Calling the ambulance, left arm completely numb, John breaks out into a cold sweat. His blood pressure, left unchecked for years, climaxed, leading to his heart’s downfall. Drinking lead contaminated water for years, John nearly lost his life.
Signs of Lead
Lead, by the human senses, is undetectable. Unless you get your water tested or you get detailed blood work done, you can drink lead ignorantly. Is that a big deal?
The Dangers of Lead
Depending on your age and sex the symptoms can vary. If you are an adult, lead can produce cardiovascular, muscular, and reproductive symptoms. Polluting your blood, lead collects in your arteries, straining your heart. People with high concentrations of lead tend to experience pain in their muscles and joints. Men who are contaminated with lead may have an abnormally small amount of sperm. Pregnant women, if the lead concentration is high enough, may experience a stillbirth.
However, children are much more sensitive to lead than adults are. Even if the amount of lead in your water isn’t enough to harm you, it could still affect your children. Consuming lead, adolescents or fetuses can develop learning deficiencies. Fetuses that were exposed to lead may be dangerously underweight at birth. If your children are older, they could experience more common symptoms such as muscle pain, vomiting, fatigue, and mood swings. In extreme cases they could experience seizures, hearing loss, and a change in appetite. Children with lead poisoning have been known to crave nonedible substances such as paint chips, a condition known as pica.
How to Test for Lead?
If you are concerned for your family’s health, your worry can subside. A simple specialty water test would be enough to determine whether or not you have lead in your water.
What if I Have Lead?
A reverse osmosis water treatment system can decontaminate your water without breaking a sweat.
Martin Water Conditioning
We offer professional water tests and solutions for lead. If interested, check us out at martinwater.com. We would love to serve you!