This form of mercury is harmful if inhaled, eaten, or placed on the skin for long periods of time. Some organisms convert fumes from burning coal into organic mercury. Inorganic mercury can also affect the kidneys and brain if it enters the blood stream. Signs and symptoms of inorganic Mercury poisoning vary based on the amount consumed, but may include burning in the stomach and throat vomiting and/or bloody diarrhea. This form of mercury is harmful when swallowed. Inorganic mercury is found in batteries, chemistry labs, and some disinfectants. If this occurs, signs and symptoms of poisoning may include metallic taste, vomiting, difficulty breathing, coughing, and/or swollen, bleeding gums. This form of mercury is generally only harmful when small droplets become airborne and are inhaled. Elemental mercury (also known as liquid mercury or quicksilver) can be found in glass thermometers, electrical switches, dental fillings and fluorescent light bulbs. There are three different forms of mercury that can cause health problems. Most kinds of fish are good sources of protein, vitamins, and minerals, says Khubchandani, and the nutritional benefits outweigh the risks.Mercury poisoning is a condition that occurs in people who are exposed to toxic levels of the element, mercury. The good news: you don’t need to avoid fish or give up your sushi habit entirely. They can perform simple blood tests to determine your mercury levels. Since the symptoms above are all fairly non-specific symptoms, check in with your primary-care physician if you’re concerned, and tell them what you’ve been eating, Mysore says. How can I lower my risk of mercury poisoning? Organ failure: In severe cases, elemental mercury poisoning may result in systemic organ failure, which can lead to death, Khubchandani notes. Oral issues: If inhaled or swallowed, elemental mercury can cause a metallic taste in the mouth or swollen, bleeding gums.ħ. Blindness and double vision are also possible.Ħ. Neurological symptoms: Exposure to elemental mercury (again, by inhaling the vapor, not eating fish), can affect brain and nervous system function, causing headaches, insomnia, dizziness, and poor cognitive function, says Khubchandani. Shortness of breath: Because of toxicity in the lungs, you may experience shortness of breath or trouble breathing, Mysore says.ĥ. Impaired motor skills: This can include tremors (uncontrollable shaking), lack of coordination or inability to walk, muscle weakness, and numbness or “pins and needles” sensations, Khubchandani says.Ĥ. Cognitive issues: People with high levels of mercury may experience trouble thinking and memory problems-and they may be more irritable, Mysore says.ģ. This can lead to problems with behavior, cognition, attention span, and motor activity later in life.Ģ.
(More on that below.) Even though the mother may not experience symptoms of toxicity, her baby may have brain damage due to high exposure to mercury, Khubchandani says. Developmental delays in babies: Methylmercury is particularly harmful to fetuses, Mysore says, which is why pregnant women need to be cautious about what types of fish they eat. The mercury poisoning symptoms you should know aboutġ. This can be the result of low-grade yet chronic exposure to methylmercury in fish, which can build up over time and cause some serious health issues, Mysore says. Okay, but how common is mercury poisoning?Īcute cases are rare, but mercury toxicity isn't exactly unheard of: It’s estimated that high levels of mercury in blood can be found in 5 to 10 percent of Americans, says Khubchandani.
Those whose work includes coal mining or working in a factory that manufactures products containing mercury (i.e., thermometers, barometers, dental fillings), but the majority of people aren’t at risk of that type of exposure, Mysore says. This Man Got A Massive Tapeworm From Eating SushiĪnother less common source of exposure is to elemental mercury, which occurs through inhaling vaporized mercury, not eating fish.
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