EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ASBESTOS AND ITS HEALTH IMPACTS
This comprehensive guide has everything you need to know about asbestos exposure. Asbestos, a group of naturally occurring, fireproof, chemical-resistant minerals, was used in many industries across the United States for better insulation. However, asbestos fibers are very small and can easily be inhaled or ingested. Once inside the body, the fibers can lodge in the lungs or other organs, where they can cause inflammation and scarring.
Let’s discuss the health implications of asbestos, the exposure symptoms, and how to mitigate the risks. This guide will also discuss the legal aspects of asbestos exposure.
Asbestos exposure results
Despite its industrial applications, asbestos poses serious risks to human health. Long-term exposure to these fibers can lead to any of the several chronic ailments explained below. The symptoms of these diseases may not appear for decades after asbestos exposure.
- Asbestosis
- Lung cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Ovarian cancer
- Laryngeal cancer
Mesothelioma affects around 3,000 Americans yearly and significantly reduces a patient’s lifespan. It is most common in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, New York, and Texas. Data shows that Florida alone saw almost 4,900 mesothelioma cases between 1999 and 2019, an alarming situation for the residents. Luckily, there’s one way Flordia people can seek justice and compensation for asbestos exposure.
If you believe that your employer, the U.S. Navy, or asbestos-manufacturing companies are responsible for your mesothelioma, consider taking legal action. Contact a Florida mesothelioma lawyer to examine your case, prove the other party’s liability, and win you sizeable compensation for your sufferings. You can use this compensation amount for expensive mesothelioma treatment and a better quality of life.
How much asbestos is harmful?
Unfortunately, no amount of asbestos is considered safe. Even small dosages of this fiber cause cancer as well as different other diseases. Even asbestos workers must be extra careful about not bringing this dangerous substance home. Since asbestos fibers are too small to see, feel, or taste, you won’t realize if you inhale them. That’s why you should treat all sorts of asbestos exposure as toxic.
But certain risk factors increase your vulnerability to asbestos, such as the following:
- Your general state of health affects your susceptibility
- How much asbestos have you inhaled, and for how long?
- Did you inhale asbestos fiber, ingest them, or drink them?
Causes of asbestos exposure
Since the 19th century, asbestos has been mined and used in different products nationwide. After WWII, asbestos became an integral manufacturing substance in different industries. Even today, small traces of this harmful substance are found in everyday items. From children’s toys and crayons to some popular cosmetic products – we’re surrounded by different sources of asbestos exposure.
For instance, a study once showed that 14% of talc-containing makeup items also had asbestos. You have to learn about these different sources of asbestos all around you to safeguard your family against this harmful substance. Some major causes of asbestos exposure in patients include:
- Shingles on your roof
- Electrical wires casing
- Soundproofing material
- Floor tiles and adhesives
- Insulation around your pipe
- Artificial ashes used in fireplaces
- Textured coatings like popcorn ceiling
Symptoms of asbestos exposure
Bear in mind that symptoms may vary based on the type or stage of the patient’s mesothelioma. Mesothelioma has four types: it can occur in the lining of the lungs (pleural), the lining of the abdomen (peritoneal), and the lining of the heart (pericardial). Similarly, some of these symptoms aren’t even exclusive to mesothelioma. So, don’t try to self-diagnose yourself with mesothelioma.
If you experience these symptoms persistently, go to your healthcare provider for a proper diagnosis.
- Fatigue
- Chronic cough
- Loss of appetite
- Sudden weight loss
- Shortness of breath
- Persistent chest pain
- Fluid buildup in your chest
- Trouble swallowing your food
- Generalized muscle weakness
- Your voice is getting more hoarse
Treatment of asbestos exposure
Even though mesothelioma is incurable, getting an early diagnosis improves your longevity and bolsters your quality of life. Here’s how mesothelioma treatment goes:
- Diagnosis: Discuss your symptoms and work history with the doctor. They usually recommend a pulmonary function test to ensure the patient has mesothelioma. A chest x-ray shows them how asbestos exposure has affected your lungs.
- Survival rate: A mesothelioma patient’s 5-year survival rate depends on the cancer’s location. For instance, localized malignant pleural mesothelioma patients have a 24% 5-year survival rate. However, this rate will decrease to 16% and 7% in regional and distant mesothelioma patients.
- Treatment: Then, the medical expert will create a personalized treatment plan to improve your quality of life. It includes radiation or surgery if you have lung cancer and oxygen therapy to treat breathing problems.
Getting rid of asbestos in your home
Even though the EPA restricted the making of some asbestos-containing products in 1989, there’s no complete ban on this material in the United States. As the last asbestos mine in the country closed in the early 2000s, we now flow in hundreds of tons of asbestos from Brazil to benefit some major chemical companies. Moreover, just 7% of U.S. homes have been tested for asbestos, making the residents more at risk from this harmful substance. So, here’s how you can get rid of asbestos from your home:
- Learn about the regulations partially banning asbestos.
- If your home was built before 1989, get it tested for asbestos.
- Don’t disturb asbestos-containing materials on your own when renovating the house.
- Call asbestos abatement professionals to remove this material safely from your dwelling.
Conclusion
If you’re curious about asbestos and the serious health risks associated with exposure, you’ve come to the right place. This guide explains the causes, symptoms, and treatment of asbestos exposure while also explaining how to take legal action against a company responsible for your asbestos exposure.
So, read the guidelines carefully and hire accomplished mesothelioma lawyers to look into your case.
