Asbestos Illness - Just another WordPress weblog

Pleural plaques are the bilateral and frequently calcified sections of fibrosis. They are usually present in the inner surface of diaphragm and ribs. Pleural plaques do not lead to cancer and are thus are benign in nature. These can be seen in two ways: en face or profile. The plaques that are en face have an ill defined murkiness along with irregular margins. Whereas in profile, the picture is totally different because here the plaques are seen as smooth opacities that lie parallel to the chest wall. These are generally one centimeter thick.

Most of the pleural plaques are found in the middle portion of the chest wall amid 7th and the 10th ribs. They are numerous and follow the contours of the rib. They can be found adjoining the aponeurotic portion of the vertebral column and the diaphragm. There are obvious symptoms that can occur due to pleural plaques. However, they may cause tremendous pain in some patients. Another common symptom may be breathlessness or weakened lung function.

Pleural plaques usually occur because of prolonged exposure to asbestos. They develop within a time span of less than 10 years. These may also in some cases though rare occur in persons who have limited exposure to asbestos.

The occurrence of mesothelioma an ailment associated with asbestos exposure is more in men than in women and the danger increases with age. Even though more number of cases are reported each year, mesothelioma remains to be a rare type of cancer and seems to be restricted to those who are exposed to asbestos over long periods of time. There are many types of treatment for this disease and the kind of treatment depends on the location and stage of the cancer, the person’s age and the general health condition.

The most common treatment of the disease is surgery in which part of the lining of chest or abdomen that is affected, is removed. In case of cancer of pleura, the entire lung is removed and this is called pneumonectomy. At times doctors even remove the part of the diaphragm that is located just below the lungs.

In yet another method, radiotherapy is done. In this treatment, high-energy rays are used to kill the cancer cells and also shrink the tissue surrounding them. But radiotherapy has its effect on the cancer cells only in the area that is treated. Sometimes the doctor may prescribe anti-cancer drugs. This is known as chemotherapy. It involves administering the drugs intravenously (IV). Studies are going on, in which these drugs can be directly administered in the chest of the patient.

Asbestos poisoning is a hazard to the health of humans when a material containing asbestos is disturbed or breaks down. On breaking down, the fine particles (microscopic) of asbestos are released in air, where they can remain in a suspended form for hours or days together. Thus a person who is breathing in this area is exposed to the poisonous effects.

Asbestos poisoning can produce a multitude of serious conditions. These conditions may even become fatal. Asbestos poisoning causes scarring of the lung tissue, which may severely obstruct the breathing process. It can be fatal. It can produce lung cancer. It can produce mesothelioma which is the cancer of pericardial tissues which lie in the cavity of chest.

Asbestos poisoning symptoms usually do not appear for years after initial inhalation. Symptoms can be seen after 10-40 years of exposure. Firstly, there could be a mass in the abdomen that is followed by abdominal pain or swelling. There is tremendous pain just under the rib cage. Increased coughing coupled with fatigue and anemia also occurs. At times wheezing starts. There is a pleural effusion in which fluid starts accumulating around the lungs.

Other symptoms of poisoning are pulmonary hypertension, damage to the immune system and other types of respiratory damages.

In case you think you have had asbestos exposure, then immediately contact your doctor. Even if you inhale a small amount of asbestos say while, changing your window lining, it can prove to be extremely dangerous and cause a hazard to your health.

In order to prevent harm from asbestos exposure, use the services of the companies that specialize in this field. Removing or changing asbestos in your house or in office premises, is not an easy task. Hence the companies do charge a lot of money for the procedure. However, this pricy affair is worth all the money if you stand the risk of exposure to this dangerous chemical. A professional company will send people who will remove the insulation itself and that would mean tearing the drywall.

It is important to wear protective gear and ventilated breathing masks in order to prevent exposure. Some companies ask their men to remove their facial hair so the fine particles of asbestos do not cling to the hair which may further risk their chance of inhalation. When dealing with asbestos, it is essential that the material stays wet at all times since dry asbestos is more hazardous to health. After asbestos is removed it should be placed in protective plastic bags and sent to landfills.

Asbestosis disease has numerous symptoms. However, the symptoms can be easily diagnosed by the doctors. Some of the symptoms of this non-malignant inflammatory lung disease are as follows:

The most general symptom is a feeling of shortness of breath. This breathlessness results from reduced lung capacity. This decreased capacity precludes the lungs from replacing the required amount of carbon dioxide with oxygen in blood. This in turn creates inadequate blood oxygen levels in the entire body.

A person having asbestosis can feel tired or have a feeling of malaise. This is expected since the oxygen level in the body is less which in turn doesn’t let the cells breathe and therefore makes the body feel tired always.

Presence of chronic cough s also observed in some patients.

There is occurrence of chronic chest pain.

All this can lead to congestive heart failure.

Increased breathlessness during smoking.

The patient has abnormal lung sounds which can be detected during an examination.

There is clubbing of fingers and toes.

Symptoms of asbestosis are quite non-specific and usually appear after an exposure of 20-40 years. There are some cases however, where the symptoms have occurred within 10 years.