When considering symptoms of Silver poisoning, it is also important to consider Silver poisoning as a possible cause of other medical conditions. There have been rare cases of argyria caused by silver-coated acupuncture needles, silver earrings, and dental pieces. Sign Up to Receive Our Free Coroanvirus Newsletter, Silver nitrate used to treat gum bleeding and, Silver acetate used in lozenges and other products to help, Colloidal silver protein used in eyedrops. Makers of these products may claim they boost your immune system and can treat cancer, HIV and AIDS, shingles, herpes, and eye problems, but scientific research doesnât support that. by A. Napier. Generalized argyria affects large areas over much of the visible surface of the body. But in real life, can people actually have that skin color? If you work in silver mining, processing, or manufacturing, or another field that brings you into regular contact with silver, you may breathe in silver particles or they may become lodged in your skin, causing argyria. Although research is still not definitive, the literature has suggested that argyria can cause a decrement in kidney function. If blood poisoning is left untreated it can become so severe that it starts to interfere with the body’s organs and, in the most severe cases can lead to septic shock where blood pressure falls to dangerously low levels and the organs start to shut down. Luckily, those medicines arenât used as much as they used to be. Silver is capable of causing you serious health problems and toxicity of silver is becoming wide-spread through its numerous uses in society. Paul Karason was born a fair-skinned, freckled boy with reddish blond hair. d).[4]. Argyria worsens and builds up as exposure to silver continues, and does not resolve once exposure stops. He began using silver as a form of … Silver even seems to drain a vampire's strength besides binding them. Laser therapy may also help treat argyria. Symptoms of Silver poisoning Tell your doctor about any medications, dietary supplements, or treatments youâve used that contain silver, and any other exposure to silver. This discoloration happens when the body comes into contact with excessive amounts … People often wonder is silver a toxic heavy metal, while silver is not classed as a “heavy metal” it is a metal and yes you can become toxic from it. As it piles up more and more, any tissue it touches will get dyed. Some drugs. Since at least the mid-19th century, doctors have known that silver or silver compounds can cause some areas of the skin and other body tissues to turn grey or blue-grey. People who work with silver for a long time can get argyria. It consists of tiny silver particles in a liquid. The entire story as presented is a study in blatant misrepresentation. Pictures and symptoms of the red, scaly rash. Skin color changes due to silver poisoning are permanent. Excessive dilation of blood vessels can lead to a dangerous drop in blood pressure. Their body will burn … Over months to years, this can result in a blue-gray discoloration of your skin, eyes, internal organs, nails and gums. Silver has no known benefits when swallowed and isnât essential to the human body. Bill Comptonwas securely bound using only necklace-size silver chains laid across his neck, arms and legs. In the past, some of these workers have become argyric. This causes the skin to turn a gray or bluish gray color. May be downloaded from, United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://archive.org/details/ahandbookphysic02guttgoog, https://archive.org/details/apracticaltreat00foxgoog, "Internet Sensation 'Papa Smurf' Dies, Other Blue People Live On", "Woman who turned silver warns of dangers of internet medicines", "Systemic Argyria Associated With Ingestion of Colloidal Silver. Symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon depend on the severity, frequency, and duration of the blood vessel spasm. The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Silver poisoning may cause: Blue nails; Hyperpigmentation The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) enforce a limit of 0.01 mg/m3 for metallic and soluble silver compounds. 1920. ", Chemistry behind the ‘blue man’ unlocked", Yemenite deaf-blind hypopigmentation syndrome, Reticular pigmented anomaly of the flexures, Inherited patterned lentiginosis in black persons, Eczematid-like purpura of Doucas and Kapetanakis, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Argyria&oldid=991734128, Articles containing Ancient Greek (to 1453)-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. The residue from eating silver from silver utensils would create this anti-bacterial effect and of course nobody knew it. [12], In 2007, press reports described Paul Karason, an American man whose entire skin gradually turned blue after he took a homemade silver chloride colloid and used a silver salve on his face in an attempt to treat problems with his sinus, dermatitis, acid reflux and other issues. Local argyria shows in limited regions of the body, such as patches of skin, parts of the mucous membrane or the conjunctiva. Your skin may start to turn slate-gray, metallic, or blue-gray. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Silver poisoning is available below.. In fact, the blue blood vessels have nothing to do with pedigree, mostly due to silver poisoning caused by the heavy use of silverware. But later, he developed skin with a bluish tinge against his shock of white hair, the result of a rare medical syndrome known as argyria or silver poisoning from dietary supplements. The skin discoloration that argyria causes wonât go away. Itâs possible that some peopleâs genes make them more likely to get argyria. [9][10] Argyria occurs in people who ingest or inhale silver in large quantities over a long period (several months to many years). Blood poisoning is a serious infection. He promoted the use of colloidal silver as a home remedy. Silver is a rare but naturally occurring element. Karason's blue skin is the result of a rare medical syndrome known as argyria, or silver poisoning. Argyria is caused by the ingestion of silver… [13][14] At the time of the reports, Karason maintained his belief in silver's effectiveness and continued to take it, albeit in smaller doses. Argyria is a rare condition that causes the skin to turn blue or gray. If your doctor thinks you may have argyria, youâll get a physical exam and answer questions about your history and medications. It may take the form of generalized argyria or local argyria. In the 1940s, they were overtaken by the use of pharmaceutical antibiotics, such as penicillin. D. Appleton and company NY. Occurring as a result of spasm of blood vessels, the cause is unknown. [15], Rosemary Jacobs is a prominent activist against alternative medicine. Some people's internal organs in their abdomen -- such as the spleen, liver, and intestines -- take on a bluish color, but you wouldnât know this unless you had surgery. This happens when your body has been overexposed to silver. When you swallow silver, it corrodes in your stomach acid and turns into silver salt, which can travel through your bloodstream and end up in your skin. However, the level of silver in the air and the length of exposure that caused argyria in these workers is not known. For this reason even as little as a single silver chain around the neck can temporarily subdue a vampire. If the amount of zinc or tin swallowed is low, recovery should occur within approximately 6 hours. Blood poisoning (also referred to as sepsis or septicemia) is a severe infection that is spread through the body via the blood stream. Heavy metal poisoning can affect males and females in equal numbers, depending on exposure. When exposed to sunlight, the silver salt turns back to silver and colors your skin blue. The fact is that Paul has a condition called argyria that turns the skin a blue-gray color. 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