Mercury poisoning is the result of being exposed to too much mercury. People can get mercury poisoning from eating seafood, industrial processing, or even from dental work such as a dental filling. How to test for mercury poisoning from fillings may need assistance from a health professional. Also, mercury poisoning from old fillings can affect your eye health. Just click on this link for more information. In any case, mercury poisoning can cause extreme symptoms and put the body in unnecessary danger. Read on to learn more about mercury poisoning symptoms, causes, complications, and treatments.
What is Mercury Poisoning?
Mercury is a metal found in most numerous regular products, though in significantly smaller amounts. Generally, limited exposure to this is still safe. However, a buildup of mercury is hazardous.
Mercury maintains a liquid form at room temperature and promptly disintegrates into the air around it. It is usually a side-effect of mechanical processes, for example, burning coal for power. Vaporized mercury can advance into the rain, water, and soil, representing a danger to plants, animals, and humans.
Moreover, consuming or coming into contact with excess mercury can create symptoms of mercury poisoning.
Symptoms of Mercury Toxicity
Both organic and inorganic mercury might influence the nervous system, prompting neurological symptoms such as:
- numbness
- anxiety or nervousness
- depression
- mood changes
- memory problems
- physical tremors
As the level of mercury toxicity in the body increases, more manifestations will show up. These symptoms may change depending on an individual’s age and exposure levels. Grown-ups with mercury poisoning may encounter side effects, for example:
- nausea and vomiting
- muscle weakness
- difficulty breathing
- metallic taste in the mouth
- inability to feel in the face, hands, or other areas
- lack of motor skills or feeling uncoordinated
- trouble walking or standing straight
- changes in vision, hearing, or speech
In addition, mercury can affect a child’s early development. Children with exposure to organic mercury may show indications, such as:
- issues with hand-eye coordination
- impaired motor skills
- difficulties learning to communicate or understanding language
- problems thinking or problem-solving
- being truly unconscious of their environmental elements
Long Term Complications of Exposure To Mercury
Exposure to tremendous levels of mercury may likewise put a person in danger for long-term complications, such as:
Neurological Damage
A significant amount of mercury in the blood might put a person at risk for long-term neurological damage. These effects might be more articulated in children who are still developing.
Reproductive Effects
High levels of mercury also pose a risk to the reproductive system. It might cause lessened sperm count or diminished fertility and may likewise cause issues with the fetus.
Cardiovascular Risks
Methyl mercury helps increase the accumulation of free radicals in the body, putting the cells at risk for harm. This might prompt an expanded danger of heart issues, such as heart attack and coronary heart disease.
Causes
There are many different reasons for you to be exposed to mercury. These include:
Mercury Poisoning From Seafood
Eating fish or seafood that has been corrupted with mercury is one of the prevalent ways humans collect mercury in their bodies. Seafood is known for its organic mercury. It is also a highly deadly form of metal called methylmercury, which structures when mercury vapor happens into the water.
Tiny sea creatures, like shrimp, frequently ingest methyl mercury and are then consumed by other fish. These fish will currently have more methylmercury in them than the first shrimp.
Sometimes, individuals worried about their exposure to mercury metals might need to restrict their fish consumption, such as shark, swordfish, white tuna, walleye, pike, and bass.
Moreover, pregnant or breastfeeding women might need to keep away or limit their admission of fish. This is because any mercury can pass to the baby or fetus through the breast milk or umbilical cord.
Dental Amalgam Fillings
Dental fillings, such as dental amalgams or silver fillings, have roughly 40 to 50 percent mercury. Most dentists do not use amalgam fillings nowadays, as there are more up-to-date and more secure other options.
Additionally, old fillings might build an individual’s risk for mercury exposure. A few groups decide to replace their amalgam fillings to diminish their long-term mercury exposure.
Other Causes
The health effects of mercury poisoning may likewise be because of immediate or environmental exposure. Human exposures to mercury may come from at least one of the following sources:
- exposure to older paints
- mining for gold
- some vaccinations
- exposure to certain kinds of jewelry
- contact with an older house thermometer or a broken fever thermometer
- toxic air in regions close to industrial facilities that produce mercury as a result, for example, coal plants
How To Know The Levels of Mercury In The Body?
A health professional or a doctor is the only way to know how much mercury is in your body. Here are a few tests your doctor may utilize:
Blood test: A blood test can demonstrate whether you have been presented with mercury in the last few days. However, your blood mercury level decreases quickly within three to five days, making this test nonconfirmatory.
Urine test. Mercury level can also present in a urinalysis, but this level also decreases over time.
Hair test: Hair tests can give indications of long-term mercury exposure.
Assuming you need to test your mercury level, visit your doctor. Inform them regarding any time that you expose yourself to sources of mercury. Also, be sure that you bring up to your doctor any unusual indications you are experiencing.
Treatment
Treatment of mercury poisoning includes wiping out any exposure to the metal. Doctors will suggest that the individual does not consume any seafood that contains mercury.
Suppose mercury poisoning is identified with your workplace or environmental exposure. In that case, your doctor may recommend that you change your environment to lessen the exposure or that the workplace sets up new safety measures.
Some types of extreme instances of mercury poisoning may need chelation therapy. This is the procedure to remove mercury from the organs so the body can discard it.
The medications utilized in chelation treatment bind to heavy metals in the blood circulation and are then wiped out in the urine. Chelation treatment accompanies its own dangers and side effects. Hence, it is critical to utilize the therapy just when necessary.
Conclusion
Mercury is harmful to people. There is no standard solution for mercury poisoning, so it is ideal to avoid exposures to high measures of mercury whenever possible. Also, remember that it is essential to consult your doctor immediately if you display any symptoms of mercury poisoning.
References:
Basic Information about Mercury.
https://www.epa.gov/mercury/basic-information-about-mercury
Mercury Poisoning.
https://www.medicinenet.com/mercury_poisoning/article.htm
Human Exposure and Health Effects of Inorganic and Elemental Mercury.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3514464/
Methylmercury Compound.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/chemistry/methylmercury-compound
Dental Amalgam Fillings.
https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/dental-devices/dental-amalgam-fillings
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