Asbestos, Asbestos Exposure, and Mesothelioma - An Overview

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asbestos
The literal meaning of the word "asbestos" is derived from Greek, meaning "inextinguishable". Rightly named, the long fibrous mineral was widely used for thousands of years because of fire-resistant qualities. In fact, ancient Greeks used asbestos for the funeral dress of kings who were to be cremated. The Greeks and Romans used asbestos fiber napkins, that would clean by throwing into the fire.

In modern times, asbestos was used in much the same reason. In addition, the mineral is highly resistant to heat, salt water, chemical corrosion and other biological processes. It is lightweight, extremely strong, and can be woven into fabric or mixed with building materials such as concrete. Asbestos is used for insulation purposes in the selection of subjects and objects, including ceilings, walls, toasters and hair dryers. It was widely used on ships and in military applications, at one point, its use is still mandated by the U.S. military.

Unfortunately, it is now known that asbestos exposure carries enormous health risks. Pleural plaques, asbestosis, and mesothelioma cancer are some of the diseases that can be caused by asbestos, particularly when exposure is longer and / or repeated. Although the Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder observed "lung disease" in the slaves who worked with fiber, a first case of asbestosis was recorded in 1920's in England, the material used in industrial applications, and its side effects are ignored or even deliberately concealed, for decades.

asbestos exposure
Asbestos, once disturbed, releases small particles that are usually invisible to the human eye in the air. When inhaled, these particles can lodge in the mesothelium, which is the outer coating protects the heart, lungs and želuca.Vlakna can not be breathed or otherwise removed from the body after they are placed in the body soft tissues.

and exposure to dangerous asbestos fibers resulted in the development of asbestos cancer in a variety of employees and occupations over the years. Exposure there was mining asbestos in the country, construction or demolition of asbestos-containing building materials, and even the laundry that is contaminated with asbestos. Various asbestos-related diseases, including mesothelioma, diagnosed in people from all walks of life.

Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer whose only known cause is asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is often a long latency period and may remain undiagnosed for years or even decades. By the time the diagnosis is cancer, usually reached an advanced stage, which makes the determination to go through mesothelioma treatment very difficult. This means that we still do not understand the full impact of the widespread use of asbestos in the early decades of the 20th century, because so many people are just now diagnosed.

Mesothelioma symptoms are usually nonspecific and resemble those of common illnesses such as viral pneumonia, heart disease, flu and bronchitis. These symptoms include dyspnea (shortness of breath) or shortness of breath, cough and / or coughing up blood, abdominal pain or chest pain caused by excess fluid, weight loss, husky voice, difficulty swallowing, fever, anemia, bowel obstruction, inability to sleep, and loss of appetite . Because of similarities with many other diseases, mesothelioma is often misdiagnosed or not diagnosed correctly until it has reached advanced stages. As with all cancers, mesothelioma can be treated effectively when it is early, but because of its long latency period and its symptoms' similarities with other health problems, rarely is.

is currently incurable. There are treatments that can be used to slow progression of the disease or provide palliative care. Established therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation, experimental treatments, holistic therapies, and all can be used individually or in combination with one another.