Radiation Exposure
Source: MedlinePlus Health Topics, U.S. National Library of Medicine
What is radiation? Radiation is energy. It travels in the form of energy waves or high-speed particles. Radiation can occur naturally or be man-made. There are two types: Non-ionizing radiation, which includes radio waves, cell phones, microwaves, infrared radiation and visible light Ionizing radiation, which includes ultraviolet radiation, radon , x-rays , and gamma rays What are the sources of radiation exposure? Background radiation is all around us all the time. Most of it forms naturally from minerals. These radioactive minerals are in the ground, soil, water, and even our bodies. Background radiation can also come from outer space and the sun. Other sources are man-made, such as x-rays, radiation therapy to treat cancer, and electrical power lines. What are the health effects of radiation exposure? Radiation has been around us throughout our evolution. So our bodies are designed to deal with the low levels we're exposed to every day. But too much radiation can damage tissues by changing cell structure and damaging DNA. This can cause serious health problems, including cancer. The amount of damage that exposure to radiation can cause depends on several factors, including: The type of radiation The dose (amount) of radiation How you were exposed, such as through skin contact, swallowing or breathing it in, or having rays pass through your body Where the radiation concentrates in the body and how long it stays there How sensitive your body is to radiation. A fetus is most vulnerable to the effects of radiation. Infants, children, older adults, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable to health effects than healthy adults. Being exposed to a lot of radiation over a short period of time, such as from a radiation emergency , can cause skin burns . It may also lead to acute radiation syndrome (ARS, or "radiation sickness"). The symptoms of ARS include headache and diarrhea. They usually start within hours. Those symptoms will go