Plumbism is a
chronic form of poisoning caused by exposure and absorption of lead or lead
salts. In layman’s term, it is lead poisoning. Lead is not naturally present in
our system. When it enters our body, it affects the function of our vital
organs, thus making the body incapable to function properly.
There are many
sources of lead. Some include paints and pipes. Some paints contain lead which
the body ingests without the person knowing it. It slowly retards our mental
capacity. Commonly, children are of high risk to lead poisoning. Poor quality
of paint in the children’s toys is the main reason for the high occurrence of
poisoning. Some pipes in our houses also contain high level of lead. One method
to prevent lead contamination from pipes is through coating them with good
quality of paint. The best way to make sure that the paint is lead free is by
contracting for professional painters such as a Perth house painter or a commercial painter.
Commercial painters,
like those exceptional Painter Perth,
make sure that their painting is not only of high quality but free from lead as
well.
Lead poisoning
had also been common amongst painters. Since it is also associated with
painters, it has been known as painter’s colic. But as technology improved,
incidence had dramatically decreased when lead-free paints started to replace
the lead-based ones. Other terms for plumbism are colica Pictunom, saturnism
and Devon colic.
Manifestations
of plumbism include sudden changes in behaviour, abdominal discomfort which
includes nausea and vomiting, a change in the level of consciousness, mental
retardation especially for children and even coma.
Long term
exposure affects the brain functions which may lead to poor intelligence and
memory loss. Moreover, it may also affect the kidneys, joints and the formation
of red blood cells. Effects can be temporary or permanent.
Diagnosis of
plumbism is through a thorough history taking and meticulous physical exam. A
blood test reveals abnormally high lead levels.
Avoidance of
exposure to lead is the primary goal to prevent plumbism. An exposed patient
should identify the source of lead to prevent further exposure. Treatment also
includes chelation therapy. It is process wherein the exposed client is
administered with chelating agent to remove the lead to the body.
Removal of lead
may take a longer period although it depends on the level of lead present in
the body. During chelation therapy, the patient undergoes different diagnostic exams
to monitor the effectiveness of the therapy and to gauge the extent of the
damage.
Patients may
fully recover from lead poisoning depending on prompt diagnosis. Some acquires
a lifelong effect though. In these situations, patients and their family
members should fully understand the avoidance of areas with high lead levels.
A healthy and
lead-free home is of utmost importance. With this, families should reassess the
place they live in. Remove the source of lead which can be old wall paints and
repaint with the help of professional Perth
house painters. Other sources could be your old pipe line. Old pipe lines
should be replaced and repainted by a Perth painter using quality paints. This may be a tiresome task; but making sure
that your home is free from any lead is totally worth it.
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