A victim of radiation poisoning becomes sick after receiving too much radiation exposure over his entire body. This happens from accidents or attacks at nuclear power facilities or exposure to too much radiation during medical treatments. Radiation sickness can come from acute radiation exposure of large amounts all at once, or from chronic radiation exposure that happens in small amounts over the course of many years. Treatment for radiation sickness focuses on preventing tissue damage due to the radiation exposure, and treating the symptoms caused by it.
First Aid
During a radiation emergency, only help victims on the scene if you are protected from radiation exposure by proper equipment. If protected, move a victim to an area where she will not receive continued radiation exposure. Once at a safe distance from the incident, triage the victim to assess her breathing and pulse. Perform CPR if necessary.
Prevent ongoing exposure to radiation by removing the victim's clothing. Wash the person with soap and water, while treating any visible burns or wounds delicately. Radioactive particles remain on the skin and clothing after the victim is moved, so removing the clothing and washing the particles away prevent further tissue contamination.
Medical Treatment
Medical treatment of radiation victims focuses on eliminating the radiation from bodily tissues and organs, as well as preventing complications from the effects of the radiation. If you are diagnosed with radiation poisoning, the doctor may administer potassium iodide. Potassium iodide is not radioactive. If there is radioactive iodine in the body, it collects in the thyroid and becomes toxic. Doctors push the non-radioactive potassium iodide into the body to saturate the thyroid and block it from accepting the radioactive iodine, protecting it from contamination.
Radiation can damage or destroy bone marrow, and the white blood cells made by it. Doctors treat the problem with protein-based medications that rebuild white blood cell count and fight infection. Radiation also damages red blood cells and victims may receive blood transfusions to compensate.
Prussian blue is a dye that binds to radioactive particles in the body and helps the body eliminate them in the feces. Diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) binds to metals, and doctors use it to bind to radioactive metals in the body such as plutonium, and helps it pass out of the body of the victim. Radiation that passes out of the body, passes through the waste system and out through the feces or urine.
Doctors treat complications from radiation poisoning as they arise. For instance, a lowered white blood cell count may result in infections, which doctors treat with antibiotics. Health care providers treat uncomfortable or dangerous symptoms from the radiation sickness such as fever, nausea, and dehydration with medication, fluids, and rest.
If the dose of radiation was great enough, over 8 gray (Gy), surviving the radiation poisoning becomes extremely unlikely. In that case, the victim is treated to relieve discomfort. Doctors administer pain relief and fluids, but allow the patient to die naturally. A psychologist may counsel a patient in such a circumstance to alleviate emotional discomfort.
Long-term Effects
If successfully treated, radiation sickness goes away. A victim does not suffer permanent damage from the exposure. The radiation, when eliminated from the body, leaves no trace in the tissues and organs. However, patients with radiation sickness incur much greater risk than the general population of developing cancer later in life. Doctors recommend counseling for victims concerned about their future risk of cancer. Regular scans may detect cancer at an early and treatable stage.
Tags: radiation exposure, radiation poisoning, from radiation, white blood, blood cell, blood cell count