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The Effects of Asbestos on the Lungs

Prior to the 1970s, asbestos was used in building construction and material, including asbestos ceilings and tile. The asbestos, a fiber, was added to provide additional insulation, to add additional strength and to fireproof building materials. There are many different forms of asbestos that were used in building; actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, chrysotile, crocidolite and tremolite were the most common. These different types of asbestos, with the exception of chrysotile, are "amphiboles," which means they are fibers that appear thin like a needle. Unfortunately, asbestos fibers cause serious damage to the lungs when breathed in.

  1. When You Breathe in Asbestos

    • Normally, when you breathe in air, your nose filters out impurities and/or impurities are exhaled when you breathe out. However, when asbestos fibers are inhaled, some of them get stuck in your lungs, usually in the lining of the lungs. Over time, these fibers build up and the lining of the lungs becomes scarred and inflamed. This inflammation leads to asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer. The more asbestos you are exposed to, and the longer the length of exposure, the more susceptible you are to having a dangerous build-up of fibers in the lungs.

    Asbestosis

    • Asbestosis is one potential illness that can result from breathing in asbestos, and unlike mesothelioma and lung cancer, it is not cancerous. Asbestosis is characterized by inflammation and scarring in the lungs, as a result of asbestos exposure, which makes it difficult to breathe. Asbestosis usually develops 10 to 20 years after your initial exposure to asbestos. Some people can have asbestosis without even knowing it, while in others it causes shortness of breath, difficulty breathing and even death in some cases. Asbestosis can also progress and develop into mesothelioma and/or lung cancer.

    Pleural Abnormalities

    • The lining of the lungs is called the pleural. Exposure to asbestos can cause a number of different problems to occur in the lining of the lungs. Plaque or scarring can form on this lining (plural plaques). The lining can become thick as a result of fiber build-up, inflammation and scarring (pleural thickening). The lining can become calcified with calcium deposits developed due to scarring and inflammation (pleural calcification). Finally, pleural mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer caused by asbestos exposure, can develop. The majority of these pleural abnormalities develop only if you have been exposed to large amounts of asbestos and/or been exposed for a significant time period.

    Mesothelioma

    • Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that develops either in the pleural (the lung lining) or the abdomen. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, unexplained weight loss, stomach pain or swelling due to fluid. Asbestos is the most common cause of mesothelioma, which often does not develop for 30 or more years after the original asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is a difficult cancer to treat because it is normally not diagnosed until it is relatively advanced.

    Lung Cancer

    • Lung cancer is a form of cancer that spreads beyond the lining of the lungs throughout the lung. It can obstruct the air passages within the lungs and make breathing very difficult. Some lung cancers are caused by asbestos exposure. If you also smoke, you increase your chances of developing asbestos-related lung cancer. Lung cancer does not develop as a result of asbestos exposure for many years after the original exposure, and it can be difficult to project exactly how many lung cancer patients developed the cancer as a result of asbestos exposure.

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