8 HARMFUL IMPACTS OF ASBESTOS EXPOSURE

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In the 20th century, home-building materials used asbestos, a dangerous substance that’s now known to cause several life-threatening conditions. It was found in wall insulation, vinyl floor tiles, roofing shingles, and soundproofing materials, silently poisoning the air around unsuspecting inhabitants. Breathing this asbestos-infested air caused its small fibers to get trapped inside one’s lungs and cause irritation.

Even though asbestos mining is banned in the U.S. today, around 30 million homes still have it, and even some children’s toys and cosmetic products contain small but dangerous traces of these fibers. So, let’s discuss the harmful impact of long-term asbestos exposure. It can lead to any of these diseases.

  1. Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is arguably the most common disease caused by prolonged asbestos exposure. It takes the life of 2,500 to 3,000 Americans every year, mainly because mesothelioma manifests itself several decades after the initial exposure. This disease affects the tissue membrane surrounding your body’s internal organs, such as the lungs, abdomen, or heart, growing mainly along the surface.

You can recognize the onset of mesothelioma by some of its obvious signs, such as:

  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Appetite loss
  • Fluid buildup in your chest
  • Breathing difficulties this buildup will cause

There are many different types of mesothelioma, such as pleural, peritoneal, and pericardial. When it occurs in your lungs and chest wall, it’s described as pleural mesothelioma, which is also the most common form of this ailment, accounting for at least 80% of all mesothelioma diagnoses in the US. 

  1. COPD

Some 16 million Americans have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which isn’t a single disease as the name implies but a group of respiratory ailments. However, this disease leads to lung inflammation, blocking the patient’s airflow passage and making it difficult to breathe. Even though asbestos exposure doesn’t directly cause COPD, it makes you more susceptible to developing it.

As COPD weakens your lungs, you may fall victim to some other diseases on this list, too. That’s why it’s common for COPD patients to develop mesothelioma. Since COPD-caused lung damage can’t be reversed, it’s important to stay away from asbestos and have your house inspected frequently.

  1. Asbestosis

Data shows that asbestosis causes 1,500 deaths annually in America online. Known as the second-most famous asbestos-related disease, it’s described as the scarring of your lung tissues. Inhaling a dangerous amount of asbestos fibers over a long time leads to scar-like tissues (pulmonary fibrosis) appearing in your lungs, causing breathing difficulties that will worsen with aging.

Dry cough, chest pain, weight loss, and shortness of breath are some symptoms of asbestosis. Like mesothelioma, this disease can manifest after initial asbestos exposure, forcing many patients to take legal action against their neglectful employers. 

  1. Lung Cancer

You may have heard that 1 in 16 U.S. citizens will develop lung cancer in their lives. But did you know that smoking isn’t the only cause of this awful disease? In some cases, prolonged asbestos exposure is also responsible for lung cancer due to this harmful fiber’s dangerous impact on your respiratory system. Patients who have lung cancer due to asbestos exposure can also seek legal aid.

Bear in mind that, like many asbestos-caused diseases, lung cancer also appears many decades after the initial exposure. 

  1. Ovarian Cancer

Besides lung cancer, prolonged asbestos exposure potentially increases your chances of developing ovarian cancer. Like all forms of cancer, it’s an uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in your body, this time in the patient’s ovary and fallopian tube. Some common symptoms of this condition are: 

  • Nausea
  • Indigestion
  • Constipation
  • Abdominal pain
  • Frequent urination

So, what exactly is the connection between asbestos exposure and ovarian cancer? Scientists aren’t sure, and there’s an ongoing debate on this topic. However, it’s proposed that chronic inflammation caused by asbestos fibers puts pressure on the tissues and forces healthy cells to mutate.

That’s why women exposed to asbestos fibers are 75% more likely to develop ovarian cancer. 

  1. Laryngeal Cancer

Long-term asbestos exposure isn’t just unhealthy for your lungs; it’s bad for your larynx (voice box) as well. While it’s customarily observed in chain smokers and tobacco users, inhaling asbestos fibers will make you 40% more likely to get diagnosed with throat cancer.

Some symptoms of this form of cancer are pretty obvious. For instance, the patient’s voice may get hoarser, they have trouble swallowing, and a lump can appear in their neck. A persistent sore throat or earache can also indicate laryngeal cancer in some cases. 

  1. Gastrointestinal Cancer

Another form of cancer that affects your digestive tract and relevant organs. So, it can develop in the patient’s esophagus, stomach, A1 Colonics QLD, and rectum, affecting the entire GI tract. That’s why the signs of GI cancer are quite diverse, including nausea, bleeding, abdominal discomfort, and others.

Now, we don’t know for sure how asbestos exposure can lead to GI tract cancer. The jury’s still out on this issue. But we do know that, as per modern studies, asbestos fibers are some of the leading factors responsible for this gastrointestinal cancer. So, it’s rightfully one of the many harmful effects of asbestos exposure. 

  1. Pleural Effusion

We’ve already discussed pleural effusion before as a symptom of mesothelioma. Asbestos exposure affects your body in different ways, but its common symptoms can be seen in the pleura, which is a two-layered membrane covering your lungs and helping them function properly.

Asbestos fibers can thicken this membrane, creating pleural plaques. A hardened pleura doesn’t help lungs contract and expand that easily, leading to breathing difficulties in patients.

Also, fluids can accumulate in the space around your lungs, making breathing even harder.

Conclusion

This article explains the harmful impacts of asbestos exposure and the diseases it can cause. Asbestos-caused diseases include different forms of cancer, asbestosis, and mesothelioma. So, check your house for asbestos. Seek both medical help and legal assistance if you or your loved ones are diagnosed with any of these diseases. You may claim compensation for asbestos exposure as well.

Contact asbestos attorneys to find out if someone else’s negligence is responsible for your diagnosis.