Use of a folk remedy or alternative therapy can result in lead poisoning.
Folk medicines known to have problems with lead poisoning:
(1) Chinese
(2) Indian Ayurvedic
(3) Latin America (azarcon, greta)
Source of lead:
(1) intentional addition of lead compound
(2) growth of a plant in lead-contaminated soil
Other sources of lead:
(1) cosmetics or creams
(2) ceramics with lead glaze
In the past most affected patients in the United States were immigrants, but anyone can buy a potentially contaminated product over the Internet.
A patient with lead poisoning from a folk medicine should be screened for other heavy metals such as mercury.
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Specialty: Emergency Medicine, Toxicology
