Short Term Effects Of Radiation And Its Effects On The Human Body

Radiation, a word used all too loosely. But what really is radiation? How does radiation really effect your body? Radiation is the process of giving off energy in the form of waves or particles and, can have numerous long and short time effects on the human body. Radiation takes place when the atomic nucleus of an unstable atom decays and starts releasing ionizing particles. This process is known as ionizing radiation. If exposed to radiation, there are many effects that can happen to you and your future family. Radiation can be fatal for humans. Rem is a unit used to measure the radiation dosage. The higher dosage of rem you are exposed to the more fatal the side effects will most likely be. The human cells have a few options: they can be

Normal cells can be damaged by radiation, sometimes long term effects. For example, radiation that hits the chest area, may damage the heart or lungs. This may affect a person’s capability to do things as simple as breathing. Another example is that when radiation that hits the abdomen or pelvis it can lead to bowel, fertility, bladder, or sexual problems in people. Radiation can cause lymphedema, which is swelling (in certain parts of body) and fluid build up. Having long term radiation effects can make the cancer spread, causing another cancer. Or, a couple years (or many years) later a new form of cancer can appear. This happens because of the radiation damage to healthy tissue, and doctors say the risk of this happening is smaller but possible. If you are hit with radiation in the brain, it’s considered long term because you will never be the same. Damage to the brain occurs when struck with 5,000 rems of radiation or higher. Since brain cells don’t perform mitosis once they are dead they will never be back. Radiation to the brain can kill nerve cells and small blood vessels. Radiation to the brain can also cause seizures or worst case immediate death. Another long term affect radiation can have on the body is in the blood stream. Damage to the bloodstream happens when hit with 100 or more rems of radiation. Symptoms may mimic the flu, and can go unnoticed without a white cell

If you get hit with radiation while expecting you might not experience any dramatic changes, but your offspring can. If the woman is 8 ½ months expecting and exposed to radiation that’s considered a good thing. Because many cells are already developed that make hands, arms, legs, etc. If cells are damaged, mitosis will occur and just make more. Now if the woman in 8 weeks pregnant that’s not good news. Because many cells are not developed if radiation hits the arms then the chances of the baby not having an arm is greater and more likely. The younger the fetus is the more damage will happen to the fetus. If the baby is very very very young then there is a greater chance for miscarriage. Also if cells are damaged that determine the number of arms and legs are damaged the fetus could end up developing extra arms or legs. If the mother is expecting twins there is a huge chance that the twins will stop splitting, assuming the split hasn't finished yet. These twins would be called conjoined twins, and need an operation later to split them. If they are conjoined not sharing vital organs then the odds that they will be separated, and live a normal life is