The Effects of Radiation on the Human Body

The effects of radiation on the human body will depend on the dosage of radiation the person is exposed to. It is measure is rem. The total is what will determine the effects since the radiation can come from many different sources and have different effects. The amount of energy from radiation absorbed will determine the side effects that are experienced.

effects of radiation on humans

If the exposure is anywhere from one to ten rem, the effects of radiation on the body are little to none. But the closer you get to 10 rem, the higher the chances of developing illnesses such as cancer if the exposure is long term. When the dosage gets up to 100 rem, you will see negative health issues that will need medical attention to recover from. If you keep getting this amount over an extended period of time, you still have chances of developing cancer. Absorbing levels of 1,000 or more rem can lead to radiation sickness. This is also known as radiation poisoning and the effects of radiation can be crippling, if not deadly.

Effects of radiation on the body

The Effects of Radiation on Humans. Radiation sickness

The following is basic information on doses and the possible effects of radiation exposure.

1. If the dosage is from 0 to 5 rem with a short period of exposure or long-term exposure, it is generally considered harmless and you may not show any negative health symptoms.
2. When you get to 5 to 10 rem, you probably will not have any visible signs of radiation effects on the body.
   3. Anywhere from 10 to 100 may not be enough to show severe symptoms but you may have some such as the loss of blood cells but you can recover from this because the body keeps making more to replace those that have died. Of course, the higher the exposure, the higher your chances of cancer.
   4. Fatigue is caused by exposure of 100 to 200 rem and it may also include nausea and increase cancer possibilities. You can assume that the higher doses may lead to cancer. With dosages of 200 to 300, you need to get medical help, especially if you have nausea and vomiting.
   5. Exposure that ranges from 300-500 very quickly will give you effects of radiation on the human body such as vomiting, diarrhea and/or nausea in just a few hours. In addition, you may lose some hair and experience a lower appetite. You will not survive if you do not get the help of a doctor.
   6. Exposure anywhere from 500 to 1200 rem is radiation sickness and chances of survival are slim. With this situation, it can lead to death in just a few days.
   7. If you have exposure of up to 10,000, death will occur in just a few hours. This was the case with many workers at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant where many people lost their lives over a period of time because of nuclear radiation effects on humans.