Asbestos Poisoning

Asbestos Poisoning can be simply defined as when a person is exposed to asbestos without any protection whatsoever. However, for a more in-depth definition, asbestos poisoning is when a person either breathes in or swallows the deadly microscopic asbestos fibers. The tiny asbestos fibers are released into the air from asbestos products which are being used or worn and perhaps damaged in some way. The asbestos then breaks down and the fibers will float in the air.

asbestos fiber pic in raw form

Asbestos is deadly to the human body and health if or when they are breathed or swallowed.

Asbestos Poisoning can happen really without the person knowing it at all. This comes from the microscopic nature of the fibers being afloat without being seen by the human eye and they are small enough to stay airborne for quite a long spell, let’s not forget that it takes very little to stir it up to be airborne either. Additionally, the unknowing poisoning of a man or woman can happen if they do not know a building has asbestos in it, and they walk into it and look around. It really is that simple.

Then the asbestos poisoning is complete when the clouds of asbestos fibers are inhaled and become stuck in the body and then we cannot get rid of them by our natural methods. No, coughing will not remove them from your airways.

Although asbestos will devastate and destroy your health, slowly tearing away at your strong body. It will not happen at once or immediately, the damage comes over time. Unlike any other poisoning or toxins asbestos poisoning is slow and will not produce a reaction the split second it happens.

Asbestos Poisoning Symptoms

There is a long period of time from the moment of asbestos exposure and poisoning and when the symptoms manifest. This latency period can be up to 50 years for mesothelioma symptoms to show. The symptoms are tightness of chest, shortness of breath, dry cough, and chest pain. Remember though that these same symptoms are also related to such health problems as pneumonia, asthma, heart disease, and COPD.

Asbestosis and asbestos lung cancer both can take up to 20 years to develop the same symptoms. If you are experiencing any such pains or symptoms, go see your health professional ASAP.

Asbestos Poisoning Results

What are the results on the human body from Asbestos Poisoning? The results or impact are, well deadly is the first word that comes to mind. Since, I have lost family to asbestos related maladies.

There are three main and fatal asbestos poisoning results. My throat is tightening as I begin to type these for you, they being; asbestosis, mesothelioma, and asbestos lung cancer. My father had the first and an uncle had the last, both died from them.

Asbestosis is the result of the inhaled asbestos fibers sticking in the lung tissue, to defend itself the body will attempt to rid the fibers since they are foreign by dissolving them with an acid they produce. However the fibers are not affected and the lung tissue then is scarred and lung function is impared This horrible deadly disease is progressive and the person with asbestosis continually loses lung capacity until they can barely breathe. Usually they require motorized wheelchairs as my father did, or some other way to be moved around.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that affects the tissue surrounding the outside of the lungs, heart, and also the inside abdominal cavity which covers many of our internal organs. It is exclusively credited to asbestos poisoning.  Mesothelioma although may be rare usually will not emerge from 10 to 50 years after exposure. Fluid accumulation in the pleura will result in chest pain and shortness of breath, both of which are symptoms of pleural mesothelioma.

As with other cancers, mesothelioma is deadly if it metastasizes and spreads to the other bodily organs. This disease is estimated to take the life of the person within 4 years of diagnosis.

Other forms of mesothelioma are: pleural mesothelioma, pericardial mesothelioma, and peritoneal mesothelioma. (all from asbestos poisoning).

• Pleural Mesothelioma is a cancer of the lining of the lungs and the most common form.

• Pericardial Mesothelioma is the cancer of the pericardial lining of the heart.

• Peritoneal Mesothelioma is the cancer of the abdominal lining over the internal organs.

Asbestos Lung Cancer is the third major Asbestos Poisoning Result. This lung cancer is a lethal malignant tumor of the lungs. Smoking greatly increases the chances of the person poisoned with asbestos developing cancer. From the time of exposure to lung cancer manifesting is a time period usually in between 15 – 35 years of time.

Other Cancers resulting from Asbestos Poisoning:

Gastrointestinal cancers, esophagus cancer, stomach, colon, and rectum cancers have also been attributed to asbestos poisoning. As well as some larynx cancer cases.

Other diseases caused by asbestos poisoning are asbestos warts and pleural diseases.

Asbestos Warts are a rather harmless condition which arises when the sharp asbestos fibers wedge into the skin. Inflammation is then caused by this foreign body and this result in skin growing over the fibers giving a wart-like or callous looking growth on the skin.

Pleural Diseases also can arise from the actual penetration of the asbestos fibers into the pleura. The pleura, is a sac that covers the outside surface of the lungs. The pleural plague is a partially calcified thickened area of the sac or pleura. Diffuse pleural thickening is similar to the pleural plaques and are at times linked to asbestosis. If let to spread, these diseases are capable of impairing lung function.

What about a cure?

I am very sorry to say that there is no cure for asbestosis or mesothelioma. They both as we discussed take a long period of time to manifest and mesothelioma is the most aggressive of the two.

However survival time can at times be lengthened if diagnosed early and treated quickly. No, there is no cure for Asbestos Poisoning, sadly. Although, average survival times are being lengthened.

Below is a video I found that is a very good illustration of what happens in Asbestos Poisoning.

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