The Terrifying Reality of Radiation That Slowly Destroys You

Imagine sharing your room with a ghost. You cannot see, smell, taste, or feel it, but it can actively make changes around you. Although this may seem paranormal, it actually reflects the reality of radiation exposure: an energy we cannot sense but can only be aware of.

Radiation can travel in the forms of either waves or particles; specifically for waves, there are two types of radiation: non-ionizing and ionizing. While non-ionizing waves like radio waves and visible light are harmless, ionizing waves like X-rays and gamma rays can be much more detrimental to our health due to their high energy, which can change atoms and damage our tissue.⁽¹⁾

This shows that radiation has many beneficial applications when used in an appropriate dosage, yet there are still risks associated with its use. Thus, this article will explore its complications and specific actions that need to be put in place to protect people and the environment.

At What Level Is Radiation Harmful?

Before we dive deeper into what actually happens to our body following radiation exposure, it is good to know how much radiation begins to have a significant impact on us. Here, the word “absorbed dose” will be referred to whenever talking about the energy absorbed in the human body from exposure to radiation.⁽²⁾

First of all, the amount of background radiation present in our natural environment is very minimal, which is why we do not get radiation sickness daily. As a means of quantification, cosmic and terrestrial radiation only add up to 3 millisieverts (mSv) per year, while X-rays and CT scans from the hospital range from 0.1 to 20 mSv depending on the type. To put that into comparison, if the absorbed dose exceeds 1,000 mSv, you will experience mild radiation sickness with slight nausea, fatigue, and a potential risk of cancer. Upon reaching 3,000 mSv, things will get dangerous, eventually becoming fatal with massive organ failure.⁽³⁾

Figure 1. An infographic explaining what each level of radiation exposure means⁽⁴⁾

Complications of Radiation Exposure

Now shifting to our main focus, what are some of its late-onset effects on the human body? According to a study conducted among the Japanese survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the effects were highly variable initially, yet the increased risk of cancer became more prominent throughout life. Aside from a higher risk of radiation-induced cancer, there was also a possibility that radiation increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and some other non-cancer diseases, though no hereditary effects were detected.⁽⁵⁾

To summarize, there is clearly a concern in both high and low doses, accelerating the formation of cancer cells and DNA mutations. These can eventually have a lethal effect on our vital organ systems: bone marrow, blood, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and more.

If worse, the symptoms can evolve into chronic conditions, which can include the following consequences.

• • Carcinogenesis: The DNA damage from ionizing radiation inactivates tumor suppressor cells and increases the risk of leukemia, thyroid, lung, and breast cancers.⁽⁶⁾
• • Cataracts: Radiation changes the tissue that makes up the lens of the eye, breaking down proteins and fibers in the lens to cause blindness.⁽⁷⁾
• • Infertility: When radiation damages the gonads or the central nervous system, it can directly or indirectly impair ovarian function, resulting in infertility and steroid hormone production disorders. ⁽⁸⁾
• • Radiation Fibrosis: It affects healthy cells and tissue in and around the field of treatment by causing increased production of a protein called fibrin. The accumulation of fibrin is what ultimately causes tissue damage.⁽⁹⁾

Conclusion

Although this may seem like extreme cases and highly unlikely to happen in our daily lives, it is still recommended to avoid radiation exposure whenever necessary. The core principles you could keep in mind are time (reduce the duration near the radioactive source), distance (drop the radiation intensity by moving further away), and shielding (have thick barriers between you and the source).⁽¹⁰⁾

Figure 2. A visual representation of applying the core principles to minimize radiation exposure⁽¹⁰⁾

With all of these safe practices in consideration, you can easily mitigate radiation exposure, as well as risks of numerous health conditions. So always remember—stay informed, stay shielded, and stay safe to control exposure to invisible rays!

Resources

• – [1] https://www.iaea.org/newscenter/news/what-is-radiation
• – [2] https://www.cnsc-ccsn.gc.ca/eng/resources/radiation/radiation-doses/
• – [3] https://www.radiationanswers.org/radiation-and-me/effects-of-radiation.html
• – [4] https://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/mar/15/radiation-exposure-levels-guide
• – [5] https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)61167-9/abstract
• – [6] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/radiation-carcinogenesis
• – [7] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cataracts/symptoms-causes/syc-20353790
• – [8] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5013679/
• – [9] https://www.headandneck.org/hnc-resources/managing-side-effects/radiation-fibrosis/
• – [10] https://www.epa.gov/radiation/protecting-yourself-radiation