Some of the Many Symptoms of Asbestos Mesothelioma

Posted on June 18, 2008

Asbestos mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma illness today. Like many other types of cancer, many of the causes remain unknown but, asbestos has been found to contribute to the formation of abnormal cells on the cells that cover many organs including the lungs, heart and intestines. It was only until the 1960s that the connection was really made between asbestos and mesothelioma. In the beginning, the asbestos was only linked to lung disease. Asbestos mesothelioma continues to be a rare disease but, more and more cases are being diagnosed every year. In the United States, about 2,000 cases are diagnosed while in the UK there are about 2,100 cases of asbestos mesothelioma per year. Asbestos is the name given to a group of minerals that occur naturally. They are resistant to heat and fire and are therefore used as insulators.

Asbestos is mainly used in the following industries telephone exchanges, power stations, motor industry, household appliances industry, ship building and in the building industry. Asbestos mesothelioma may not develop until many years after exposure and the years could be 30 to 50 years. Asbestos comes in various categories and you will find blue, brown and white asbestos. The blue and brown ones were mostly associated with the disease and they were consequently banned in many countries including the UK. The white asbestos is now thought to be harmful as well. The substance is made up of very strong fibers and they can be airborne where someone can inhales them. The body is unable to expel them and they are stuck in the lungs and sometimes swallowed. When they stay in your system, they will start affecting your cells and slowly cause the cancer.

There are very many symptoms of asbestos mesothelioma depending on the organ the disease affects and when they affect the lungs, you will have a build up of fluid which will make you breathless even when you are at a resting position. The disease is also characterized by pain and the inability to swallow. This will in turn lead to a lack of appetite and you can lose a lot of weight. When the disease affects the abdomen, you will experience discomfort, bloating and bowel obstruction. You will also have poor digestion and nutrients might not reach your system in the right way and therefore your immunity will be highly compromised. It is not so easy to make a diagnosis of the disease but, a chest x ray or of the affected area will reveal the illness. Further, a biopsy may be necessary to determine whether the cells are cancerous.

Your medical history and the history of exposure to asbestos will also be key to establishing whether you have the mesothelioma that is caused by asbestos. If you have the disease, there is treatment available and it will be determined by the location of the cancer. Other things that will determine the treatment are how far the cancer has spread. You can have surgery, radiation or even chemotherapy for the elimination of the disease. Make sure you go to a health facility if you suspect to have the condition.

Peter Gitundu Is A Web Administrator And Has Been Researching And Reporting On Mesothelioma For Years. You Can Post Your Views On Asbestos Mesothelioma On My Blog Here Asbestos Mesothelioma Feel Free To Read My Other Articles On Mesothelioma Asbestos Mesothelioma

Article Author :Peter_Gitundu

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3 Responses to “Some of the Many Symptoms of Asbestos Mesothelioma”

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