What to Do If You Are Exposed to Asbestos?

Asbestos are tiny fibers that were used for many years in building materials due to their high tensile strength, their ability to be woven and their resistance to heat and most chemicals. If a human being breathes in asbestos, he can be at risk for several varieties of lung disease. If you live or work around asbestos, it is best to follow some basic precautions to ensure you do not become exposed to these fibers.

Dangers of Asbestos Exposure

• There are three major lung diseases caused by asbestos exposure: asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Asbestosis is caused when asbestos fibers scar lung tissue, making it hard for oxygen to get into the blood. Lung cancer is an uncontrollable growth in lung tissue. Mesothelioma is a form of cancer found in the lining of the lungs as well as other major organs.

Protect Your Health

• The first and most important step to take if you think you have been exposed to asbestos is to inform your doctor. Do this even if you do not feel any symptoms. Symptoms of asbestos exposure often will not show up for 10 to 20 years. A thorough medical checkup should include a chest X-ray and lung function tests; blood and urine tests are also a good idea.

  Monitor yourself for symptoms of lung disease, including shortness of breath, a cough or a change in cough pattern, coughing up blood, pain in the chest or abdomen, substantial weight loss, difficulty in swallowing and bone pain or tenderness.

  Quit smoking tobacco and be good to your lungs. Tobacco use increases the chances that you'll get cancer. Start receiving regular pneumonia and flu shots to lessen the chance of lung infections.

  If you were exposed to asbestos at work, start wearing protective equipment at all times.