Nickel Exposure Can Be Deadly True Consequences, Deadly Outcomes of Nickel Allergies There has been a recent 40 percent increase in the number of people testing positive for nickel allergies or nickel sensitivity, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. One of the most hidden culprits of allergies is nickel. Nickel is used to make everything from fashion jewelry to pens and paper clips, to bra snaps, batteries, coins, and eyeglasses, and according to the American Academy of Dermatology, it is one of the biggest causes of contact dermatitis in America and the world over. Nickel contact dermatitis causes either, mild itching and redness, or severe infections. If you are allergic to nickel, the only way to prevent allergic reactions is to prevent exposure. Wear jewelry made from stainless steel, or if you can afford it, 24 karat instead 14 karat gold, which is often mixed with nickel. If not already exposed, you may want to limit your use of less costly jewelry, since that can often have larger amounts of nickel.
Nickel allergies are something you develop, they are not something you are born with. Researchers blame such habits as biting paper clips and pens, and the surge of body piercing as part of the increase allergic reactions to nickel; and once a nickel allergy, it lasts for a lifetime. For those who are allergic to jewelry made of nickel, the American Academy of Dermatology recommends jewelry made of surgical stainless steel or a coated alloy. Nickel jewelry can come in the form of gold, platinum and silver, but is most commonly used to make costume jewelry and 14 karat gold jewelry. In addition to coming into contact with nickel on the surface, or ingesting it through biting on pens and paper clips, nickel allergies can develop from eating foods high in nickel such as shellfish, chocolate milk, and beans. People also react when drinking nickel in faucet water or breathing it in dust. It is also found in textiles, fragrances and cosmetics. The United States Department of Health and Human Service Agency for Toxic and Disease Registry warns that those allergic to nickel may also develop asthma attacks following contact with nickel exposure.
Those with allergic reactions to nickel develop painful topical rashes and skin irritations that last from one to four weeks. Nickel allergies can also cause eczema, which becomes worse in the summer heat. Fumes from heated nickel can cause shortness of breath and coughing, while higher exposures can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs. There has also been a link between nickel and lung, nose and throat cancer, and the damaging of an unborn fetus. There is also nickel in cigarettes, causing breathing problems and emphysema. Nickel is a carcinogen, meaning that inhaling this substance is hazardous to your lungs and nasal canal. As a result, nickel is on the Hazardous Substance List in the United States as being one of the most dangerous alloys, and is regulated by OSHA (Occupational Hazard Safety Association). Since nickel can be found in the work place, and is therefore an occupational hazard. The levels of exposure to carcinogens/ nickel is very minute, and all necessary precautions should be taken to reduce your risk to nickel exposure.
According to OSHA, the legal airborne limit to nickel exposure is 1 milligram per every eight hours. Exposure to nickel can be found where metal compounds and alloys are welded, cut, and plated, causing the air to become extremely hot, and setting-off metal carcinogenic fumes, such as nickel. Exposure to these fumes should be regulated, and anybody in that Environment is strongly advised to wear a facemask to limit exposure. Rarely does anything come without risk, and there are some things that we, as humans, can get away with, but exposure to nickel is not one if them. Once you've been exposed to this ultra hazardous chemical, you will know it by your body's adverse reaction. Immediate indications that your body reveals a negative reaction to nickel exposure includes irritated eyes, itchy skin, shortness of breathe, coughing, and possible fluid in the lungs. The former symptoms are tolerable, and curable. Check with your doctor immediately if you suffer from any of these symptoms.
Unfortunately, long-term exposure to nickel can cause a plethora of more severe, and ultimately fatal symptoms. Chronic health effects to nickel exposure are a result of long-term nickel inhalation, and can last years in the body before one even knows of the deterioration being caused to them by this dangerous metal. Cancer of the lung, nose and throat are a direct result of extended exposure to nickel fumes. If you suspect you've have been exposed to nickel, or question any rashes due to jewelry, or occupational exposure, seek medical attention immediately.You may not even be aware of the dangers of memory foam mattresses. A memory foam mattress can provide some of the best sleep you've ever had, but if you have to wear a gas mask to bed, it might not be the best mattress for you -- especially if you are ultra-sensitive or allergic. Unless the memory foam mattress is manufactured with organic latex, its fabrication consists of chemicals and man-made substances. This gives you something to think about as you read "The Guide to Green Living" while in bed.
Chemical Components Memory foam mattresses are true space-age marvels. The formula for the open-cell polymeric foam used in these beds comes from a 1960s design intended for NASA pilot chairs. Walt Bader, CEO of Lifekind -- an organic mattress company -- and author of "Toxic Bedrooms" had a memory foam mattress tested by an independent lab. The results: The mattress off-gassed 61 volatile organic compounds, many of which can cause respiratory problems, reproductive issues and affect hormone levels. Some memory foam mattresses even contain benzene and naphthalene, which seem better suited to your car's gas tank than your respiratory system, as they are known cancer-causing chemicals. Small Children Avoid buying a memory foam mattress for infants, toddlers and growing children. Because children can sink deeply into the bed, it becomes easy for them to suffocate, especially if they are too small to turn over. Memory foam mattresses and even organic latex beds form-fit the body; with time and repeated use, this pattern becomes worn into the mattress and fails to support the body appropriately.
Children continue to need proper support for their spines as they grow, better served by other mattress options. Hot in Bed Being hot in bed may sound like a desirable characteristic, but it does not mean what you think. Memory foam mattresses retain body heat, making the bed an extremely warm place at night. The only way you can adjust the heat is to add a mattress pad with cooling features and temperature controls. Or you throw off the covers, only to awaken when you get cold from the night air. If you toss and turn because of being too hot, well -- you just do not get a good night's rest, which is important for cell rejuvenation and repair, and healing. Landfill Fill-up Memory foam mattresses do not last forever; most have 10- to 20-year lifespans before they wear out. Disposing of them becomes problematic because the chemicals in them just do not magically go away when you toss out the mattress; they remain ticking environmental bombs. Chemically toxic to the environment, these chemicals might eventually find their way into our rivers, lakes and streams, harming water supplies, plant and wildlife.