How long does it take for symptoms of mercury poisoning to appear?

Symptoms of mercury poisoning typically appear within 5 to 20 minutes after exposure. Mercury poisoning causes significant dizziness and headaches; some individuals may also develop fever with body temperatures reaching up to 39°C, and in severe cases, it can lead to impaired consciousness or mental confusion. In the event of mercury poisoning, the first step is gastric lavage—preferably performed using warm boiled water or sodium bicarbonate solution. Afterwards, egg whites can be administered to help eliminate toxins from the body, which promotes recovery and helps alleviate symptoms of mercury poisoning. If clear symptoms are present, intramuscular injection of sodium dimercaptopropanesulfonate (DMPS) may be administered.