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The Medical Effects of Radiation Exposure

We are exposed to radiation every day in nature from the sun and stars, the ground, the food we eat and many other places. We are also exposed by man-made causes from TV, cigarettes and power plants. Even porcelain teeth and crowns give us a radiation dose. Too much radiation exposure can be harmful to our health.

  1. Thyroid Cancer

    • It is well-known that thyroid cancer is associated with radiation exposure. According to the report "Influence of Previous Radiation Exposure on Pathologic Features and Clinical Outcome in Patients with Thyroid Cancer" published in the April 2009 issue of Archives of Otolaryngology---Head & Neck Surgery, in people with thyroid cancer who have had previous exposure to radiation in the workplace, through the environment, or from a treatment of acne or other condition, the cancer is more aggressive and the long-term outcomes are worse. For these patients, the treatment also needs to be more aggressive.

    Radiation Therapy Side Effects

    • According to the Everyday Health website, the side effects to exposure to radiation therapy depend on the part of the body being treated. The skin can be irritated and can change color temporarily in the area treated, and there can be permanent or temporary hair loss. In the digestive area, the side effects can be loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea and cramps. In the reproductive area, the side effects include infertility or even sterility, vaginal dryness or narrowing and impotence. Many of these adverse effects may be temporary, but the worst risk is for development of another cancer.

    Other Thyroid Diseases

    • The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry warned that people who have been exposed to nuclear power plants or the production of nuclear weapons or fallout from detonations of atomic bombs not only have a higher risk for thyroid cancer, but also other thyroid diseases. When the tissue is not completely killed, but is still slightly functional, it might cause hypothyroidism or thyroiditis, or benign tumors or nodules on the gland.

    Psychological Stress

    • After high exposure to radiation from a nuclear or chemical release, there can be psychological stress leading to depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorders and demoralization, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry website. People exposed, especially mothers, are seriously worried about health-related effects to themselves and their children. They are constantly worried if they will get sick, or if their genes are ruined and their future children will suffer deformities.

    Prenatal Exposure

    • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that if the mother swallows or breathes radioactive material, it may go into her bloodstream and into the umbilical cord to the baby. This will expose the fetus to radiation and can have severe health effects depending on the stage of development. Radiation from outside the body will affect the fetus less than it affects the mother, because the mother's organs protect it.

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