Signs of Asbestos Exposure

The group of natural mineral fibers that are known for their strength and resistance against fire and other chemicals are called asbestos. This is the reason it is used in many industrial uses that includes insulation, fire proofing, sound absorption, cement and plastics manufacturing, etc. Asbestos fibers are available in different colors like white, green, blue, gray, brown, etc. The commonly used asbestos fibers used in United States is the white colored chrysotile. Other commercially used asbestos fibers are crocidolite, amosite and anthophyllite. Asbestos dangers lie in the fibers breaking down into minute particles, too small to be seen by the naked human eye. They become airborne and are easily inhaled, leading to accumulation in the lungs. This can lead to many serious health implications. Therefore, it is very important that one should be aware of possible immediate signs of asbestos exposure. You can read all about the asbestos exposure symptoms, in the following paragraphs.

Asbestos Exposure Symptoms
Asbestos is a very harmful mineral fiber that can show no signs of exposure for up to 30 years. There are different symptoms of asbestos exposure that one may experience. You see the signs of asbestos exposure differ according to the different stages of one's life. Whenever the tiny fibers are inhaled, they remain there forever stuck in the lungs. When the asbestos exposure reaches a 'occupational level', one starts observing the different signs of asbestos exposure. Let us begin with the immediate signs of asbestos exposure and learn to detect it in the early stages.

Immediate Signs of Asbestos Exposure
There are many cancers and other health implications related to asbestos exposure. It is seen that there are no early signs of asbestos exposure that may help detect a possible inhalation case. The early signs of asbestos exposure do not come up 15 to 30 years after the first inhalation of these fibers. Most of the time, one does not notice any signs, till the cancer reaches a life-threatening stage. If you suspect asbestos exposure in the past, you should visit the doctor to diagnose any early signs of asbestos exposure. The asbestos exposure symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Dry, crackling sound while breathing
• Persistent, chronic cough
• Chest pain
• Weight loss
• Difficulty in swallowing
• Swelling on the face or neck
• Anemia
• Nausea
• Sudden fever
• Night sweats

Types of Asbestos Exposure
As mentioned above, there are different types of asbestos exposures, that depend on the related disease that develops within the body. The different types of asbestos health effects are:

• Lung cancer
• Asbestosis (scarring of the lung tissue)
• Mesothelioma asbestosis, (rare form of cancer of the chest and abdominal linings)
• Other cancers, that include larynx, oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract, and kidney
• Pleural plaques
• Small pleural effusions
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

The two most common forms of asbestos related conditions apart from lung cancer are asbestosis and malignant mesothelioma. Let's have a look at the symptoms of asbestos exposure, related to these two common conditions.

Signs of Asbestos Exposure Related to Asbestosis
The signs and symptoms of asbestosis are as follows:

• Shortness of breath
• Chronic cough
• Chest pain
• Difficulty breathing
• Difficulty with physical exertion

Signs of Asbestos Exposure Related to Mesothelioma
Malignant mesothelioma asbestosis is a rare cancer that is seen mostly in patients over 60 years of age. This cancer occurs in the chest cavity, especially the pleura in most of the cases. It may also be seen in the peritoneal lining of the organs in the abdominal cavity. In extremely rare cases, it can affect the pericardial lining of the heart. The common symptoms of pleural mesothelioma are as follows:

• Shortness of breath
• Coughing
• Chest pain in chest or abdomen pain
• Fluid in the chest, lungs, or abdomen
• Weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Inability to sleep
• Husky voice
• Difficulty swallowing

Common symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma are as follows:

• Abdominal pain
• Swelling of the abdominal are due to fluid retention
• Breathing difficulties
• Weight loss
• Bowel obstruction
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Weakness
• Fever
• Anemia

The symptoms of pericardial mesothelioma include:

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Persistent coughing
• Extreme fatigue after minimal physical activity

These are some of the common symptoms of conditions related to asbestos exposure. If you suspect any of these signs of asbestos exposure, speak to your doctor. You may be advised a CT scan or chest X-ray or in some cases a lung biopsy. Detection of immediate signs of asbestos exposure, will help in early asbestos exposure treatment as well as help save a life.