How Radiation Affects Your Body. Radiation can damage the DNA in our cells. High doses of radiation can cause Acute Radiation SyndromeAcute Radiation Syndrome (ARS) (sometimes known as radiation toxicity or radiation sickness) is an acute illness caused by irradiation of the entire body (or most of the body) by a high dose of penetrating radiation in a very short period of time (usually a matter of minutes).https://www.cdc.gov › nceh › arsphysicianfactsheet
Radiation damages your intestines and stomach, blood vessels, and bone marrow, which makes blood cells. Damage to the bone marrow increases the amount of white blood cells in the body that battle the disease. As a result, infections or internal bleeding kill the majority of people who die from radiation sickness.
Now, let's look at the different kinds of radiation. There are four major types of radiation: alpha, beta, neutrons, and electromagnetic waves such as gamma rays.
Some beta particles are capable of penetrating the skin and causing damage such as skin burns. Beta-emitters are most hazardous when they are inhaled or swallowed. and/or gamma rays. Gamma rays can pass completely through the human body; as they pass through, they can cause damage to tissue and DNA..
Exposure to very high levels of radiation, such as being close to an atomic blast, can cause acute health effects such as skin burns and acute radiation syndrome (“radiation sickness"). It can also result in long-term health effects such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
As a result of these epidemiological studies, it was found that the mammary gland, skin, and colon, etc. are tissues and organs that are easily affected by radiation and develop cancer.
Some types of radioactive materials stay in the body and are deposited in different body organs. Other types are eliminated from the body in blood, sweat, urine, and feces.
According to the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR), there are four major sources of natural radiation: cosmic radiation, terrestrial radiation and intakes of naturally occurring radionuclides through inhalation and ingestion.
In order from highest to lowest energy, the sections of the EM spectrum are named: gamma rays, X-rays, ultraviolet radiation, visible light, infrared radiation, and radio waves. Microwaves (like the ones used in microwave ovens) are a subsection of the radio wave segment of the EM spectrum.
Gamma rays are the strongest from of radiation. This is what makes nuclear radiation so dangerous. This high energy form of radiation can damage human tissue and cause mutations.
The 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 a clue to how much radiation a person has absorbed.
Gamma rays have the highest energy and shortest wavelength. Then come X-rays, ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared radiation and microwave radiation. Finally, radio waves have the lowest energy and longest wavelength. You can only sense two parts of the EMS.
The most common early side effects are fatigue (feeling tired) and skin changes. Other early side effects usually are related to the area being treated, such as hair loss and mouth problems when radiation treatment is given to this area. Late side effects can take months or even years to develop.
The radiation stays in the body for anywhere from a few minutes to a few days. Most people receive internal radiation therapy for just a few minutes. Sometimes, internal radiation therapy can be given for more time. If so, they stay in a private room to limit other people's exposure to radiation.
On the other hand, nerve tissues and muscle tissues, which no longer undergo cell division at the adult stage, are known to be resistant to radiation.
Radiation does not hurt, sting, or burn when it enters the body. You will hear clicking or buzzing throughout the treatment and there may be a smell from the machine. Typically, people have treatment sessions 5 times per week, Monday through Friday.
Avoid raw vegetables and fruits, and other hard, dry foods such as chips or pretzels. It's also best to avoid salty, spicy or acidic foods if you are experiencing these symptoms. Your care team can recommend nutrient-based oral care solutions if you are experiencing mucositis or mouth sores caused by cancer treatment.
Use soap and plenty of water. If you do not have access to a sink or faucet, use a moist wipe, clean wet cloth, or a damp paper towel to wipe the parts of your body that were uncovered. Pay special attention to your hands and face.
Each banana can emit . 01 millirem (0.1 microsieverts) of radiation. This is a very small amount of radiation. To put that in context, you would need to eat about 100 bananas to receive the same amount of radiation exposure as you get each day in United States from natural radiation in the environment.
Radiation works by damaging the genes (DNA) in cells. Genes control how cells grow and divide. When radiation damages the genes of cancer cells, they can't grow and divide any more. Over time, the cells die.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) — which regulates cell phones, among other things, in the United States — has set radiation standards for cell phones at 1.6 watts per kilogram averaged over 1 gram of tissue.
Alpha particles can easily be shielded by a single sheet of paper and cannot penetrate the outer dead layer of skin, so they pose no danger when their source is outside the human body.