Health Concerns
FRIABLE ASBESTOS
HEALTH CONCERNS
Inhaling the mineral's fibres can lead to a serious lung disease. Inhalation of the material can also cause mesothelioma, which is a type of cancer. Both conditions can be fatal.
Asbestosis is a lung disease that causes scarring in a person's lungs. Some signs of asbestos exposure are as follows:
- Coughing
- An enlarged heart
- Difficulty breathing
Mesothelioma is a type of rare cancer that attacks the mesothelial cells that cover a person's internal organs. Peritoneal mesothelioma attacks the lining of the abdomen. The symptoms of this are as follows:
- Fever
- Nausea
- A loss of appetite
- Urinary problems
- Bowel problems
- Swollen abdomen
- Painful abdomen
Pleural mesothelioma originates in the membrane of the lungs. Symptoms of this cancer are as follows:
- Chest pain
- Pain in the upper arm or shoulder
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing when lying down or when active
- Loss of appetite
- Severe sweating, especially at nighttime
- Chronic cough or a noticeable change in how a person coughs
- Sensitive skin
- Weight loss
People who think they may have been exposed to the harmful mineral should contact a physician for a healthcare screening. This is true even for those who may have been exposed years ago.
In some cases, it can take 20-30 years for signs of mesothelioma to develop after initial exposure.