What to do with mercury poisoning? It turns out there are three treatments

Mercury is a poisonous metal with strong volatility. Once inhaled by the human body, it can cause mild symptoms such as headache, dizziness, and general fatigue, while severe symptoms include convulsions and coma, which seriously endanger human health. So what should we do when the human body suffers from mercury poisoning? This issue has always attracted much attention. In fact, mercury poisoning can be treated through the following three methods.

1. First aid treatment

People who are poisoned by oral intake of mercury and its compounds should immediately wash their stomachs with sodium bicarbonate or warm water to induce vomiting, then take raw egg white, milk or soy milk orally to absorb the poison, and then use magnesium sulfate as a laxative. Those who inhale mercury poisoning should immediately evacuate the scene and change clothes.

2. Mercury removal treatment

For acute mercury poisoning, 5% sodium dithiopropane sulfonate solution can be injected intramuscularly; then once every 4 to 6 hours, and after 1 to 2 days, once a day. Generally, the treatment lasts about 1 week. Sodium disodium thiocarbamide or dithiocarbamide may also be used. If the patient develops acute renal failure during the treatment, mercury removal should be temporarily suspended and renal failure rescue should be the main focus; or small-dose mercury removal treatment can be performed in conjunction with hemodialysis. The commonly used drug for the treatment of chronic mercury poisoning is 5% sodium dithiopropane sulfonate solution, which is injected intramuscularly once a day for 3 consecutive days, and a course of treatment is 4 days of stopping the drug. The number of treatment courses is determined based on the condition of the disease and the results of mercury removal.

3. Symptomatic supportive treatment

Rehydration, correction of water and electrolyte imbalance, oral care, and application of glucocorticoids can improve the condition. When contact dermatitis occurs, apply 3% boric acid wet compress.

Once the history of exposure to organic mercury is confirmed, mercury removal treatment should be initiated regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. The method is the same as that for chronic mercury poisoning, but the first week should be treated as acute mercury poisoning; those with oral poisoning should undergo gastric lavage in a timely manner. Symptomatic supportive therapy is particularly important for organic mercury poisoning, mainly to protect the functions of important organs, especially the nervous system, because simply removing mercury cannot prevent the development of neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Clinical manifestations

The clinical manifestations of mercury poisoning are closely related to the form, route, dose and time of mercury entering the human body.

1. Acute mercury poisoning

(1) Systemic symptoms

Metallic taste in the mouth, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, body aches, chills, fever (38-39℃); in severe cases, emotional agitation, irritability, insomnia, and even convulsions, coma, or mental disorders.

(2) Respiratory manifestations

Cough, sputum, chest pain, dyspnea, cyanosis, and dry or wet gurgling sounds or weakened breath sounds can be heard in both lungs by auscultation.

(3) Gastrointestinal manifestations

Gingival swelling and pain, erosion, bleeding, oral mucosal ulcers, loose teeth, drooling, "mercurial line", lip and cheek mucosal ulcers, abnormal liver function and liver enlargement. Oral poisoning may cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, and mucus or bloody stools. In severe cases, gastrointestinal perforation may lead to generalized peritonitis, shock may occur due to dehydration, and liver damage may occur in some cases.

(4) Toxicity

Kidney disease is caused by necrosis of renal tubular epithelial cells. Generally, taking mercury salts orally for several hours or inhaling high-concentration mercury vapor for 2 to 3 days will cause edema, anuria, azotemia, hyperkalemia, acidosis, uremia, etc., until acute renal failure and life-threatening. People who are allergic to mercury may experience hematuria, eosinophilia, and systemic allergic symptoms. Some patients may develop acute glomerulonephritis, and severe cases may have hematuria, proteinuria, hypertension, and acute renal failure (ARF).