose of at least 1 Gy. Doses greater than 10 Gy to the whole body are generally not treatable and, usually lead to death within two days to two weeks, depending on the dose and duration of the exposure.Initial signs and symptomsThe initial signs and symptoms of treatable radiation sickness are usually nausea and vomiting. The amount of time between exposure and when these symptoms develop is an indicator of how much radiation a person has absorbed.After the first round of signs and symptoms, a person with radiation sickness may have a brief period with no apparent illness, followed by the onset of new, more serious symptoms.In general, the greater your radiation exposure, the more rapid and more severe your symptoms will be.
Signs and symptoms of radiation sickness- Mild exposure (1-2 Gy) Moderate exposure (2-6 Gy) Severe exposure (6-9 Gy) Very severe exposure (10 Gy or higher) Based on Radiation exposure and contamination. Merck Manual Professional Edition. Nausea and vomiting Within 6 hours Within 2 hours Within 1 hour Within 10 minutes Diarrhea -- Within 8 hours Within 3 hours Within 1 hour Headache -- Within 24 hours Within 4 hours Within 2 hours Fever -- Within 3 hours Within 1 hour Within 1 hour Dizziness and disorientation -- -- Within 1 week Immediate Weakness, fatigue Within 4 weeks Within 1-4 weeks Within 1 week Immediate Hair loss, bloody vomit and stools, infections, poor wound healing, low blood pressure -- Within 1-4 weeks Within 1 week Immediate.
When to see a doctor? An accident or attack that causes radiation sickness would no doubt cause a lot of attention and public concern. If such an event occurs, monitor radio, television or online reports to learn about emergency instructions for your area.If you know you`ve been overexposed to radiation, seek emergency medical care.
Radiation is the energy released from atoms as either a wave or a tiny particle of matter. Radiation sickness is caused by exposure to a high dose of radiation, such as a high dose of radiation received during an industrial accident. Common exposures to low-dose radiation, such as X-ray exams, don`t cause radiation sickness.Sources of high-dose radiationPossible sources of high-dose radiation include the following: An accident at a nuclear industrial facility An attack on a nuclear industrial facility Detonation of a small radioactive device Detonation of a conventional explosive device that disperses radioactive material (dirty bomb) Detonation of a standard nuclear weaponRadiation sickness occurs when high-energy radiation damages or destroys certain cells in your body. Regions of the body most vulnerable to high-energy radiation are cells in the lining of your intestinal tract, including your stomach, and the blood cell-producing cells of bone marrow.
When a person has experienced known or probable exposure to a high dose of radiation from an accident or attack, medical personnel take a number of steps to determine the absorbed radiation dose. This information is essential for determining how severe the illness is likely to be, which treatments to use and whether a person is likely to survive.Information important for determining an absorbed dose includes.
Known exposure. Details about distance from the source of radiation and duration of exposure can help provide a rough estimate of the severity of radiation sickness. Vomiting and other symptoms. The time between radiation exposure and the onset of vomiting is a fairly accurate screening tool to estimate absorbed radiation dose. The shorter the time before the onset of this sign, the higher the dose. The severity and timing of other signs and symptoms also may help medical personnel determine the absorbed dose. Blood tests. Frequent blood tests over several days enable medical personnel to look for drops in disease-fighting white blood cells and abnormal changes in the DNA of blood cells. These factors indicate the degree of bone marrow damage, which is determined by the level of an absorbed dose. Dosimeter. A device called a dosimeter can measure the absorbed dose of radiation but only if it was exposed to the same radiation event as the affected person. Survey meter. A device such as a Geiger counter can be used to survey people to determine the body location of radioactive particles. Type of radiation. A part of the larger emergency response to a radioactive accident or attack would include identifying the type of radiation exposure. This information would guide some decisions for treating people with radiation sickness.
Radiation exposure that causes immediate radiation sickness significantly increases a person`s risk of developing leukemia or cancer later in life.Having radiation sickness could also contribute to both short-term and long-term mental health problems, such as grief, fear and anxiety about: Experiencing a radioactive accident or attack Mourning friends or family who haven`t survived Dealing with the uncertainty of a mysterious and potentially fatal illness Worrying about the eventual risk of cancer due to radiation exposure.
