A person usually knows if they have been exposed to radiation. They may have received medical treatments involving radiation, had a work-related accident, or heard news of a local disaster. The amount of exposure is related to the timing and type of symptoms. With higher doses, symptoms appear sooner, progress more rapidly, and are more serious.
Poisoning
Poisoning involves ingesting or coming in contact with substances that damage your body. Typical poisons include household and industrial chemicals, drugs, exhaust fumes, plants, metals or spoiled food. The dangers of poisoning vary widely, from minor annoyances to coma and death. Typical signs of poisoning include rashes, vomiting, redness around the mouth and nose, chemical odors and burns. Empty pill bottles, unresponsiveness and difficulty breathing are also signs. If the person is not breathing, start CPR and call for help immediately. Since poisons work in different ways depending on the amount and type ingested, it is important to consult with a doctor or a poison control center to seek advice for treatment.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answeredPoisonings are usually an isolated occurrence, so they rarely need to be managed on a daily basis. In some cases, however, prolonged exposure or severe poisoning may lead to long-term damage. In those instances, the liver, kidney, or brain may become damaged and require long-term care. An organ transplant may be needed.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
The key to preventing radiation poisoning is to limit radiation exposure. Taking off contaminated clothing and washing with soap and water removes approximately 90 percent of external contamination. Some officials recommend that people living within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant have access to potassium iodide tablets, which can be used to reduce damage caused by radioactive iodine. Evacuating an area or taking shelter in a metal or concrete structure, preferably underground, can likewise reduce contact with radiation. For those who undergo medical procedures involving radiation, lead shields can be used to protect vulnerable parts of the body that do not require treatment. Finally, individuals who work with or near radioactive materials should wear badges to keep track of their exposure.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
The term "blood alcohol level," sometimes also called "blood alcohol content," is simply a measurement of the amount of alcohol in the blood. Police use breath tests to measure blood alcohol levels and evaluate the intoxication of suspected drunk drivers. Doctors use a blood test to check this level in someone with alcohol poisoning. The physical effects of alcohol intoxication grow as a person's blood alcohol level increases. In general, a blood alcohol level of 20 mg/dL to 50 mg/dL represents mild intoxication, while levels of 300 mg/dL to 400 mg/dL can cause unconsciousness, delirium, and death.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
In order to accomplish the rapid growth and development that occurs in children, cells must replicate at a higher rate than in adults. Cells that divide more frequently are at greater risk of injury due to radiation. Children are therefore more vulnerable to radiation poisoning than adults. If a child survives an episode of radiation poisoning, they are also more likely to develop radiation-induced cancers due to a combination of more frequent cell division and a longer lifetime.
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Dr. Leigh Vinocur, MD , Emergency Medicine, answered
The raised, red, itchy bumps that are a telltale sign of exposure to a poisonous plant don't always show up right away, says emergency medicine specialist Dr. Leigh Vinocur. To learn why, and how you can prevent rashes from poison ivy, oak or sumac, watch this video.
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
Some people mistakenly believe that drinking alcohol on a full stomach allows them to consume more alcohol without risk of overdose. It is true that the absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream is somewhat slowed by having a full stomach. However, this only slows the process. It does not prevent eventual alcohol poisoning. People who follow this belief are still in danger of alcohol poisoning if they consume more than about one drink per hour. Consuming food does not reverse the process of alcohol in a severely intoxicated person.
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Intermountain Healthcare answeredIf your child inhaled poison, immediately move your child into fresh air. Avoid breathing fumes. Open the doors and windows wide to allow fresh air into the area. If your child is not breathing, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center. -
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Spotsylvania Regional Medical Center answered
Industrial waste poisoning can affect the body in many different ways. Breathing toxic substances can have both short-term and long-term effects. For example, breathing a large amount of vinyl chloride, which is a chemical that is released from factories that make plastics, can cause dizziness, make you feel sleepy, or even cause unconsciousness and death. Breathing in even a small amount of cyanide can cause a reaction in your body that can result in coma or death. Cyanide poisoning can also be caused by contact with the skin. When that happens, sores can form.
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Dr. Elif E. Oker, MD , Medical Toxicology, answeredSee All 2 AnswersAlcohol poisioning does not run in families. Alcohol poisoning is an overdose of alcohol. Alcoholism is an addiction that tends to run in families. But not all alcoholics have a family history of alcoholism.
A person who drinks alcohol in an amount that results in alcohol poisioning should be screened for alcoholism.