Symptoms of radiation sickness
Radiation sickness is the term used to describe the symptoms displayed by human beings who have suffered exposure to a high dosage of harmful radiation and the affect that that exposure has on the human body. In general, the higher the dosage of radiation received by a person, the worse the effects of the exposure, but, as with all human diseases, the actual severity of symptoms and effects can vary from individual to individual.
There are many dreadful diseases which cause the human body to essentially shut down bit by bit and radiation sickness does likewise but with the added and sinister ability to modify the very genetic structure of cells causing terrible mutations.
There are several types of radiation which are harmful to humans and those who contract radiation sickness may have been exposed to one or more of these types in the same dose. The outward appearance of an individual may display burns but this would normally be after exposure to a relatively close nuclear explosion.
More commonly, exposed people develop what appears like a skin rash which can be extremely itchy. This rash is usually accompanied by a feeling of nausea which eventually leads to vomiting episodes. Patients with low doses of radiation are unlikely to display further symptoms. The onset of symptoms may not occur immediately after the exposure, although once again the level of the dose affects the speed of onset with higher dosages causing symptoms to appear sooner than low doses.
Exposure to medium to high dose radiation will lead to much more debilitating symptoms. Radiation will affect the patient’s blood cells causing a whole series of problems. Blood cells are made up of platelets which control clotting, white cells which provide the bodies defenses against infection and red cells which provide oxygen to the organs and muscles. Damage to platelets results in hemorrhaging throughout the body. Visible bleeding will be seen in the mouth and gums, the patient will experience nosebleeds and vomit and diarrohea will often contain blood. Damage to white cells opens the body to attack from all kinds of bugs and the patient will develop infections and fever. And damage to red cells affects oxygen supply throughout the body leading to muscle control issues, feelings of fatigue and cerebral problems.
As the damage to the brain increases and the muscles struggle for oxygen, the patient begins to lose mobility control. Motor functions begin to become unpredictable and the patient will be unable to speak normally. Limbs will begin to jerk uncontrollably and the patient will also lose the ability to control eye movements.
Exposure to doses of radiation high enough to cause the onset of radiation sickness is a very serious matter for the patient. At the higher level of the dosage scale, every individual exposed will die, often within two days of the exposure. Medium level exposure may also have a 100% mortality rate. If the radiation sickness is detected quickly and appropriate treatment given the death rate is reduced, but not by a lot.