Asbestos-Related Diseases – Their Causes and Effects

Between 1980 and 2000 exposure to asbestos was the cause of 237 deaths from a disease called asbestosis and 440 deaths from mesothelioma. The majority of the people who died from asbestos exposure were exposed to asbestos while at work.

Although many of the companies that these people worked for had known for many decades that asbestos exposure could cause death of their employees the companies did nothing about it. They did not provide showers, protective clothing, or anything else that could prevent their employees from swallowing or inhaling the dangerous asbestos fibers and asbestos dust.

What is sure to be a bit of relief to people who have worked with asbestos is the fact that not every person who is exposed to asbestos will develop an asbestos related disease. Nonetheless, if you have been exposed to asbestos either while at work or in another situation more than ten to twenty years ago, the odds are that if you do have an asbestos related disease the symptoms will soon begin to appear – if they haven’t already.

Mesothelioma is one of the diseases that are almost exclusively caused by exposure to asbestos. It is the most common type of asbestos-related disease. Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer which affects the mucous linings of a person’s body. The disease is usually found in the lungs and in the heart, among other places.

Initially its symptoms are often dismissed or ignored by the victims of the disease. That’s because in its initial stages the symptoms resemble more common, less serious ailments.

It is actually quite difficult to diagnose the early symptoms and signs of mesothelioma because the symptoms can be very subtle.

Without a doubt, one of the most important factors in diagnosing asbestos related diseases is being able to ascertain that there was a history of asbestos exposure that is considered to be significant enough to have caused the disease.

Very serious lung, stomach, and heart diseases have resulted from relatively small exposure to asbestos. Therefore it would be quite easy to underestimate what is considered to be significant exposure.

Once it has been confirmed that a person has mesothelioma, asbestosis – or some other disease that was caused by asbestos, it can be very hard to accept the diagnosis and prognosis. That’s because these diseases inevitably significantly shorten people’s lifespan and inevitably lead to death.

Nonetheless, it is important to go to the doctor if you suspect that you have one of these diseases because medication can be prescribed that may prolong and even might save your life.

However, the least that you can do for yourself and for your family is to seek compensation for the damage that was caused by your exposure to asbestos.