Mercury Poisoning Symptoms

Robert Gammal BDS. FACNEM(dent)

These are some of the Symptoms of Mercury poisoning. Be aware that mercury may underlay many disease symptom patterns. Always check This list is only touching the tip of the iceberg. It is by no means a complete list of symptom profiles for mercury poisoning.
ORAL CAVITY - PHARYNX.
Metalic taste
Bleeding gums
Gingivitis Loosening of teeth
increased salivation
Bad breath
Sore throat resistant to conventional treatment.
Stomatitis - inflamation of the tongue
Leukoplakia
Burning sensations in mouth and throat
Tissue pigmentation- the typical "amalgam Tattoo"
NASAL CAVITY - MIDDLE EAR Rhinitis leading to chronically stuffed nose

Bloody nasal discharge and dry crusts

Loss of smell

Hg spreads via nasal mucosa to inner ear tubes and middle ear;

Hearing impairement
Loss oof balance
Vertigo

Tinitus - ringing, hissing sounds in the ear. noises in the head

AIRWAYS - LARYNX
LOCAL- Laryngitis

Bronchitis

Pneumonia

Horseness of voice

unusually persistant cough

Damage to Alveolar Tissue;

Emphysemia

Sinusitis

Asthma

shortness of breath [may also be due to cardiac failure]

Chest Pains 15 - 30 minuites after eating accompanied by;
Air hunger

Mercury released from amalgam especially after hard Chewing goes to the Lungs then via the nasal and oral mucosa directly to the brain especially the HYPOTHALIMUS. This part of the brain is responsible for most autonomic functons of the body eg;

Drop in Blood Preasure - Heart rate, Blood Preasure, Respiratory rate.

Faintness

Sudden Weakness

GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT - LIVER

microbial flora convert mercury to methyl mercury

this is one hundred times more toxic than elemental mercury.

Local lesions of;

oesophagus

stomach

liver

gall bladder

intestinal tract

Gastritis

Abdominal pain

Diahrea

colitis

gastric and deuodenal ulcers

liver dysfunction and damage

HEART
Mercury damages blood vessels and muscle tissue

Damage to coronary bld. vessels

Coronary arterial disorder

Myocardial Necrosis

Tachycardia

Heart Muscle Arhythmias

Ventricular fibrilations.

Valve Damage

Some of these effects may also be due to electric currents generated in amalgams

Mercury will affect cholesterol levels

KIDNEY - URINARY SYSTEM
renal damage

oedema

Increased excretion of urine esp. at night

Reduced filtration capacity of kidney

Accompanying increased thirst

Local Irritation of bladder ------difficult and painfull urination

Kidney injury can - refered pain to Groin or Testes

Mercuri chloride (calomel) was used as a diuretic against cardiac edema back in the 1700's

MUSCULAR - SKELETAL - JOINTS
Degenerative Arthrosis

Inflamatory arthritis

Mercury deposits in bone

Mercury deposition especially in bone marrow

Common in Vertebral column, Hips and knees

In a study of 298 dentists over 50 years of age

14% had very high levels of mercury in the bones

of the wrist and temporals. readings of 40 - 200 mcg Hg/g bone.

Muscular pains

muscular weakness

Muscle twitches

joint and muscle pain

ENDOCRINE GLANDS
Maximum storage in Pituritary, Thyroid, Gonads, Adrenals.

Hg has uptake in Epididymus -Sterility

A direct lymphatic route exists between gingiva pf lower jaw and thyroid gland and retrosternally to the Thymic region.

Cold clamy skin esp hands and feet

Subnormal temperatures

IMMUNE SYSTEM
Rapid uptake in bone marrow reduction in B lymphocytes.

Rapid uptake in Thymus reduction in T lymphocytes

Combines with protiens to form organo-mercurial complexes

auto-antibodies ie. Auto Immune Diseases.

( Lupus Ehrythematosis, Endometriosis etc)

Suppression of the whole defence immune system

increased susceptibility to all infections

increased susceptibility to some forms of cancer

Dramatic increase in all sorts of allergic reactions.

Some forms of Leukemia.

Auto Immune diseases

NEUROLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
Inhalation of mercury vapour causes high and rapid accumulation of mercury in the brain.

also accumulates in spinal chord.

Methl mercury has a special afinity for occipital lobes and Cerebellum

Low dosage/ long term mercurialism is characterised by;

extreme inexplicable fatigue - physical and mental

lack of initiative

loss of short term memory

lack of concentration

poor to no decision making ability

Irrational obsesion, phobias, Compulsions

Timidity and lack of self confidence

Grave depresion

unpredictable rapid mood changes. esp rage and sudden anger

unexplainable fear of death

Halucinations

Shyness and timidity

Tendency to isolation

Suicidal

Clinical symptoms are dependant on the sites damaged by the poison:

BRAIN
Frontal Lobes
Motor activity
Turning of head and eyes over contralateral side

Convulsive movements in oppoisite leg and foot

" " " arm and hand

Small muscle contractions,Chronic twitches, chewiing, smacking, licking

Parietal Lobes
Sensations of numbness and tingling

Perceptions of Buzzing and Vibration spreading thropugh body

Electrical stimulating sensations form external genitalia

Schizophrenia

Lack of recognition of size, nature and use of objects. and self

lack of ability for spatial distinction eg. up and down

Temporal Lobes
Rising epigastric sensations such as being choked

OLEFACTORY lobe sensations of unpleasant putrid smells eg rotten eggs

TASTE centresensations of BAD Taste

AUDITORY lobesnoises

Buzzing sounds

Voices

Music

Visual Pathwaysdistortion of small or big images

Objects may appear far away and unreal

strange objects may appear familiar

OCCIPITAL LOBES
Terminus of visual pathwaysflashing lights

Zig Zag scotomas as at early stage migraine

Constriction of visual field

Blindness

Migraine may be caused by a mercury induced angiopathy of small blood vessels in brain

BASAL GANGLIA
involuntary and excessive movements ]

tremor ] Parkinsonism

alpha rigidity of flexors and extensors ]

canimmobility ]

interferes with acetyl choline receptor sites in brain ie. interferes with neural transmision



HYPOTHALMIC REGION
"ANYTHING & EVERYTHING"

This is the controll centre of the whole autonomic nervous system

exerts its metabolic and endocrine function by influencing release of hormones from the pituritary

Appatite may increase obesity

Appatite may reduce anorexia nervosa

reduced sexual function

amenorhea

fatigue. air hunger, heart palpitation, sweating

PITURITARY GALND
Mercury vapour will pass directly to pituritary gland via the oral and nasal mucosa.

ANTERIOR LOBE
Gonadotrophic Hormone -male and female gonads

Adreno Cortico Trophic Hormone(ACTH) - stimulates adrenal functon

Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (STH) - thyroid function

Somato trophic Hormone (STH) - growth hormone

POSTERIOR LOBE
Vasopresin - anti diuretic action on kidneys

lesion here can produce diabetes insipidus- large amounts of urine with extreme thirst

CEREBELLAR LESIONS
organic mercury has a specific affinity for this and the occipital cortex

CONTROLLS MAINTENANCE OF EQUILIBRIUM

trunk ataxia - impairrement of body posture, unsteady gait lik drunkenness

arm and leg coordination

coarse violent shaking, irregular acton

intenton or action tremor



SPINAL CHORD LESIONS
Mercury may enter the spinal chord by the following routes;

1- Arterial- transported to all areas and encounters the blood brain barier. Mercury destroys and crosses the blood brain barrier with ease. Thus enters the brain and spinal chord

2- Vapour settles on the mucous membrane of the oro-nasal cavity and transported directly to the brain by way of the cranial veinous system to the intra cranial cavity and to the cervical region of the spinal chord

3- From nasal mucosa by way of transport along the olefactory nerve to the brain ( mercury is transported along nerves and the trigeminal wuld be another such route) to the cerebrospinal fluid and then to the spinalchord.

4- By entry to the cerebro spinal fluid. and deposited anywhere along the length of the spinal chord including the lower portions.

Anterior motor Horns;
Both lead and mercury produce a deficiency af arterial blood supply microangiopathy

reduction in blood supply to spinal chord

both will damage to red blood cells hemolysis and reduced oxygen carrying caapacity

The large motor neuron cells of the anterior horns of the spinal chord are the first to suffer

from ischemia with local lack of blood supply.

Progressive muscle weakness

Muscle Atrophy

wasting of limb and trunk musculature

Posterior Horns and Spinal Sensory Ganglia;
Extremely vulnerable to mercury poisoning

Sensory disturbances
irritative phenomena

Parasthesias (numbness)

Tingling sensations

Pain

Lack of sensibility

Lower part of spinal chord motor and sensory impairment of sacral reflexes

Irritative symptoms-Frequent urination, Dysuria.

Loss Phenomina- Bladder incontinance,

Loss of erection

impotence

Lack of female and male orgasm

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
DNA single strand breaks

Crosses placenta

crosses into breast milk

P.M.T.

Menstrual Irregularity and pain
Here's something that might give more insight to some symptoms