Description

The symptoms of ingested cadmium poisoning are:

• increased salivation
• choking
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• anemia
• painful spasms of the anal sphincter

When cadmium dust or powder is inhaled, the first symptoms are a sweet or metallic taste, followed by throat irritation. Other symptoms that may appear in three to five hours include:

• dry throat
• cough
• headache
• vomiting
• chest pain
• pulmonary edema, a congestive lung condition
• bronchospasm, the abnormal tightening of airways that may be accompanied by wheezing and coughing
• pneumonitis, inflammation of the lung
• muscle weakness
• leg pain

When a person has exposure to cadmium in low doses over a long period of time, symptoms may include loss of sense of smell, cough, shortness of breath, weight loss, and tooth staining. Chronic cadmium exposure may cause damage to the liver and kidneys.