Contents
Toxic substances cause serious disturbances in the vital activity of the body, which provokes a phenomenon called intoxication. Intoxication is of two types: exogenous and endogenous. In case of intoxication of the first type, toxins enter the body from the external environment, and in the second case, they are formed directly in the body itself.
Close in state and meaning is the state of toxicosis, which is caused by prolonged poisoning or toxemia of another origin.
Causes of intoxication
Intoxication caused by environmental factors can be provoked by a variety of substances. These are some chemical elements (halogens, heavy metals, beryllium, arsenic, selenium) and many classes of chemical compounds. Poisonous plants, poisonous animals, toxins of microorganisms and other factors also cause severe intoxication.
Sometimes the important causes of intoxication are not so much the substance itself that has entered the body, but the products of its processing. In this case, they have a dangerous toxic effect. Toxic substances enter the body through the upper respiratory tract, skin, digestive tract, mucous membranes or parenteral administration.
The formation of toxins in the body (endogenous intoxication) can be caused by various products that have a toxic effect, which appear when tissues are damaged. Such injuries cause serious injuries, radiation injuries, burns and inflammation processes that affect large areas of various etiologies. Also, some diseases of an infectious nature, as well as malignant neoplasms and other equally dangerous diseases, lead to significant tissue damage.
Endogenous intoxication occurs when the body accumulates or produces too much physiologically active substances, which include hormones produced by the thyroid gland in thyrotoxicosis, or adrenaline in chromaffinoma. Incorrect work of all kinds of excretory processes can lead to dangerous damage to the body with toxins. A striking example of such intoxication can be dangerous uremic intoxication in renal failure.
Some metabolic disorders can provoke the appearance of toxic substances in the body. This provokes the inevitable formation of toxic metabolites or unsatisfactory disposal of toxic substances that are constantly produced in the body. These substances include free bilirubin, ammonia, phenol, which are produced in liver diseases or ketone bodies in diabetes mellitus.
Products of free radical lipid oxidation also have toxic properties. They are produced in many pathological processes.
Symptoms of intoxication
Symptoms of intoxication are very extensive and have a different expression. Their manifestations are due to the nature of the toxic substance, physical and chemical properties, affinity to certain organs, systems of physiology, subcellular structures, body tissues, produced enzymes and existing receptors. For example, psychotropic, cardiotropic, hepatotropic, lipotropic, mutagenic, blood, carcinogenic, ototoxic and various other substances containing toxins are isolated.
A significant role in the intake of toxins from the external environment is the concentration of a toxic substance and how exactly it enters the body and spreads in it. It is also important where they accumulate and how regularly they enter the body – one-time, repeatedly, or there is a continuous effect. When intoxication has a repeated or continuous form, it often gives the impression of a cumulative effect or addiction. This is manifested in poisoning with mercury, digitalis, lead, morphine, arsenic, as well as ordinary alcohol.
The consequences of intoxication of the body are determined by the personal reactivity of the body. This implies sufficient functionality of the mechanisms of resistance to intoxication, in other words, the correct functioning of the immune system, external and internal barriers, excretory system, non-specific defense of the body, endogenous chemical detoxification systems.
And yet, depending on the degree of intoxication, different symptoms appear. Acute intoxication is characterized by a rather high body temperature, severe pain in the muscles, joints and in the head area. Often, severe intoxication is accompanied by indomitable diarrhea and vomiting. When exposed to strong toxic substances, frequent loss of consciousness or a dangerous coma with the threat of loss of life is possible.
Subacute intoxication is accompanied by an elevated (subfebrile) body temperature up to approximately 38 ° C, a noticeable headache, joint and muscle pain, as well as a disorder in the functioning of the liver, stomach, intestines and other equally important organs. With this type of intoxication, a feeling of fatigue and drowsiness appears.
In chronic intoxication, which occurs as a result of acute intoxication that has not been fully cured and insufficient self-cleansing of the body, there may be such manifestations: depression, irritability, nervousness, fatigue, insomnia or drowsiness, headaches become more frequent, body weight changes, serious problems appear with the intestines in the form of flatulence, diarrhea or constipation.
With intoxication, human skin also suffers, an unpleasant odor appears, skin diseases are provoked – acne, furunculosis, dermatitis. Often accompanied by a noticeable decrease in immunity, which affects the increase in the frequency of viral diseases and allergic reactions. Sometimes there is a perversion of immunity (autoimmune diseases). Intoxication also affects the appearance of a person. His hair fades and thins, the skin loses firmness, elasticity and a healthy color.
There are a lot of symptoms of intoxication and it is individual for each person. As a rule, the weakest parts of the body always suffer from intoxication.
Diagnosis of intoxication
It is possible to determine the level of intoxication in the body with the help of special medical examinations, the result of which must be interpreted and summarized with a diagnosis.
The types of diagnosis of intoxication include clinical, in which indicators are determined related to a particular poison or a group of compounds similar in mechanism of action, as well as laboratory, as a result of which the poison or its metabolites in biosubstrates are compared. It should be noted that in laboratory diagnostics, the necessary biochemical analyzes are carried out, the results of which reveal changes in the functions of organs and systems characteristic of the poison.
Another type of diagnosis is pathomorphological, aimed at accurately determining the specific intravital or post-mortem morphological symptoms of intoxication.
Treatment of intoxication
Following a healthy and proper lifestyle helps to eliminate toxins from the body naturally. But with the modern rhythm of life, this is not possible in all cases, so it is often necessary to resort to modern body cleansing programs.
The main treatment of intoxication of the body is the obligatory elimination of the cause that caused the development of the disease, and the extraordinary destruction of toxic substances in conjunction with the accelerated process of removing them from the body. An illiterate approach to removing such symptoms of intoxication as diarrhea, vomiting, etc. with the help of medications, it can lead to an aggravation of the condition and slow down the natural removal of toxins from the body. Intoxication from an acute form develops into a chronic form.
To eliminate toxic substances, special antidote therapy and serums are often used to suppress the action of toxins. For faster excretion from the body, it is recommended to drink in large quantities, as well as all kinds of laxatives and diuretics, washing the cavities, oxygen therapy, adsorbents, transfusion of blood substitutes and additional replacement blood transfusion.
In acute intoxication, physicians, if necessary, use gastric and intestinal lavage. To replace the lost fluid and detoxify the body, modern pharmacological preparations are used, which are administered intravenously. To quickly remove intoxication of any form, it is good to use inside special sorbents that bind and remove toxins (activated carbon, enterosgel).
With intoxication, the production of enzymes is disrupted and therefore it is advisable to prescribe drugs such as pancreatin, trienzyme or festal. In case of malfunction of the stomach and intestines, their microflora is disturbed and special bacterial preparations are used to restore it. Lactobacterin, bifidumbacterin and simple natural yogurt with bifidobacteria have proven themselves well. To facilitate and improve the functioning of the liver and kidneys, cleansing and diuretic drugs are prescribed, respectively.
It is recommended to take multivitamins and antioxidants to neutralize free radicals and cleanse the body of their negative effects. The listed methods of treatment are prescribed individually according to the patient’s condition. It can be several events or a whole complex. The doctor also determines the appropriate dosage of medications.
Currently, there are many drugs for the prevention of intoxication, which are based on herbs, natural salts or clay.