Radiation – The Effects of Radiation on Man

Some parts of the body are especially affected by exposure to different types of radiation. Several factors are involved in determining the potential health effects of radiation exposure. 

They include: 

1. dose (amount of energy stored in the body) 
2. ability of radiation to harm human tissues 
3. which organs are affected 

The most important factor is the dose – the amount of energy stored in the body. As more energy is absorbed into the cells, the greater the damage is. Absorbed dose is the amount of energy absorbed per gram of tissue. 

Hair 
Loss of hair occurs in radiation exposure at 200 REM and more. 

Brain 

Radiation exposure around 5,000 REM or higher can damage the brain. The radiation kills nerve cells and small blood vessels and can cause seizures and immediate death. 

Thyroid

Certain body parts are more affected by exposure to different types of radiation. The thyroid gland is sensitive to radioactive iodine. In sufficient amounts, radioactive iodine can destroy the whole or part of the thyroid. 

Blood System 

When a person is exposed to radiation from about 100 REM, the number of lymphocytes in the blood will decrease, leaving victims susceptible to infections. This is often referred to as mild radiation sickness. Early symptoms of radiation sickness resemble those of flu and may go unnoticed if you do not do blood tests. 

According to data from Hiroshima and Nagaskija, symptoms can last up to 10 years and there is also a long-term increased risk of leukemia and lymphoma. 

Heart

Intense exposure to radioactive material, 1000-5000 REM will do direct damage to small blood vessels and may cause heart failure and death. 

Gastrointestinal tract 

Damage to the digestive tract, causing nausea, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. This happens when the victim is exposed to radiation of 200 REM or more. Radiation therapy will begin to destroy cells in the body that divide rapidly. This includes blood, gastrointestinal tract, reproductive system and hair cells, DNA and RNA of cells surviving. 

Reproductive tract 

Because the reproductive tract cells divide rapidly, these body parts can be damaged by lower levels such as 200 REM. Some victims of irradiation will become sterile. 

Long after the effect of radiation weakens, damages caused by a wide range of physical problems. These effects include leukemia, cancer, and many other diseases that appear two, three, even ten years later. 

Blood disease 

According to the data, there was an increase in anemia in people exposed to radiation.In some cases, a decrease of white and red blood cells lasted up to ten years after exposure. 

Cataracts 

There was an increase in patients with cataracts in the survivors from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which suffered a partial loss of hair. 

Malignant tumors 

All ionizing radiation are carcinogenic, but some cancers are easier to generate than others. Prevalent type of leukemia. The prevalence of cancer among the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was significantly higher than in the general population. The number of patients with thyroid cancer, breast cancer, lung cancer and cancer of the salivary glands. Often pass for a decade or more before the appearance of malignant disease. 

Keloids 

Scar tissue covering the allegedly healed burns began bubriti and grow abnormally.Keloids are found in 50 to 60 percent of those directly exposed to hot air. For keloids are believed to be associated with the effects of radiation.