What happens if you absorb radiation

A contaminated person has radioactive materials on or inside their body. People who are externally contaminated with radioactive material can contaminate other people or surfaces that they touch. For example, people who have radioactive dust on their clothing may spread the radioactive dust when they sit in chairs or hug other people.

People who are internally contaminated can expose people near them to radiation from the radioactive material inside their bodies. The body fluids blood, sweat, urine of an internally contaminated person can contain radioactive materials.

People who are externally contaminated can become internally contaminated if radioactive material gets into their bodies. Radioactive materials give off a form of energy that travels in waves or particles.

This energy is called radiation. When a person is exposed to radiation, the energy penetrates the body. For example, when a person has an x-ray, he or she is exposed to radiation.

People who are externally contaminated can spread the contamination by touching surfaces, sitting in a chair, or even walking through a house. Contaminants can easily fall from clothing and contaminate other surfaces. Homes can also become contaminated with radioactive materials in body fluids from internally contaminated people.

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Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Radiation sickness is damage to your body caused by a large dose of radiation often received over a short period of time acute. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Walls RM, et al. Radiation injuries. Philadelphia, Pa. Accessed Aug. Bersten AD, et al.

Chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear exposure management. In: Oh's Intensive Care Manual. Elsevier; Accessed Oct. Radiation exposure and contamination.

Merck Manual Professional Version. Ciottone GR, ed. Other sources are man-made, such as x-rays, radiation therapy to treat cancer, and electrical power lines. 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. 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 away and the person will seem healthy for a little while. But then they will get sick again. How soon they get sick again, which symptoms they have, and how sick they get depends on the amount of radiation they received. In some cases, ARS causes death in the following days or weeks. Exposure to low levels of radiation in the environment does not cause immediate health effects. But it can slightly increase your overall risk of cancer.

Before they start treatment, health care professionals need to figure out how much radiation your body absorbed. They will ask about your symptoms, do blood tests, and may use a device that measures radiation.

They also try get more information about the exposure, such as what type of radiation it was, how far away you were from the source of the radiation, and how long you were exposed.

Treatment focuses on reducing and treating infections, preventing dehydration , and treating injuries and burns. Some people may need treatments that help the bone marrow recover its function. If you were exposed to certain types of radiation, your provider may give you a treatment that limits or removes the contamination that is inside your body. You may also get treatments for your symptoms.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice.