|
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is an insulating material that is heat and fire resistant. In the past, asbestos was used widely in the
So most cases of mesothelioma occur in men who have worked in manufacturing using asbestos or used asbestos products, particularly in construction or engineering. The use of asbestos was very heavy in the years after the war (after 1945). Mesothelioma may not develop until 15 - 40 years after you have been exposed to asbestos, which is why we are seeing an increase in cases now. The number of cases is expected to peak around 2020 and then start to decline.
There are three main types of asbestos: blue, brown and white. Blue and brown asbestos are strongly linked with mesothelioma. They have been banned since the late 1980's and cannot be imported into the UK. White asbestos is now also thought to be harmful. The use of all asbestos was banned in 1999 in the UK.
Asbestos Symptoms
Asbestos symptoms are indicators of the serious adverse health problems that are caused by dangerous levels of asbestos exposure . Over one million people are exposed to the dangerous of asbestos exposure every year in the work place and should be aware of asbestos symptoms that may indicate serious underlying health problems. People who work, or have worked, in the shipyard, factory, railroad, construction, automobile, and building industries in the last 60 years may be susceptible to developing asbestos symptoms.
Most deadly diseases that are caused by asbestos exposure lie dormant for years, so it is possible to suffer from the ill effects of asbestos disease without any noticeable asbestos symptoms. Because of disease latency, asbestos symptoms might appear years - even decades - after initial asbestos exposure.
Types of Asbestos Symptoms
The types of asbestos symptoms an individual experiences generally depends on the asbestos-related disease that has been developed. There are various types of asbestos-related conditions . The most common include asbestosis and mesothelioma . Asbestosis is a non-cancerous progressive disease that may lack asbestos symptoms for 15 to 30 years. Asbestosis causes scar tissue to build up in the lower half of the lungs, which impedes normal lung functioning. Asbestos symptoms of this disease might include:
-
Shortness of breath
-
Chronic cough
-
Chest pain
-
Difficulty breathing
Malignant mesothelioma may lack any noticeable asbestos symptoms for up to fifty years. This cancer primarily affects the pleural lining of the lungs and the peritoneal lining of the organs in the abdominal cavity. It may also affect the pericardial lining of the heart. Depending on the type of mesothelioma, symptoms may include:
If you have been exposed to asbestos and are experiencing any of these or related asbestos symptoms, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. If you have developed an asbestos-related disease as a result of asbestos exposure, you may be eligible to file a claim to recover your losses.
How does asbestos cause mesothelioma?
Asbestos is made up of tiny fibres. You can breathe these fibres in when you come into contact with asbestos. The fibres work their way into the pleura, lining the lung. They irritate the pleura and damage the cells that the pleura are made of. Some of the fibres that have been breathed in can be coughed up and swallowed. This is probably the cause of peritoneal mesothelioma.If you have been exposed to asbestos, your family may also have been exposed. Asbestos fibres can be carried home on your clothes. Research studies have confirmed that the family of people exposed to asbestos also have a higher risk of developing mesothelioma.
Asbestos in the environment
Low levels of asbestos are in the air we breathe and some of the water we drink, including water from natural sources. Studies have shown that members of the general (nonoccupationally exposed) population have tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of asbestos fibers in each gram of dry lung tissue, which translates into millions of fibers and tens of thousands of asbestos bodies in every person's lungs.The EPA has proposed a concentration limit of 7 million fibers per liter of drinking water for long fibers (lengths greater than or equal to 5 µm). OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has set limits of 100,000 fibers with lengths greater than or equal to 5 µm per cubic meter of workplace air for 8-hour shifts and 40-hour work weeks.
EWG Action Fund estimates that in the United States, about 10,000 people die each year of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma, asbestosis, lung cancer, and gastrointestinal cancer.
Other asbestos-related diseases
asbestos warts – caused when the sharp fibers lodge in the skin and are overgrown causing begin callus-like growths.
pleural plaques – discrete fibrous or partially calcified thickened area which can be seen on X-rays of individuals exposed to asbestos. They do not become malignant or cause other lung impairment.
diffuse pleural thickening – similar to above and can sometimes be associated with asbestosis. Usually no symptoms shown but if extensive can cause lung impairment. |
Fresh and Informative General Knowledge Articles
Knowledge Diary Home
| 
Sign Up as Writer | 
Glossary | 
Contact Us 
Asbestos:About asbestos, Symptoms and Diseases caused by it.
File Attachments
User Comments 
Related Questions 
Search Knowledge Base