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400,000 New Yorkers Breathed the most Toxic Pollutant. Asbestos Poisoning Symptoms. Are you at Risk?
Recent study of U.S. government provides the latest evidence of a systematic cover-up of the health toll from pollution after the 9/11 disaster, which doctors fear will cause more deaths than the attacks themselves.
Belfast Telegraph says,...
Asbestos and Mesothelioma
Asbestos is the biggest work place killer today. Those who have worked with asbestos or who are regularly in contact with someone who has are at risk from asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. All these are fatal respiratory diseases which are...
Asbestos Symptoms: Late Indicators
Asbestos symptoms refer to the changes in the body that indicate some type of serious diseases caused by exposure to asbestos particles.
Awareness about asbestos symptoms is important because danger of asbestos exposure...
Beryllium The New Asbestos?
It was American workers on the world's first atomic bomb who became the first industrial victims of beryllium, a rare but especially light, stable and strong metal whose toxic dust can kill those who breathe it. Now Seafarers doing ship maintenance...
Mesothelioma: Diagnosis Of Mesothelioma Cancer
Diagnosis of Mesothelioma cancer is very difficult in many cases, because its symptoms can be associated with other diseases too. Hence patient's medical history is quite important to know, since if there was an exposure to asbestos from the sick...
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Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye ?
If you are in the construction business or employed by an industry that uses products containing asbestos, you may wonder “Are asbestos fibers visible to the eye”? Generally asbestos fibers are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Asbestos becomes dangerous when it has broken down into small fibers and is inhaled. It is nearly impossible to detect the presence of asbestos without taking the material to a lab for testing. A lab technician will put the material under a microscope to search for asbestos fibers. Asbestos does not cause an immediate reaction. It will not cause you to cough, sneeze, or your eyes to water. You cannot see, smell, or taste asbestos. If you skin becomes contaminated with asbestos it will not burn or itch.
Asbestos related diseases have a very long latency period. This is the time frame from when you are first exposed to asbestos until you become ill. Most persons do not become ill for at least ten years after exposure and some not until over forty years later. Asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma are all asbestos related diseases. Asbestosis occurs when asbestos fibers enter the lungs. The body will naturally produce an acid to combat the fibers. However, this acid can cause scarring in the tissue of the lungs and in advanced stages breathing becomes more difficult and painful. Asbestosis
was first documented in shipyard workers. Asbestos can also cause lung cancer. If a person smokes and is exposed to asbestos, they have a much greater chance of developing lung cancer. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that has only been linked to asbestos exposure. It is a cancer of the cells that line the peritoneum (area surrounding the abdominal organs) and the pleura (area outside of the lungs and inside of the ribs).
There is a lot of debate and controversy surrounding which types of asbestos is harmful. Some types of asbestos are thought to be more dangerous than others but all types of asbestos exposure should be avoided. Actinolite, amosite, anthophyllite, crocidolite, chrysotile (white asbestos), and tremolite are all types of asbestos. Chrysotile is the type of asbestos most commonly used in manufacturing products.
Asbestos fibers are not visible to the eye. If you feel you may have been exposed to asbestos, the most common method for testing is a chest x-ray. The x-ray will not show the asbestos fibers but it can spot early signs of lung disease. There is no known cure for asbestos related diseases.
Jeff Lakie is the founder of Asbestos Resources a website providing information on asbestos
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