Arsenic Poisoning Symptoms

It has been a subject of investigation from fiction to fact and from 'reel' life to 'real' life. From Agatha Christie's novels to films to alleged Napoleon Bonaparte's death. It has been there all the way. Yes, no prizes for guessing that it is the ever infamous arsenic, a poisonous metalloid. On a serious note, though, there can be dire consequences of exposure to this toxic metal. The toxicity, moreover, also depends on the type of the compound of the element. Curiously enough, the compounds of this element induce greater damage than the elemental arsenic. For instance, arsenic trioxide is supposedly around 500 times more poisonous than pure arsenic. If you give an adult a dose of arsenic between 70 mg and 200 mg, that is the minimum lethal dose for him or her!

Before we go on to symptoms of poisoning, let's check out in brief how does arsenic affect our body.

Toxicity of Arsenic
Okay, this would seem very scientific and medical, but that is the way it is. According to studies done on arsenic, it creates a specific oxidative stress which disturbs the signal transduction pathways of the nuclear transcriptional factors. It also disrupts the pro-inflammatory cytokines. Now this can have a significant impact on the psychological process linked with cell growth, glucose homeostasis, metabolic syndrome X, obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation and diabetes mellitus. All these things lead to the potentially hazardous effects of arsenic poisoning. For more information on poisoning through food, read food poisoning.

That was about how does this lethal weapon (oops I mean element - I know Lethal Weapon is a hit movie!) works. Therefore, the following is a description of arsenic poisoning signs and symptoms.

Symptoms of Arsenic Poisoning

There are numerous symptoms of a person getting poisoned with arsenic. Some of them can even be confused with symptoms of other ailments. Hence, one has to look out for other signs characteristic of arsenic poisoning. Poisoning is initiated with a headache and leads to lightheadedness and may result in death.

Stomach Related
A person exposed to arsenic, experiences violent pain in the stomach. It is especially in the bowel area. A kind of tenderness and pressure develops in that area. In addition to this, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal disturbances are experienced. Liver failure is also one of the symptoms of arsenic poisoning.

Retching
This is a condition where the gastric contents are pushed into the esophagus, but they do not enter the pharynx. It precedes vomiting and is normally caused by a bad smell or choking. But vomiting only happens when the upper esophageal sphincter is open. The matter which is thrown out is greenish or yellowish, might even have streaks of blood.

Throat Problems
If a person has been poisoned with arsenic accidentally or otherwise, he or she experiences a dryness and tightness in the throat. As the throat is affected, there is a difficulty in speech as well, coupled with hoarseness.

Urinary Organs
These are the most drastically affected areas. Excruciating and burning pain occurs in the urinary organs, accompanied by suppression. Moreover, difficulty in defecation can also be a symptom of the toxicity of arsenic. Excoriation or abrasion of the anus is also a sign of being poisoned by arsenic.

Other Symptoms
As a result of arsenic poisoning, the amount of saliva produced is more than normal. Furthermore, muscle cramps, convulsions, drowsiness, clammy sweats, lividity in the limbs, collapsed countenance, red eyes, delirium, renal failure and dehydration are a few other medical conditions associated with poisoning by arsenic.

These were all the possible symptoms of arsenic poisoning. If not taken care of at the earliest, it can very well prove to be fatal. Therefore, if at all you feel suspicious, even if it seems like normal gastrointestinal problem, get a medical check up done immediately. It can be done through blood, urine or hair test. There are potentially effective medicines which can treat arsenic poisoning. Eating garlic can also help in tackling this situation, as put across by a related study.

I sign off here! Take Care!