Chelation therapy side effects

This type of therapy is used when there is a need for body detoxification. The name comes from certain chemical compounds called chelating agents which are used in the process. There are two ways it can be administrated into the body, through injections into the blood or muscles and orally. In most cases side effects caused by this therapy are not dangerous but there are some which can be serious and even fatal.

Uses of chelation therapy

The need for this therapy arises when there is too much of some heavy metal in the body. Since these metals are useless, there is a chance that they might cause some damage if they remain in the system for too long. They usually cause damage to certain organs but in some cases they have even damaged the brain. There are a couple of types of heavy metal poisonings when a person needs to go on this type of therapy.

Lead poisoning is one of the reasons why a person will need chelation therapy. People who are involved in soldering, welding and smelting and also children who live in old houses are the ones who are exposed to lead poisoning the most.

People who work on the making of batteries or thermometers, tannery workers and dental workers are the ones who have the best chance of ending up with mercury poisoning.

Arsenic poisoning is another reason why a person might need this type of therapy. A person can get poisoned through many insecticides, herbicides and rodent poisons. Some other elements like copper, zinc and nickel can cause arsenic poisoning if they end up in a person's body.

Side effects of chelation therapy

One of the most common side effects of chelation therapy is a burning sensation at the place where the chemical was injected. However, there is nothing to worry about with this side effect since it will go away on its own.

People who have high blood pressure tend to faint when they are given this therapy because it lowers the blood pressure. A person just needs to lie down for a while and keep his or her legs elevated.

A person who takes this therapy very often will have problems with joint pain. A person just needs to tell this to his or her therapist and he or she will lessen the dosage.

Fatigue occurs when there is not enough zinc and potassium in a person's system, because this therapy removes them. A person will need to make sure that he or she intakes enough foods rich with these minerals in order to avoid fatigue in the future.

These were all minor side effects. Some of the more serious ones include cardiac arrhythmia, low blood cell count, kidney failure, respiratory arrest and a few more. When a person experiences one of these he or she just needs to change the diet a little bit and intake nutritional supplements. Side effects like skin irritation, stomachache, fever and muscle cramps do not occur so often.