Asbestos Exposure Symptoms Related Illness

2009-01-20T03:16:00.000-08:00

There are more than a few diseases caused by exposure to asbestos in humans. Asbestos Exposure Symptoms vary between the diseases, but are generally respiratory and chronic, and become worse over long periods of time. Read on to find out more about the Asbestos Exposure Symptoms.

Asbestos is found in almost every town in the country, and the places and manners it has been used are countless. The material appeared to meet many different needs before the dangers were known, and, as such, it appeared in over 300 consumer products, as well as in job sites, transportation vehicles, housing and construction.

The biggest risk factor to mesothelioma is past exposure to asbestos. Around 80% of mesothelioma patients have been previously exposed to asbestos. This is the reason why some people alternatively call mesothelioma asbestos cancer. There could be a lot of ways in which exposure may happen. One of the most common ways however is through work situations. Employees who work for companies that use asbestos are the most at risk of developing mesothelioma.

In some cases though, there are also patients who claim that they never have been exposed. There may therefore be some other risk factors involved. There are also a number of patients who may not exactly recall when and where they were exposed to asbestos. This is especially true for people who have indirect asbestos contact. The fibers of asbestos for example can be inhaled or ingested from objects like the clothes of people working with asbestos.

It is almost impossible to claim that any individual has never been exposed to asbestos, and it still appears in many households in some form or another.(For the most part, it is safe if sealed and intact.) However, as an overview of some of the more commonly utilized locations for this “miracle mineral” (as dubbed by its discoverers, the early Greeks), asbestos exposure has been found in, but not limited.

Asbestos Exposure Symptoms related illness

After asbestos exposure, symptoms can take 10 to 50 years to show. According to the National Cancer Institute,asbestos exposure symptoms related illnesses include:

· Shortness of breath

· A cough or a change in cough pattern

· Blood in the fluid coughed up from the lungs

· Pain in the chest or abdomen

· Difficulty in swallowing

· Prolonged hoarseness

· Significant weight loss

Who is at risk?

Anyone can be exposed to asbestos. It is in the materials our homes and schools were built with. It is in many common household items. Due to its heat and fire resistance, it is use more heavily in certain industries.

Reduce The Risk of Asbestos Exposure Symptoms at Home

2009-01-19T03:38:00.000-08:00

Are you experiencing asbestos exposure symptoms and need to know if you have an asbestos law suit? In a recent report that was specified by the CDC, there were over 1,400 people that died as a direct result of asbestos exposure every year. For the reporting period between the years of 1968 to 2002, there has been a dramatic increase in the mortality rates from asbestos exposure. Though asbestos is now highly controlled in manufacturing, there is an increasing trend in asbestos related fatalities that does not come into view to be slowing

Asbestos exposure symptoms are now widely recognized among those who work with asbestos; however, people who work with asbestos materials on a regular basis are not the only ones in danger. Family members of asbestos workers have also suffered asbestos exposure symptoms when they inhaled asbestos fibers brought home on the clothing of an asbestos worker. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) now regulates asbestos exposure in workplaces, which helps protect workers and their family members.

In addition to asbestos fibers brought home on the clothing of workers, asbestos-containing materials in homes may also contribute to asbestos exposure symptoms among those who do not work with the materials on a regular basis. If asbestos materials in the home are disturbed, they may release fibers into the air and anybody in the family may be at risk. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends leaving asbestos-containing materials alone if they are in good condition to decrease the danger of exposure. If the material is damaged, the EPA recommends hiring a professional to repair or remove it to protect your family from asbestos exposure symptoms.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATDSR) recommends the following steps to help reduce the risk of asbestos exposure symptoms at home:

Wash your hands and face regularly, especially before meals, to remove possible asbestos fibers
Regularly clean up dust and soil brought into your home-it may contain asbestos fibers
Use door mats to catch soil and remove shoes before entering the house so as not to track dirt possibly containing fibers into the house
Plant grass and shrubs in bare areas of the yard to limit soil being brought into the home

The worker that are at the greatest risk are people that work in construction, shipbuilding, mining and milling, automobile workers, fireman, demolition workers and people that work on or around substances which have a potential to release the fibers into the air when the materials are handled. Companies that expose their employees to asbestos containing products are required to follow stringent safety guidelines in order to ensure that the safety of the workers is met.