Nervous disorder
One of the most common diseases among the victims of Agent Orange is nervous related disease. A large number of Agent Orange victims suffer peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by the damage of the peripheral nervous system. Symptoms of peripheral neuropathy include numbness and pain. The pain usually starts with a tingling and stinging sensation in fingers or toes. Then the pain may spread to feet or hands and the pain gets worse by giving burning and throbbing sensation. Other symptoms of peripheral neuropathy are muscle weakness and loss of coordination or balance. If motor nerves that control how muscles move are damaged, the muscles become weak and this prevents the victims from doing physical activities and the loss of balance makes it difficult for the victims to walk. When this gets worse, the victims may me paralysed. Also, some people with peripheral neuropathy become very sensitive to the sense of touch. Some veterans who fought during the Vietnam War and victims of Agent Orange suffer Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig's Disease. The symptoms of Lou Gehrig's disease include weakness in feet or ankles, muscle cramps, twitching in arms and tongue, difficulty doing physical activities. However, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) presumes that there is no relationship between Lou Gehrig's Disease and Agent Orange exposure.
When the peripheral nervous system is damaged due to the exposure to toxin materials, several symptoms are shown. As mentioned above the damage of peripheral nervous system can cause peripheral neuropathy and Lou Gehrig's disease. In addition, it can be the cause of multiple sclerosis, continual headache and chronic amnesia. The exposure to Agent Orange can cause damage in a central nervous system. If a person's central nervous system is damaged, the person becomes very depressed and anxious. Also, one suffers cognitive disorder caused by the damage in the nervous system.
References:
"Public Health." Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/peripheral_neuropathy.asp>.
"Public Health." AL Amyloidosis and Agent Orange -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/al_amyloidosis.asp>.
"Peripheral Neuropathy." Symptoms. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/symptoms/con-20019948>.
Image:A photograph of two Agent Orange victims. Digital image. Agent Orange Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://vietnamartwork.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/boys.jpg>.
When the peripheral nervous system is damaged due to the exposure to toxin materials, several symptoms are shown. As mentioned above the damage of peripheral nervous system can cause peripheral neuropathy and Lou Gehrig's disease. In addition, it can be the cause of multiple sclerosis, continual headache and chronic amnesia. The exposure to Agent Orange can cause damage in a central nervous system. If a person's central nervous system is damaged, the person becomes very depressed and anxious. Also, one suffers cognitive disorder caused by the damage in the nervous system.
References:
"Public Health." Peripheral Neuropathy and Agent Orange -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/peripheral_neuropathy.asp>.
"Public Health." AL Amyloidosis and Agent Orange -. U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.publichealth.va.gov/exposures/agentorange/conditions/al_amyloidosis.asp>.
"Peripheral Neuropathy." Symptoms. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/peripheral-neuropathy/basics/symptoms/con-20019948>.
Image:A photograph of two Agent Orange victims. Digital image. Agent Orange Effect. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 July 2014. <http://vietnamartwork.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/boys.jpg>.