By now you’ve probably heard the term asbestos and that it abestos exposure can be deadly. But what is it? Asbestos is the name given to a number of natural fibrous minerals that show high tensile strength, resistance to heat and chemicals. Because of this, asbestos has been used for years in the building and contruction industries in such things as:-
- Corrugated and flat sheeting and piping
- Roof coatings and felt
- Tiles and fences
- Car components like clutch facings, disc brake pads, brake linings and transmission components
- Paper, mill-board and roll-board
Exposure to airborne asbestos particles can result in serious health issues when a person breathes in or swallows the asbestos fibres. Continued exposure has been proven to have a significant impact on the lungs, with large quantities sticking to lung walls each time it is breathed in.
Fibres embedded in lung walls over time can cause serious lung diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, or mesothelioma. It has been found that smoking increases the chances of these diseases occurring following asbestos exposure.
Here’s some more information on the three major health effects associated with the breathing in of asbestos fibres:-
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term disease of the lungs. It is caused because inhaling asbestos fibres irritates lung tissue and over time causes that tissue to scar. In turn, that scarring makes it harder for oxygen to pass from the lungs into the blood stream.
Symptoms of asbestosis include shortness of breath and a dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling.
There is no effective way to treat this condition.
For more info see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestosis
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer results in the greatest number of deaths related to asbestos exposure. It is particularly common in those people who have worked in the manufacture of asbestos products, and those who worked with asbestos products.
The most common symptoms are coughing and a general change in breathing patterns. Some other common symptoms include shortness of breath, chest pains and anemia.
Further information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer
Mesothelioma
This is a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin membrane of the lungs, chest, abdomen and heart. Almost all cases of this disease have been linked to asbestos exposure. It is common for this disease not to show any signs until many years after exposure has occurred.
More information can be found at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma
As you can see, asbestos is a very dangerous thing and should be treated with the utmost respect. It is strongly recommended that you seek professional help to remove asbestos from your home to minimise the potential for these deadly diseases happening to your family.
If you are concerned about possible asbestos exposure consult a physician who specialises in lung diseases (pulmonologist).
