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Asbestos and Your Lungs

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There was a time when using asbestos as a way of insulating homes, public buildings and even clothing was considered to be an outstanding form of insulation.  It was only after a significant period of time that we became aware of the tremendous health problems that asbestos can cause on the health of just about anyone even remotely exposed to the substance.  Certainly if we had known that exposure to asbestos would result in a virtual plague of illnesses, it would not have been used with such freedom as it was for so long.   Only now are we starting to understand the various ways that exposure to asbestos can damage the lungs and the lethal diseases that will result.

Possibly the most common illness that results from asbestos exposure is a cancer called Mesothelioma.  Because asbestos is made up of thousands or tiny fibers, people who work with the substance installing insulation or other building related jobs easily inhale these tiny fibers into their lungs and bloodstream often without even knowing it.  Over a lengthy period of time, these tiny strands of asbestos become integrated into the walls of the lungs leading to cancer.  


The frightening thing about Mesothelioma and many of the other asbestos related ailments is that in most cases they will occur as long as 20-30 years after the asbestos exposure.  In addition, it isn’t just workers who are directly exposed to asbestos who are at risk.  Because asbestos clings to the clothing and then gets free in the air to be breathed in by anyone nearby, innocent children and spouses of workers who bring home asbestos dust or debris are also at risk of these lung diseases many years after the exposure occurred and many times when they never knew they had been exposed to asbestos in the first place.

Another ailment directly related to asbestos exposure is appropriately named Asbestosis.  The symptoms and ways this affliction causes suffering in the patient is similar to the threats that pneumonia causes.  The parts of the lungs that draw the necessary oxygen from the air to keep us alive and passes it into the blood stream are called alveoli.  When asbestos dust gets into the alveoli, that process is interrupted or even stopped causing shortness of breath that in severe cases can be life threatening.

The membranes around the lungs are another source of potential damage from asbestos exposure.  When the dust and residue of asbestos gets into these membranes, this can lead to pleural plaques, which is a scarring of these important working parts of your lungs.  Pleural thickening is also a potential problem when the lung membranes that must be flexible and moist to operate begin to harden and become think making them less able to do their jobs.  The result is significant to severe discomfort to the sufferer, which can lead to more life threatening lung problems down the road.

If there is any reason to believe that you or someone in your family has been exposed to asbestos over the years, seek medical attention quickly.  Remember that the exposure could have been decades ago and these various lung diseases can come up suddenly with tragic results.  Early detection gives doctors what they need to take action before the problems become too severe.  Along with top-notch medical care, you may need to enlist legal assistance as well to solicit financial help from the institution who was responsible when you encountered the asbestos exposure.  That legal assistance can do a lot to help you pay for expensive medical care that you will need to deal with the damage the asbestos has done to your health.
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