How to Treat Manganese Poisoning

Manganese is a stable element and cannot be broken down or otherwise destroyed. It is a common metal, with arc welding and high-speed drilling of manganese ore carrying the highest occupational risk of manganese poisoning. The following steps will help you identify and treat a case of manganese poisoning.

Instructions

• 1

  Know the symptoms of manganese poisoning, also known as manganism. The onset of poisoning is marked by apathy, dizziness, headaches, loss of appetite and sleepiness. There also may be periods of difficulty with walking and coordination.

• 2

  Watch for signs of the later stages of manganism. These include a monotonous voice that lowers to a whisper. The facial expression becomes dazed and vacant, and gestures become slow and awkward. The patient cannot run and walking backwards becomes difficult.

• 3

  Get manganism diagnosed early as it becomes progressive and irreversible once it is established, even after exposure is terminated. This can be difficult because the early symptoms are subjective, and testing for manganese in the blood or urine has little reliability. Other laboratory tests are of limited value in detecting a sub-clinical case of manganism. Additionally, manganism can easily be misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease, Wilson's disease and Westphal-Strumpell's disease.

• 4

  End the exposure to manganese immediately. There is no established treatment for permanent neurological damage caused by manganism, although some of the symptoms can be managed.

• 5

  Use L-Dopa experimentally. L-Dopa is being tested as a treatment for manganism, but no conclusions have been reached.