Heavy Metal Poisoning Signs & Symptoms
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Sign or Symptom
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Signs are observable indications of poisoning, such as skin discoloration or behavioral changes. Symptoms are subjective feelings a person has that cannot be felt by anyone else, such as a headache or sleepiness.
Heavy Metals
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Heavy metals are metallic elements with a high atomic weight and a density at least five times greater than that of water. Of the 20-plus heavy metals, four--lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and inorganic arsenic (As)--cause toxicity in humans, even at low levels. Present in toxic waste, they enter the body through the food chain and accumulate in both hard and soft tissue. Other heavy metals, such as nickel, can cause toxicity, but people are less likely to encounter them at toxic levels.
Acute heavy metal poisoning occurs when a person is exposed directly to toxic levels. Signs and symptoms occur within two weeks after exposure and soon become severe. Chronic poisoning occurs when a person is exposed to non-toxic levels over a period of time, possibly even years, until they reach toxicity levels in the body. Like the exposure, signs and symptoms of chronic heavy metal poisoning may develop over years.
Signs of Heavy Metal Poisoning
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Signs of acute heavy metal poisoning may include:
Anorexia
Arrhythmia (abnormal changes to heart rhythm)
Arthritis
Changes in mucous membranes
Convulsions
Cough
Diarrhea
Difficulty breathing
Fever
Hypertension
Red skin at contact point--arsenic toxicity
Renal (kidney) dysfunction
Sore throat
Tachycardia (heart rate over 100 beats per minute)
Vomiting
WeaknessSigns of chronic heavy metal poisoning may include:
Allergies
Alopecia (abnormal hair loss)--cadmium toxicity
Anemia--cadmium toxicity
Arthritis
Autism
Birth defects
Blindness
Brain damage--mercury toxicity in unborn children
Cancer
Cardiovascular disease
Cerebral palsy--mercury toxicity in unborn children
Chronic obstructive lung disease--cadmium toxicity
Cognitive and motor dysfunction--mercury toxicity
Emotional instability
Emphysema
Forgetfulness
Fragile bones--cadmium toxicity
Garlic odor to breath--arsenic toxicity
Growth impairment
Hyperactivity
Hyperkeratosis (excessive skin growth on palms and soles)--arsenic toxicity
Hyperpigmentation (excess darkening of skin)--arsenic toxicity
Inability to speak--mercury toxicity in unborn children
Insomnia
Kidney damage
Learning disorders--cadmium toxicity
Liver damage
Mental retardation
Mood swings
Muscular weakness
Neuropathy (inflammation and wasting away of nerves)--arsenic toxicity
Osteoporosis
Paralysis (starting in the forearms--lead toxicity)
Psychosis
Shaky hands
Tremors
Weight loss
Symptoms of Heavy Metal Poisoning
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Symptoms of acute heavy metal poisoning may include:
Fatigue
Hallucinations
Headache
Loss of appetite
Metallic taste in the mouth--mercury toxicity
Nausea
Numbness
Severe abdominal pain
Sleeplessness
Vertigo
Visual disturbances (blind spots, halos, etc.)Symptoms of chronic heavy metal poisoning may include:
Anxiety
Dyslexia
Lack of concentration
Loss of taste and smell
Migraines
Paresthesia ("needles and pins" sensation)
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