Healthwise
To print: Use your web browser's print feature. Close this window after printing.

Radiation Exposure: Risks and Health Effects

Table of Contents


Overview

What is radiation?

Radiation is energy that travels as a wave or particle. Some types of radiation can be harmful. This is called ionizing radiation. Radioactivity is ionizing radiation that is given off by things like uranium as they decay.

About half of the ionizing radiation we're exposed to comes from nature. It's in rock, soil, and the air. The other half comes from man-made sources like medical tests, treatments, and nuclear power plants.

What are the risks of being exposed to radiation?

There is always a risk of damage to cells or tissue from being exposed to any amount of ionizing radiation. Over time, radiation exposure may cause cancer and other health problems. But the risk of this happening is small.

The chance of getting cancer from radiation exposure varies from person to person. It depends on the source and amount of radiation exposure, the number of exposures over time, and your age at exposure. In general, the younger you are when you are exposed to radiation, the greater the risk of cancer.

For example:

Exposure to small amounts of radiation doesn't cause any symptoms. But exposure to large amounts all at once may cause radiation sickness and death.

What are the kinds of radiation exposure?

Some sources of radiation give off larger amounts than others. For example, when you go through a full-body airport scanner, you're exposed to very small amounts of radiation. But if you live near the site of a nuclear accident, you're exposed to large amounts of radiation.

You may be exposed to more radiation than other people if you:

To understand more about radiation exposure, you may find it helpful to compare some common sources of radiation to a standard dose from a chest X-ray. A chest X-ray gives off very small amounts of radiation.

For example:

What can you do to protect yourself?

You can't avoid radiation that occurs around you in nature. But there are some things you can do to reduce how much you get from man-made sources.


References

Citations

  1. National Cancer Institute (2012). Radiation risks and pediatric computed tomography (CT): A guide for health care providers. Available online: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes/radiation/radiation-risks-pediatric-CT.

Credits for Radiation Exposure: Risks and Health Effects

Current as of: October 24, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


Note: The "printer friendly" document will not contain all the information available in the online document. Some information (e.g. cross-references to other topics, definitions or medical illustrations) is only available in the online version.

© 1995-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.