Science has two different faces! One can build your life and the other, the evil side of science, can destroy you! Just think of all those scientific innovations which have made your life easier and then remember the nuclear bomb which destroyed the Japanese islands of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the Second World War. The aftereffects of the bombing continued in the form of harmful radiations. Many people died and those who survived suffered from cancer and serious gene disorders. Babies, who took birth after the incident, had birth defects.
What are the Effects of Radiation on Human Health?
Longer term exposure to radiation can lead to serious radiation sickness and can even cause cancer through the mutation of the cell-cycle genes. Let's find out what radiation can cause to human health in a greater detail:
- Acute Radiation Syndrome: Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) also known as radiation poisoning, radiation sickness or radiation toxicity, is a form of damage to the body tissues caused by high exposure to ionizing radiation. Acute radiation syndrome (ARS), usually will be accompanied by some skin damage. It is also possible to receive a damaging dose to the skin without the symptoms of ARS, especially with acute exposures to beta radiation or X-rays. Sometimes this occurs when the radioactive materials contaminate the skin or the clothes.
- Cutaneous Radiation Syndrome: This occurs due to the exposure of the skin to whole or partial body radiation which penetrates deeply into the tissues. Exposure of very large areas of the skin to high energy beta radiation, can cause major skin diseases. This radiation cannot penetrate deeply into the tissues, but has the capability to cause 3 other sub-syndromes of ARS.
What are the Immediate Effects Observed after an Exposure to Radiation?
- Nausea and vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Headaches
- Fever
- Cognitive impairment of the central nervous system
Further exposure may lead to seizures, tremors and Ataxia (lack of coordination of muscle movements).
What are the Long Term Consequences?
- Mild Leucopenia (decreased concentration of the circulating white blood cells, WBC, in the blood stream)
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Hemorrhage (internal bleeding)
- Dizziness and disorientation
- Electrolyte disturbance
- Death
What are the Preventive Measures to Protect Yourself from Getting Exposed to Harmful Rays?
- Avoid contamination with radioactive material and minimize the duration of exposure. Maximize your distance from the source of radiation and shield the source.
- Limit your contamination by leaving the affected area as quickly as possible. Take shelter in the nearest safe building or in any other place as suggested by law enforcement or health officials.
- Remove the outer layer of your clothing. If radioactive material is on your clothes, getting it away from you will reduce the external contamination and will also bring down the risk of internal contamination. It will also reduce the exposure time.
- Wash the exposed parts of your body using lots of soap and lukewarm water to remove contamination. This process is called decontamination. Try to avoid spreading the contamination to the other parts of the body that may not have been exposed to the radiation. The parts that are under your clothing are protected to some extent.
- If possible, keep the clothing in a plastic bag or leave it in an out-of-the-way area, such as the corner of a room. Keep people away from it to reduce their exposure to radiation. Keep cuts and abrasions covered while handling contaminated items in order to avoid their contamination with radioactive materials.
- You cannot rule out the possibility of internal contamination. In this situation, you will need to take medications to reduce the levels of radioactive materials in your body.
- The public should follow the advice of the local public health officials through any suitable medium like radio or TV broadcast. If they ask you to take shelter in the basement, it is advisable to follow the instructions of the experts.
Consistent and concise messages from public health officials can help reduce unnecessary panic. Proper information will help to reduce the number of emergency department visits by people who have a lower risk of contamination. This will, in turn, reduce the pressure on the emergency department. Such a communication plan should be developed prior to any event. Lastly, the people in distress, will need constant support and counseling. After all, they are the ones who have suffered devastation!
