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.