Mercury Poisoning Recovery

Mercury is a silver liquid and evaporates into the air at room temperature and even more quickly if it is heated; it is very toxic if it is inhaled. Mercury in liquid form can also be absorbed through the skin.

Types

• There are three different types of mercury. Elemental or metal mercury is the kind found in thermometers, mercury salts which are used in industry and organic mercury which happens when elemental and mercury salts get into the food chain through ingestion of sea food that has processed it.

Normal Levels

• While there is no benefit for human beings to have any level of mercury in their bodies, it is normal to have some. There are average levels that occur in the population and can vary depending on whether someone lives in a highly industrial area or by the sea where they would eat a diet dominated by seafood.

Effects

• Symptoms of mercury poisoning can include upper respiratory problems, nausea and vomiting, soreness in the mouth and loss of teeth and kidney damage. Long term exposure can cause shaking of the hands, eyelids, lips, tongue and jaw as well as sleeplessness and memory loss.

Treatment

• The first step to treatment is to eliminate the exposure to mercury, a diet change for someone who eats an abundance of seafood or removing someone from a factory where there are high levels would be several ways to do this. Further treatment would include using a chelating agent which makes the mercury more water-soluble so the kidneys can excrete it, dimercaprol is such an agent.

Recovery

• A successful recovery depends on how high the mercury levels are in the body and for how long the exposure took place. If the levels are low and exposure was short there is a good chance there will be no lasting effects, however if exposure has taken place over many years there may be permanent damage.