Radiation Side Effects

Radiation exposure can happen in environmental circumstances or in therapeutic circumstances. Some people can be exposed in the workplace. The side effects of radiation can be mild or severe. They are divided into acute or early side effects, or late side effects.

Acute radiation side effects can occur shortly after painless exposure to radiation. You can experience no acute effects or you can experience moderate to severe side effects. The amount and type of radiation determines the degree of symptoms you get.

General side effects include radiation nausea. Some people will have chronic nausea that lasts the entire time of exposure while others acclimate to the radiation and have no nausea or vomiting. Ways to counteract these symptoms include eating salty foods, drinking plenty of water, and drinking ice cold drinks of any time. Avoid greasy foods and foods that are too smelly. You need to eat small meals and eat very slowly. Anti-nausea medication can be used if nothing else works. Hair loss occurs if the hair follicles are exposed directly to the radiation. If the scalp is exposed to radiation, the hair on the head will fall out. You may experience fatigue or malaise (feeling sick). Your blood count may be low, including the white blood cells and red blood cells. This happens when the bone marrow is exposed to radiation. The lymphocyte count is most affected and the platelet count can drop.

There are organ-specific side effects. Any tissue directly exposed to radiation will be affected. The skin is always exposed and will turn red. Some of the skin can slough off and crust over. This eventually heals and the scabs will fall off revealing healthy skin. This reaction develops over a few weeks following initial radiation exposure. You can avoid some of the problem by avoiding irritation from clothing, perfumes, heat, dust, deodorants, and trauma. You should leave the skin open to the air or use nonstick dressings if blistering has formed. Bathe the area and pat dry, covering it with cornstarch if blistered haven't formed. Steroid creams may make a difference in inflammation. You may have hair loss to the affected skin that may be permanent. Don't expose the skin to the sun.

Mucus membranes are easily affected by radiation. This includes radiation exposure to the mouth, esophagus, trachea, bowel, colon or bladder. It can result in radiation enteritis. The mucus membranes can become reddened, swollen and can "crust" over. In actuality, fibrin plaques coat the mucus membranes until they heal underneath. The symptoms involve dysuria if the bladder is involved, cough if the trachea is involved, or diarrhea or abdominal cramps, if the gut is involved.

Irritation can be avoided by keeping food and stools soft so there is no trauma. Local analgesic medications and antibiotics or steroids can be used to treat the enteritis. Maintain hydration through the use of IV fluids if necessary. A low fiber diet should be included if the bowels are involved.

There can be symptoms related to salivary glands, which stop producing spit. This makes the mouth dry and impairs digestion, talking and swallowing. You can have an irritating cough from a lack of moisture in the trachea. You can use cough suppressants, take frequent small drinks, use replacement lubricants or soothing creams and lotions on the affected area.

Late radiation side effects develop over several months or even years. They may be mild symptoms that you rarely notice or severe symptoms that are obviously noticeable. Late effects happen to about five percent of those who have received high dose radiation. Scarring can be a factor in any area irradiated. It can affect the skin or the internal organs. The blood vessels constrict and fail to provide adequate blood supply to affected tissue. This leads to scarring of the tissue. You need to treat this area gently for the rest of your life.

Radiation can lead to carcinogenesis. This means that you can get a cancer of the blood or cancer of an area exposed to the radiation. Leukemia can result five to twenty years following exposure to radiation. Other areas can become cancerous up to 20 or more years later.

Genetic effects are possible including infertility from exposure to the gonads. There can be chromosome damage to the affected sperm or eggs, which usually results in failure to conceive.