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Early Symptoms of Asbestos

Asbestos, explains the Environmental Protection Agency, is the term applied to "a number of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with high tensile strength, the ability to be woven, and resistance to heat and most chemicals." Damage from asbestos exposure isn't immediate; it can take from 10 to as many as 30 years for symptoms to appear. Experts have not reached a consensus about the amount of inhaled asbestos that leads to permanent damage, but the OSHA is 200,000 fibers per cubic meter of air for workplaces.

  1. Asbestosis

    • Scarring as a result of asbestos fibers embedded in lung tissue leads to symptoms of a disease called asbestosis. The earliest signs of asbestosis include shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing and decreased tolerance for physical activity, according to the MayoClinic website. Fingernail clubbing, a deformity of the nails, may also be present.

    Lung Cancer

    • According to the Asbestos website, small-cell carcinoma is the most common form of lung cancer related to asbestos exposure. Symptoms of small-cell carcinoma include coughing up blood and intense pain in the chest and shoulders. The condition often worsens over time and with difficulty breathing, swelling of the head and neck, and frequent occurrences of pneumonia. Small-cell carcinoma metastasizes quickly and is often fatal.

    Mesothelioma

    • The National Cancer Institute explains that mesothelioma is a disease of the mesothelium, a membrane that protects the body's internal organs. Symptoms of mesothelioma vary according to the type of mesothelium affected by the cancer. For example, if the peritoneal, or abdominal, mesothelium is affected, symptoms include abdominal pain and swelling as well as weight loss. Pleural mesothelioma, which affects the pleura, or the mesothelium covering the lungs, presents with chest pain and shortness of breath.

    Non-Malignant Disorders

    • Long-term exposure to asbestos may also lead to non-malignant disorders, typically of the pleura. These include pleural plaques, or scarring of the pleural tissue and pleural effusions, or abnormal buildup of fluid in the tissue between the lungs and the chest cavity, notes the National Cancer Institute.

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