Cadmium is a natural element found in the earth and is very toxic. When ingested or inhaled, cadmium can cause heavy metal poisoning symptoms of severe stomach and lung irritation. This toxic metal is known to cause cancer, hypertension and enzyme activity decrease as well.
Cadmium is so pervasive that low levels of this heavy metal can be detected in most food and water supplies, with higher levels in shellfish, liver and kidney meats. Cadmium can also be found in:
- paints
- plastics
- batteries
- tobacco smoke
- coal & oil fumes
- industrial waste
The most common cause of cadmium poisoning is taking improper precautions with its use.
Eating food or drinking water with very high levels cadmium severely irritates your stomach. Ingested cadmium poisoning causes symptoms of:
- shock
- vertigo
- choking
- salivation
- dyspepsia
- convulsions
- abdominal pain
- muscle cramps
- nausea, vomiting
- loss of consciousness
Breathing high levels of cadmium can severely irritate and damage your lungs. When its initially inhaled you may notice a sweet or metallic taste, and then throat irritation. Later on you may experience some of these toxic cadmium inhalation symptoms:
- dyspnea
- sweating
- shivering
- coughing
- arthralgia
- wheezing
- dry throat
- headache
- chest pain
- pneumonitis
- muscle weakness
Inhalation of cadmium fumes can cause severe lung inflammation to the point of potentially causing your death.
Chronic inhalation exposure to low doses of cadmium can cause poisoning symptoms of:
Chronic cadmium exposure can also cause an increased risk for these health conditions:
- anemia
- liver damage
- osteoporosis
- lung damage
- osteomalacia
- hypokalaemia
- kidney stones
- bone fractures
- kidney disease
- pulmonary edema
Spontaneous recovery from mild toxic cadmium exposure is typical. For now, no effective treatment for more toxic cadmium poisoning is available.
However, hemodialysis and chelation therapy for bloodstream heavy metal removal might be used to help treat severe ingested cadmium poisoning. Whereas, cadmium inhalation is primarily treated with symptom relief care, i.e. oxygen therapy, pain relievers, etc.
