ASBESTOS - MESOTHELIOMA

Asbestos is a naturally occurring group of minerals that can only be identified under a microscope. There are several types of these flexible, fire-resistant fibres. Asbestos was used to strengthen products, as well as provide heat insulation and fire-resistance qualities to those products.

PRODUCTS CONTAINING ASBESTOS

More than 3,000 products used today contain asbestos. Many of those products are materials used in: flooring; fireproofing; roofing; heat insulation; and acoustics insulation. Some of the common products which contain asbestos include: building insulation; wall and ceiling panels; carpet underlays; toasters and other household appliances; floor tiles; hairdryers; pot holders and ironing board pads; electrical wires; furnaces; brake pads and linings; pipe and duct insulation; textured paints; cements; artificial fireplaces and materials; patching and spackling compounds; furnace door gaskets.

In most products, asbestos is combined with a binding material so that it cannot be easily released into the air. For it is when asbestos gets released into the air, that the problems occur. Because once asbestos becomes airborne, it can be inhaled. And once inhaled, asbestos can remain in the lungs for a long period of time, producing the risk for severe health problems that do not show up until many years (even decades) later.

There have been laws banning the use of asbestos in some products, so just because you have some of the aforementioned products in your house, doesn’t mean that you are currently being exposed to asbestos. But, since asbestos can stay in the lungs for such a long period time, you may have been exposed to asbestos as far back as the 1970s, and just now be experiencing the medical problems that can be caused by asbestos exposure.

COMMON MEDICAL PROBLEMS

Asbestosis is a scarring of the lungs that leads to breathing problems and heart failure. Symptoms of asbestosis can show up many years after asbestos exposure has ended. Manifestations rarely occur less than 10 years following the first exposure and are more common after 20 or more years.

Those who have the highest risk of contracting asbestosis are workers who have manufactured or used asbestos products. Examples include mechanics; construction workers; shipyard workers; and electricians.

A study in Finland showed that construction workers who worked for 10 years with asbestos products and shipyard workers who worked one year with asbestos products, that 22% of those two groups of workers showed signs of asbestosis development.

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer of the lining of the chest and the lining of the abdomen. It is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibres. The most common victims of mesothelioma are workers who have worked on jobs, where they have breathed asbestos.

Other victims of mesothelioma are people who have been exposed to asbestos in a household environment without even knowing it. For if someone is exposed to asbestos for as little as a month that exposure can lead to the development of mesothelioma. And, they may develop mesothelioma 30 or more years after their exposure to asbestos.

Exposure to asbestos has also been linked to cancer of the stomach, rectum, and intestines, as well. If you or someone in your family is currently being treated for asbestosis or mesothelioma, the foremost concern is medical treatment. But you should also consult an attorney in your area and let him/her review your situation as well.