Health Risks
Exposure to asbestos can lead to three different diseases. Asbestosis which is scaring of the lung tissue, lung cancer of the inner lungs or outer lining of the lungs and mesothelioma which is cancer that causes fluid buildup in the lungs or abdomen.
Asbestosis is noncancerous but can cause shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, chronic cough and exhaustion from minimal psychical excretion.
Symptoms of asbestos related lung cancer are a dry irritating cough, an increase in sputum production, blood mixed with sputum, chest pain and lung infection.
Symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath, chest pain, tightness in the chest, persistent cough, weight loss, fatigue, swelling, weight loss, nausea, obstructed bowels, anemia, fever and/or night sweats.
What is asbestos?
Asbestos is a generic term which refers to any of six fibrous minerals which have been used in commercial products. Asbestos has been used in many products including, but not limited to, building material particularly roofing and tile products, coatings and adhesives, insulation particularly in ship building, brake and transmission parts and crayons. These are just a few of the many products that have or still contain asbestos.
Who is at risks of exposure to asbestos?
Asbestos has been used in commercial products since the late 1800’s and is still being used, although under strict governmental regulation. Thirty to fifty years ago, exposure risk to asbestos would have been in the mining of asbestos and the manufacturing of asbestos containing products, as well as, construction trades, ship building and boiler mechanics, and often surprising, family members of these individuals. Today risks are highest for anyone working in the manufacturing of products containing asbestos, asbestos abatement workers, construction trades and workers in the ship salvage industries.
Exposure to asbestos symptoms.
There are no immediate effects or signs after exposure to asbestos. Diseases caused from asbestos exposure have a very long latency period. Latency is the length of time after exposure until symptoms become apparent. The latency period for diseases caused from asbestos exposure can be fifteen to thirty years or more. Asbestos exposure symptoms actually refer to the symptoms of a specific disease caused by prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers.