Mercury intoxication is poisoning with mercury. A distinction can be made between acute and chronic mercury poisoning.
What is mercury intoxication?
Mercury intoxication is also known as mercurialism. It is caused by direct ingestion of larger amounts of mercury or by prolonged ingestion of smaller amounts of mercury. Mercury is one of the toxic heavy metals. Possible symptoms range from headaches, nausea and dizziness to impaired vision or gait. Mercury poisoning is treated with an antidote. Cutler protocols are used in alternative medicine.
Causes
Acute mercury intoxications are almost always the result of an accident. In the home, acute short-term mercury poisoning can result from broken clinical thermometers or energy-saving light bulbs. However, studies indicate that short-term exposure is not a concern. Fatal acute mercury poisonings are very rare. In total, there are only ten acute poisonings worldwide that ended fatally. These were always occupational accidents in industry or research. Mercury is particularly toxic in organic compounds (for example, as dimethylmercury). However, chronic mercury intoxications are much more frequent. The main cause here is the ingestion of food contaminated with mercury. An example of such chronic intoxication is Minamata disease. The disease was named after the Japanese city of Minamata, where thousands of people became chronically ill due to the consumption of contaminated seaweed and fish. Amalgam, a substance used in dentistry for fillings, is also suspected of causing chronic mercury poisoning. Other possible causes of chronic mercury poisoning include ingestion of the toxic substance at work or at home.
Symptoms, complaints, and signs
The early symptoms of acute poisoning are nausea, dizziness, and headache. Dry mouth is also typical. An ingestion of 150 to 300 milligrams is fatal. Long after ingestion of the mercury, kidney or liver damage occurs. Chronic mercury intoxications often cause non-specific symptoms. Mercury is deposited in the dentition, spinal cord, internal organs, nerve tracts, and brain. It is found in urine, blood, stool, and even breast milk. Affected individuals initially suffer only from fatigue and headaches and aching limbs. Later, paralysis, gait unsteadiness, psychosis and, in severe cases, even coma develop. If left untreated, the disease is fatal. In pregnant women, the toxic substance reaches the unborn child via the umbilical cord. Affected children are born with various disabilities.
Diagnosis and course of the disease
If chronic mercury intoxication is suspected, various diagnostic procedures are available. With the help of the DMPS mobilization test, mercury can be detected in the urine. DMPS forms a water-soluble complex with mercury. The heavy metal depots in the organs are to be mobilized and brought to excretion within the scope of this test. The mercury concentration in the urine is subject to diurnal fluctuations and variations. Therefore, urine is collected over 24 hours for determination. The chewing gum test is used to determine the mercury content in saliva. In this test, a sugar-free chewing gum must be chewed for ten minutes. The saliva that is formed during chewing is collected and then examined in the laboratory. However, the exact mercury exposure cannot be diagnosed with this test. Rather, the test indicates whether mercury is dissolving from existing amalgam fillings. Mercury can also be detected in the blood using various laboratory techniques. However, the mercury content in the blood tends to indicate recent exposure. In addition, mercury is also incorporated into the hair root. The mercury content in the hair is a good measure also for longer past exposure.
Complications
Mercury intoxication initially causes gingivitis, loosening of teeth, diarrhea, and kidney inflammation. These symptoms develop into serious complications as the disease progresses.Typical of a chronic course is damage to the nervous system, which can be associated with muscle twitching, mood swings, states of agitation and anxiety, and speech or vision disorders. Personality changes and concentration disorders may also occur. In general, the heavy metal damages the entire organism. In addition to the nervous system, the internal organs, gastrointestinal tract and skin often become diseased. Possible late effects are irreparable kidney and liver damage as well as permanent ear, eye and nasopharyngeal disorders. If mercury poisoning is detected and treated early, these serious complications can be avoided. However, treatment methods also carry risks. For example, antidotes such as dimercaptosuccinic acid and dimercaptopropanesulfonic acid are typically used – both associated with side effects such as dizziness, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills. Acetylcysteine and other drugs can also cause side effects and interactions. Intravenous treatment itself can lead to infections at the injection site. Rarely, edema or thrombosis forms, which in turn are associated with complications. Recurrence of mercury intoxication may occur after treatment.
When should you see a doctor?
Mercury intoxication should always be treated by a physician. Only early diagnosis and treatment can prevent further complications and, in the worst case, death. Self-healing does not occur with this condition, so mercury intoxication should always be treated by a physician. A doctor should be consulted if the affected person has ingested an increased amount of mercury. This leads to a very dry mouth and further to severe fatigue. Paralysis or severe headaches may also indicate mercury intoxication and should be examined by a doctor. During this process, the affected person may also fall into a coma or exhibit severe psychosis. If these symptoms occur after the accidental ingestion, the hospital should be visited immediately or the emergency physician should be notified. Usually, mercury intoxication can be treated relatively well if treatment is initiated early.
Treatment and therapy
Mercury poisoning is treated with an antidote. So-called complexing agents are used for this purpose. These are substances that form a metal complex with mercury. These mercury-antidote complexes can be filtered out of the blood more easily by the kidneys. Substances such as dimercaptopropane sulfonic acid (DMPS) or dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) are used. If the intoxication was caused by the ingestion of organic mercury poisoning such as methylmercury, acetylcysteine (NAC) is administered. In the past, minerals were also used for mercury elimination. However, studies showed that the effect is not sufficient. In alternative medicine, the so-called Cutler protocol is used. The protocol also uses DMSA or DMPS. In addition, alpha lipoic acid (ALA)is used.
Prevention
To prevent mercury intoxication, care must be taken when handling the toxic heavy metal. The Indoor Air Hygiene Commission of the German Federal Environmental Agency has developed indoor air guide values for mercury. Guideline value II regulates the concentration of mercury above which immediate action must be taken. For guide value II, rapid action is recommended. Technical and constructional measures may be necessary to reduce the concentration. If fever thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors or energy-saving lamps break in closed rooms, the air may be contaminated with mercury vapors. The affected room should be well ventilated immediately. Adequate ventilation may be required for several weeks. Visible mercury globules should be carefully aspirated with a pipette and stored in a container under water until disposal. If mercury globules have entered inaccessible cracks or corners, they must be fixed with mercury-absorbing agents. Since mercury vapor is heavier than air, it sinks. Infants and children who frequently play on the floor are therefore particularly at risk and should not play in mercury-contaminated rooms. Under no circumstances should mercury be vacuumed up. The metal and the toxic vapors will be spread over a wide area as a result.
Aftercare
After mercury intoxication, it is especially important to follow the doctor’s instructions. Effective home remedies are not available for healing. Therefore, consistent use of prescribed medications is critical for rapid and sustained treatment success. Furthermore, patients can combat the accompanying symptoms of mercury intoxication. For example, in the case of severe itching, creams and ointments containing histamine, which are available over the counter in pharmacies, can help. Who does not get the itching with it under control, can prevent with special cotton gloves that particularly in the Nach the skin is scratched open. This is because scratching causes injuries to the skin, which can subsequently lead to further diseases, including secondary inflammations in particular. Many patients complain of gum problems in the aftermath of mercury intoxication. In this case, it is advisable to consult the dentist if concrete symptoms appear. But even without acute symptoms, affected patients should pay attention to careful oral hygiene after mercury intoxication. Antibacterial mouth rinses, dental floss and, if necessary, interdental brushes for the interdental spaces can effectively counteract inflammation of the gums. Finally, it is important to identify the source of mercury intoxication. Unless the source of poisoning could be eliminated, other people should be warned to avoid further cases of poisoning.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Presumably, the attending physician has already prescribed chelation or other elimination therapy to eliminate the mercury. However, the patient himself can also do some additional things to eliminate toxic metal residues from his body. This includes sauna sessions, steam baths and sweaty sports, because toxins are excreted with sweat. Water-rich foods such as fruit, tomatoes or asparagus also have a detoxifying effect. The detoxification process should be further supported by the affected person by not ingesting other toxins. These include primarily alcohol and nicotine, but also car exhaust, particulate matter and other air pollutants. If these detoxification measures are not enough, many doctors recommend the so-called “Cutler Protocol” as an alternative. However, it is controversial and very costly. It is possible that mercury intoxication has damaged the oral mucosa of the affected person. This makes meticulous oral and dental care essential. Dentists provide recommendations and assistance in this regard. If mercury poisoning is more advanced, the physical consequences are treated symptomatically. The patient can support these treatments with a healthy lifestyle. To avoid cachexia, he should eat enough, even if it is difficult. The same applies to a regulated sleep-wake rhythm. It should be strived for even if the patient suffers from sleep disorders. Fixed rest periods are helpful here, and it is essential to adhere to them.
