Asbestosis
About Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a sort of scarring of the lungs which may cause breathing problems and heart failure. This scarring is a result of asbestos. The people who use asbestos products and also people who are exposed to asbestos are usually get affected with asbestosis.
Asbestosis is considered a monosymptomatic disease. The first sings of asbestosis is the shortness of breath, that is the reason it is labeled as monosymptomatic
Signs of Asbestosis
Given below is the list of most common signs of asbestosis, in case symptoms are present.
- The patient may feel shortness of breath.
- The patient may have persistent cough
- The patient may feel chest tightness.
- The patient may loose appetite.
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Is there any treatment of asbestosis?
This is very unfortunate that till date no certain cure is available of asbestosis. The treatment of asbestosis is only of preventive nature. The signs of asbestosis are only treated to stop the spreading of the disease further and to minimize the complications.
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About Asbestos
Asbestos are group of minerals which are present in the nature. The identification of asbestos can only be done with the help of a microscope. In the past times the asbestos was added to a number of products to enhance the strength of the product as well as making them heat and fire resistant. In most of the products asbestos is combined with a binding material so as to minimize the easy release of asbestos in the air. In case asbestos is released in the air and is inhaled, then asbestos can remain in the lungs for a long time. In case you inhale asbestos you may have serious health concerns. Generally there are no symptoms of this and these symptoms may appear after many-many years.
In which products asbestos are found?
Asbestos is a very common mineral. There are more than 3000 products, having some content of asbestos are in use today. Many of the items used for heat and acoustic insulation, fireproofing, roofing and flooring contain some quantity of asbestos.
Listed below are some of the common products which contain some quantity of asbestos.
- Pipe and duct insulation
- Building insulation
- Wall and ceiling panels
- Carpet underlay
- Roofing materials
- Artificial fireplaces and materials
- Patching and spackling compounds
- Brake pads and linings
- Pot holders and ironing board pads
- Hairdryers
- Floor tiles
- Electrical wires
- Textured paints
- Cements
- Toasters and other household appliances
- Furnaces and other furnace door gaskets
About banning of asbestos in products
Officially, the use of asbestos in many products has been prohibited. Listed below are some of the products in which the use of asbestos is prohibited.
- The spraying of asbestos-containing materials
- Certain pipe coverings
- Certain patching compounds and artificial fireplace logs
- Sprayed-on asbestos decorations
- Hairdryers that contain asbestos
- Products used in home construction
How can you come to know whether a product contains asbestos or not?
Generally the products which have asbestos do not include asbestos in their labels. The only reliable way to know the presence of asbestos in a product is to ask the manufacturer. The other option available to you is to call the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (800-638-2772) to know about the presence of asbestos in any product.
What are the complications asbestos can cause?
In case of inhalation of asbestos, there may be serious health hazards. The degree of risk of getting asbestos-related disease rises with the rise in exposure to the asbestos products. The first signs of asbestos related disease may appear as late as thirty years after the inhalation of asbestos.
What you should do in case you think that you have an asbestos related disease?
In case you have any doubts that you may have an asbestos related disease, immediately contact your doctor. You should also be able to identify the product which has exposed you to asbestos. You can seek the help of state health agency for that matter. In case you believe that you have been exposed to asbestos by any particular product you can take that particular product to that laboratory and can get it tested for the presence of any asbestos in it.
