Radiation sickness (also called acute radiation syndrome) happens when a person is exposed to large amounts of radiation all at once.
Exposure to small amounts of radiation?like from an X-ray or CT scan?doesn't cause any symptoms. But exposure to large amounts of radiation all at once?like from a nuclear accident?may cause radiation sickness and death.
Symptoms of radiation sickness may include:
Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Feeling weak, faint, or dizzy.
Skin redness, itching, swelling, or burns.
People who have been exposed to large amounts of radiation and have these symptoms need to see a doctor right away.
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine & Christine Hahn, MD - Epidemiology
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