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Radiation damage

• Signs and Symptoms
• What Causes It?
• Who's Most At Risk?
• What to Expect at Your Provider's Office
• Treatment Options
• Prognosis/Possible Complications
• Supporting Research

Radiation damage may occur after a patient receives radiation therapy or is exposed to products or substances containing radiation. This includes x-ray imaging, nuclear power, or fallout from atomic weapons. Radiation damage may cause cancer, birth defects, and other serious health problems. Acute radiation sickness occurs within 24 hours of exposure. Chronic radiation syndrome is a range of symptoms occurring over an extended time.

Signs and Symptoms

Radiation damage is accompanied by the following signs and symptoms, which can occur immediately or months or years after exposure to radiation:

• Radiation syndrome -- malaise, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, fever, headache. With bleeding and complications affecting the digestive system, nervous system, heart, and lungs.
• Central nervous system diseases.
• Kidney, liver, or gastrointestinal problems.
• Poor growth in children.
• Skin conditions.
• Pericarditis (inflammation of the sac around the heart).
• Lung infections or conditions, respiratory failure.
• Vision impairment, including cataracts.
• Dysfunction of the reproductive organs.

What Causes It?

Damage occurs when radiation interacts with oxygen, causing certain molecules to form. These molecules can damage or break strands of DNA in the body's cells. This can result in cell death.

Who's Most At Risk?

People who have been exposed to radiation and who also have the following conditions or characteristics are at risk for developing radiation damage:

• High dose of radiation exposure
• Young age at time of exposure
• Use of chemotherapy, antibiotics
• Exposure to radiation prior to birth (while in the womb)

What to Expect at Your Provider's Office

If you are experiencing symptoms associated with radiation damage, you should see your health care provider. A physical exam, lab tests, pathology tests, and imaging procedures such as barium radiography or colonoscopy may be performed.

Treatment Options

Prevention

If you are receiving radiation treatment to treat cancer, your health care provider can take certain precautions to help prevent or reduce the risk of radiation damage. These may include administering low-dose radiation, using radio-protectant chemicals, and special shields for other parts of your body.

Treatment Plan

The treatment plan depends on the type of radiation damage. Decontamination, if warranted, is essential. Transfusion of fluids, red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets may be necessary.

Drug Therapies

Your provider may prescribe a variety of medications, depending on the specific ailments resulting from radiation damage.

Surgical and Other Procedures

Surgery may be required to prevent further cell damage, or to graft healthy tissue onto a damaged area.

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

A comprehensive treatment plan for managing the effects of radiation may include a range of complementary and alternative therapies. If you are taking prescription medications or have pre-existing medical complications, please consult with your health care provider before using complementary and alternative therapies.

Nutrition and Supplements

Following these nutritional tips may help reduce symptoms:

• Eliminate suspected food allergens, such as dairy (milk, cheese, and ice cream), wheat (gluten), soy, corn, preservatives, and chemical food additives. Your health care provider may want to test you for food allergies.
• Eat foods high in B-vitamins, calcium, and iron, such as almonds, beans, whole grains (if no allergy), dark leafy greens (such as spinach and kale), and sea vegetables.
• Eat cruciferous vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower), for support of health during cancer.
• Eat antioxidant foods, including fruits (such as blueberries, cherries, and tomatoes) and vegetables (such as squash and bell pepper).
• Avoid refined foods, such as white breads, pastas, and sugar.
• Eat fewer red meats and more lean meats, cold-water fish, tofu (soy, if no allergy) or beans for protein.
• Use healthy cooking oils, such as olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Reduce or eliminate trans-fatty acids, found in commercially baked goods such as cookies, crackers, cakes, French fries, onion rings, donuts, processed foods, and margarine.
• Avoid caffeine and other stimulants, alcohol, and tobacco.
• Exercise, if possible, 5 days a week.

Nutritional deficiencies may be addressed with the following supplements:

• A multivitamin daily, containing the antioxidant vitamins A, C, E, the B-complex vitamins and trace minerals such as magnesium, calcium, zinc and selenium.
• Probiotic supplement (containing Lactobacillus acidophilus) , 5 - 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units) a day, for maintenance of gastrointestinal and immune health. You should refrigerate your acidophilus products.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish oil, 1 - 2 capsules or 1 tablespoonful oil daily, to help decrease inflammation. Cold-water fish, such as salmon or halibut, are good sources.
• Vitamin C, 500 - 1,000 mg daily, as an antioxidant.
• Grapefruit seed extract ( Citrus paradisi ), 100 mg capsule or 5 - 10 drops (in favorite beverage) three times daily, for antibacterial-antifungal activity and immunity.
• L-glutamine, 500 - 1,000 mg three times daily, for support of gastrointestinal health and immunity.
• Alpha-lipoic acid, 25 - 50 mg twice daily, for antioxidant support.
• Resveratrol (from red wine), 50 - 200 mg daily, to help decrease inflammation and for antioxidant effects.
• Coenzyme Q10, 100 - 200 mg at bedtime, for antioxidant and immune activity.
• Melatonin, 2 - 6 mg at bedtime, for immune support and sleep. Higher doses may be needed in cancer treatments. Ask you health care provider.

Herbs

Herbs are generally available as standardized, dried extracts (pills, capsules, or tablets), teas, or tinctures/liquid extracts (alcohol extraction, unless otherwise noted). Mix liquid extracts with your favorite beverage. Dose for teas is 1 - 2 heaping teaspoonfuls per cup of water, steeped for 10 - 15 minutes (roots need longer).

• Milk thistle ( Silybum marianum ) standardized extract, 80 - 200 mg one to three times a day, as an antioxidant and liver protectant.
• Green tea ( Camellia sinensis ) standardized extract, 250 - 500 mg daily, for antioxidant effects. You may use caffeine-free products. You can also prepare teas from the leaf.
• Panax ginseng ( Panax ginseng ) standardized extract, 100 - 200 mg twice daily, for symptoms of radiation poisoning. You can also prepare teas from this herb.
• Reishi mushroom ( Ganoderma lucidum ) standardized extract, 150 - 300 mg two to three times daily, for immune effects. You may also take a tincture of this mushroom extract, 30 - 60 drops two to three times a day.
• Holy basil ( Ocimum sanctum ) standardized extract, 400 mg daily, for radiation protection. You can also prepare teas from the root.
• Chamomile oral rinse (Kamillosan), rinse and expectorate 3 - 4 times daily, for oral irritation due to radiation therapy.
• Calendula ( Calendula officinalis ) topical cream, apply externally to radiation-damaged skin 2 - 3 times daily.

Homeopathy

Radium bromatum is specific for radiation poisoning, especially followed by arthritic complaints. Acute dose is three to five pellets of 12X to 30C every 1 - 4 hours until symptoms are relieved.

Physical Medicine

A body wash of coneflower, goldenseal, comfrey root ( Symphytum officinalis ), and sea buckthorn ( Hippophae rhamnoides ) helps healing and reduces the risk of infection. Vitamin E oil applied to the skin twice daily and Aloe vera extract applied as needed help healing.

Prognosis/Possible Complications

The outcome varies depending on the level of radiation exposure, the promptness of treatment, and the thoroughness of ongoing monitoring. Long-term complications may include cancer, liver failure, deformity, sterility, and thickening and scarring of lung, liver, and kidney tissue.

Supporting Research

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• Review Date: 8/13/2006
• Reviewed By: Ernest B. Hawkins, MS, BSPharm, RPh, Health Education Resources; Steven D. Ehrlich, N.M.D., private practice specializing in complementary and alternative medicine, Phoenix, AZ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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