How Asbestos Effects the Body

Asbestos is a mineral that's been widely used in construction, insulation and fire prevention because of its excellent durability and fire resistance properties. However, several decades ago alarming medical reports were released indicating a powerful link between asbestos exposure and various lung illnesses, such as asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Keep reading to learn how asbestos affects the body, find the main symptoms of asbestos exposure, and review a few of the treatments for asbestos-related ailments.

Asbestosis

The reason asbestos is a superb construction and insulation material lies in the physical structure from the asbestos fibers. Asbestos consists of millions of microscopic fiber molecules which are short and very thin. While these properties help to make asbestos very durable, they also mean that the asbestos fibers may become airborne and inhaled by humans. Once in the actual lungs, the asbestos fibers might become logged inside the lungs or within the lining of the lung area.

If the asbestos fibers remain in the lung area, they often cause various changes, one of that is asbestosis disease. This condition causes the development of scarring in the lungs and the membranes surrounding the actual asbestos in the lungs. As a result, breathing becomes difficult, and also the body is deprived of oxygen. The main signs and symptoms of asbestosis are shortness of breath, coughing, as well as unspecific chest pain.

Lung Cancer

Exposure to asbestos has also been from the onset of lung cancer. This disease causes the growth of malignant tumors within the lungs. If the lung cancer is not identified early, it can spread (metastasize) towards the surrounding organs, eventually leading to death. However, when the lung cancer is detected at an early phase, several treatments can be administered to slow or halt the growth from the cancerous cells. Often, the most effective treatment methods combine chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical excision of the actual cancerous cells.

Pleural Mesothelioma

The most serious condition brought on by asbestos exposure is pleural mesothelioma cancer. Unlike lung most cancers, mesothelioma cancer affects the lining that surrounds the actual lungs. Sometimes, mesothelioma cancer can also develop within the lining of the stomach (peritoneal mesothelioma) or the liner of the heart (pericardial mesothelioma cancer). Regrettably, mesothelioma often does not produce any symptoms until it's reached an advanced stage. This is why most mesothelioma victims succumb for this condition within one year of their diagnosis. Nevertheless, new treatments are currently being developed to prolong the life span expectancy of mesothelioma patients and ultimately find relief from this debilitating condition.