Asbestos Cancer Effects

Being Healthy Can Be Fun And Fun Can Be Healthy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:15:00 +0000

Fun is good for you! The enjoyment of life affects your health in a positive way. It's a fact! Your attitude, feelings, and emotions can have a positive or negative effect on your health. You can improve your health in many ways, and we are going to talk about a few. We are going to have a little fun with vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, exercise, personal relationships, mental gymnastics, and relaxation and rest. Sounds exciting to me! I'm having fun already! So let me show you a few ways to have a little fun and get healthier in the process.
VITAMINS AND MINERALS
I never stop preaching that everyone should take a multivitamin supplement daily. I've covered the arguments for this in other articles, but for the moment, however, let's just assume I'm right (I am, you know) and you SHOULD take a daily multivitamin and mineral supplement.
It's a hassle, isn't it? That's the biggest problem for most people. Then there's the people that just don't like taking pills. Some forget until they are on the way to work, or at work. The list of reasons goes on, doesn't it?
Try this? Go buy three bottles of Flintstone chewable vitamins with all the minerals possible. Centrum also makes an adult chewable, but I am told that they don't taste as good as Flintstones. What's that? No, I have never tasted chewable vitamins - I remember to take my multivitamin daily, because I'm a good guy and it's fun to be healthy.
Anyway, take one of your bottles of Flintstones and put it in your bathroom, near where you do your hair, brush your teeth (I put mine in a glass), or whatever. Put another one in the console, door pocket, or glove compartment of your car. Put the last one in your desk at work, in your lunch box, locker...whatever. Sometime during the day, you, as a responsible adult concerned about your health will surely find the ten seconds necessary to open the bottle, pop one in your mouth, and chew it. Take the bottle with you on trips. If you go on a lot of trips, buy a fourth bottle and put it in the bag you always take with you...toiletries or something.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Antioxidants fight free radicals and in so doing, they help defend you against cancer, cataracts, wrinkles, and other really negative aspects of aging. I've got some good news for you. That Flintstones chewable vitamin you decided to take contained several antioxidants, so you're already going to do yourself and your body a big favor.
Here's some more good news! Chocolate, coffee, green tea and wine all contain bioflavonoids which are antioxidants. So, swing into Starbucks and get a cup of coffee, drink some green tea (lots of different flavors), pop a green tea extract capsule, sip a glass of wine, or have a piece of chocolate. Not all at one time, please. Yes, they ARE good for you, but sweeten your tea or coffee with stevia or an artificial sweetener, and don't go overboard on the wine or chocolate.
EXERCISE
Can exercise really be fun? Well, it CAN be if you don't try to start an "exercise program" while you're out of shape! Just look around for a fun physical activity instead. What's a fun physical activity? I don't know! Well, I DO know what I like. I like yoga, walking outside or on a treadmill, and lifting dumbbells. Maybe you like swimming, or tennis, or gardening, or playing with the kids or grandkids (spoil 'em and then run away...that's what I do.)
This is SUPPOSED to be fun! Whatever you decide is good for you, there's a good chance you are out of shape at the moment, so start off slow. Remember, part of the fun is knowing that you can do it again tomorrow or the next day.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
Having good, pleasurable relationships with others can improve your health, help you live longer, give more purpose to your life, and help you get more enjoyment out of life.
Remember that activity you were going to engage in? Why not find others who like it too and do it with them? You could look online for forums or discussion groups on the subject and exchange ideas and experiences with others...maybe even meet in person. If you are retired or don't feel that your work or family is providing the personal relationships you seek, become a volunteer for something that really matters to you...support your local library, collect toys for tots, teach people to read. The possibilities are endless.
A personal note on this subject: Several years ago, while I was the business manager of a community mental health facility I would often have discussions with the head of the geriatric day care program. She often told me that most of the doddering souls in attendance wouldn't have wound up there except, as they aged, they lost their ties to, and interest in, friends, family, and humanity. In losing their relationships, they lost themselves.
By the way, a pet works almost as well as a person. In fact, for some people, possibly better!
MENTAL GYMNASTICS...EXERCISE FOR THE BRAIN
You can't teach an old dog new tricks!
Wrong!
It has been shown that using your brain regularly can not only keep your thought processes sharp, but can help maintain your physical health. You don't have to be an Einstein. Take courses on subjects that interest you. Local colleges and community organizations often have life enriching courses that are free or relatively inexpensive...okay, cheap! Don't worry about the end results. Like yoga, it's the attempt that counts. Just because you take a course in baking doesn't mean you ever have to REALLY BAKE anything! However, you WILL have exercised your brain and maybe you made a few new and interesting relationships. You can attend lectures, local theatrical presentations (I just saw my daughter's boyfriend in "A Streetcar Named Desire", and it was fun and entertaining), learn a language, or simply work puzzles or read those books you've been wanting to read. Not the ones your high school teacher TOLD you to read...the ones YOU have always wanted to read.
RELAXATION AND REST...YOU DESERVE IT
You deserve to rest and relax, and you need to do it well for your health. It's important, so do it right. It won't hurt to learn a little about relaxation...things like meditation and yoga can help, but there are other relaxation techniques as well. You don't have to become an expert. You might be surprised at how much relaxation you can accomplish just learning a little on these subjects.
A classic book to read is still Dale Carnegie's "How To Stop Worrying And Start Living". It's a little dated and may seem a little simple as well, but by the time you're finished with it, you will be pleased with the insight you have gotten into things that have been eating at you...and how to minimize the power they have over you.
Take a trip...to Bed, Bath, and Beyond, The Linen Store, or even Wal-Mart. Get high thread count sheets. They feel great. Pamper yourself in the evening before bedtime and give yourself some pleasant wind-down time and take mini-breaks throughout the day. That's one of the reasons I recommend things like yoga, meditation, and Dale Carnegie. What you learn from these can help you relax your way like a pro through each day and into your night's rest.

Causes of Mesothelioma

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Mesothelioma is a rare type of cancer in the general population. However, in individuals that were exposed to asbestos, it is not as rare. That's because the only known, established cause of Mesothelioma is asbestos. There are experts that have speculated on other causes. There are incidences of Mesothelioma with no known asbestos exposure. However, that does not mean that there was no exposure. The right questions have to be asked. The person asking the question has to be familiar with the uses and applications of the asbestos products. There are many examples where inadequate occupational histories were taken and potential exposures were not investigated.
Asbestos the single largest cause.Asbestos has actually been in use for centuries and has been the cause of a number of ailments and diseases, including the deadly cancer Mesothelioma. The word Asbestos literally means inextinguishable and this name was given to this mineral by the ancient Greeks. The Greeks gave it this name because of its amazing fireproof qualities, although they also noted the harmful effects that asbestos had upon workers.
What is Asbestos?Asbestos is soft and flexible, and has been widely used for many years for a variety of things. The modern use for this mineral is for insulation, and it has been used in a wide range of items and structures, from ceilings and walls to toasters and hairdryers. This mineral became popular during the industrial revolution as an effective and safe form of insulation - safe in that it was fireproof, but certainly not safe in any other sense. Although the risks involved in using and working with asbestos had been observed several hundred years earlier, these risks were not taken into account when asbestos became widely used for insulation.
It was not until the 1900s that the facts regarding the risks involved to workers began to re-emerge. An English physician carried out a post-mortem on a man who had worked with asbestos for many years, and he found traces of fibers and dust in the man's lungs. The doctor stated that the man had died due to his exposure to this mineral. Over the next twenty or so years professionals in many countries began to notice the fact that disease, illness and death was uncommonly high amongst asbestos workers.
In the mid 1920s, an English doctor made the first diagnosis of asbestosis, and this was followed by a study, which showed that 25% of English asbestos workers showed signs of a related lung disease. Laws were then stepped up in England to provide better ventilation and more protection to workers who were regularly exposed to asbestos. Other countries slowly followed these steps over the next decade.
This protection was slow to be implemented and did not prove all that effective. Although asbestos manufacturers and companies that used the mineral were now aware of these studies and the risks involved to workers, they continued to use asbestos widely, exposing many workers to the hazards associated with it. These employees continued to work with asbestos, totally oblivious of the harm that it was capable of causing. Asbestos continued to be widely used until the mid-seventies, by which time many workers has been exposed and were already unknowingly affected by what we now know as Mesothelioma.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:07:00 +0000

The term "Mesothelioma" in medical terms is defined as form of cancer that proliferates at a very fast rate after it has been diagnosed, which affects the mesothelial cells in the body. After detailed study of this disease by several scientists all over the world, it has been concluded that in most of the cases the reason is the direct contact with loose asbestos particles. This disease is generally known to be derived from an abnormality that arises from inhaling the loose asbestos particles suspended in the air for a very long time. The chances of the patients, diagnosed of mesothelioma, have very bleak chances of survival which is not more than one or two years and if it has been detected long back and rigorous medication has been started on the patient then the patient is likely to live for about five years.
There are three types of mesothelioma but the symptoms of the diseases depend on their kinds. The symptoms vary from one-another but the general symptoms that are found in patients suffering from different types of mesothelioma are weight loss, chest pain, loss of appetite, short breath , plain cough and cough with blood. Diagnosing mesothelioma in its initial stages is not possible because symptoms surface very late and that, these symptoms are no special signs indicating the particular disease but are common for other diseases too.
Generally the symptoms of mesothelioma resemble to that to any other normal lung diseases. Most of the symptoms arise in the lungs, where the mesothelial cells covering the lungs and the cavity between them are affected due to prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibers. Consulting with the physician is very necessary from time to time and necessary test must be conducted to detect the disease.
The main symptom of mesothelioma is a constant pain in the chest which is followed by short breaths and difficult breathing because of accumulation of fluid in the chest, which makes breathing all the more difficult. Some of the other symptoms of the disease include abnormalities in the lungs, which can be diagnosed under proper supervision of the doctor with a chest CT-scan.
Basically, the disease of mesothelioma advances in four stages. In the first stage, begins the formation of the tumor in the area of lining of the lung and doesn't exceed from one side of the lung. And then in the second stage the tumor extends to other organs in the chest cavity, such as heart. Then in the third stage its extents to the other abdominal organs affecting all the other organs too. Finally in the fourth and the last stage the tumor extends to all parts of the body and affects all the parts adversely. These are some of the symptoms of the disease of mesothelioma, by which the disease can be tracked in the initial stages of its occurrence.
DISCLAIMER: This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to "diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease."

Mesothelioma Lawyers - How To Choose Them Correctly

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer that occurs in the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers many of our internal organs. In around 80% of cases people who develop mesothelioma have worked in environments where they have been exposed to asbestos particles. The tumour begins as nodules in the pleura which surround the lungs, later invading the chest wall.
If your life has been affected by mesothelioma then you may deserve compensation. Filling a lawsuit is imperative although the process can be daunting. The most important step for you to take is to first choose the correct law firm or attorney.
Selecting an experienced and competent mesothelioma lawyer can be the difference between success and failure. It is important to do this as soon as mesothelioma has been diagnosed as there maybe deadlines to meet if your case is to proceed.
In the decision making process you should contact several law firms before making your final decision. There is a wealth of information available from various public sources and you may also benefit from contacting the governing body of lawyers in your country. It is best to select a law firm or attorney that you have a good relationship with and also one that has past experience of dealing with mesothelioma cases. You will also need to find out about the fees charged by the various mesothelioma lawyers that you contact. When you have your initial consultations you should be looking to the law firm to explain how they can help you. When you make your final decision it is advisable to obtain a written agreement from the law firm regarding any fees, and also some references that you can then follow up on.

All About Mesothelioma

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 15:05:00 +0000

Mesothelioma is a cancerous tumor of the pleura or peritoneum. Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos. Asbestos isUsually used as a fire resistant and heat resistant insulating material. You can get three types of asbestos white whichIs very common, blue and brown which is the most dangerous. Asbestos is now controlled by stringent regulations.Mesothelioma causes pain and breathlessness. If you have the tumor of the pleura, this is the membrane surroundingThe lungs, other symptoms which may occur are chest pain, cough and difficulty breathing more so if the pleura effusionDevelops the outer and inner layers of the pleura can become thickened. Excess fluid will fill the gap between them whenThis happens it means that the lungs can not expand, making you have shortness of breath.
If you have the tumor in the peritioneum it can cause a obstruction of the intestines or a enlarged abdomen. .Mesothelioma canBe diagnosed by a chest x ray and also a biopsy. This is where a small amount of cells or tissue are taken from the bodyTo be looked at under the microscope. If Mesothelioma is diagnosed and the cancerous tumor is small enough, surgeryCan be fairly successful if not and the tumor is large there is not any successful treatment, although sometimes radiotherapyMay be offered to help ease the symptoms. Mesothelioma of the peritoneum cannot be operated on and there is no other form of treatment and will usually lead to death with in one or two years.
Mesothelioma can develop even after dealing with asbestos for just a short time. The usual gap between a person working with asbestos and being diagnosed can be up to twenty or thirty years. Mesothelioma is contracted by people who workWith blue and brown asbestos.

Asbestos: A Broad Definition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:15:00 +0000

Asbestos is a group of minerals with long, thin fibrous crystals. The word "asbestos" is derived from a Greek adjective meaning inextinguishable. The Greeks termed asbestos the "miracle mineral" because of its soft and pliant properties, as well as its ability to withstand heat.

Asbestos became increasingly popular among manufacturers and builders in the late 19th century due to its resistance to heat, electricity and chemical damage, its sound absorption and tensile strength. When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos is used in brake shoes and gaskets for its heat resistance, and in the past was used on electric oven and hotplate wiring for its electrical insulation at elevated temperature, and in buildings for its flame-retardant and insulating properties, tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals.

The inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause serious illnesses, including mesothelioma and asbestosis. Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos have been banned in many countries.

Conditions Associated with Asbestos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:12:00 +0000

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a serious, progressive, long-term disease of the lungs. Asbestosis is not a cancer. Inhaling asbestos fibers that irritate and inflame lung tissues, causing the lung tissues to scar, causes asbestosis. The scarring makes it hard to breathe and difficult for oxygen and carbon dioxide pass through the lungs. Asbestosis generally progresses slowly. The latency period for the onset of asbestosis is typically 10-20 years after the initial exposure. The disease can vary from asymptomatic (no symptoms) to disabling and potentially fatal.

Signs and Symptoms of asbestosis can include:

Shortness of breath is the primary symptom
A persistent and productive cough (a cough that expels mucus)
Chest tightness
Chest pain
Loss of appetite
A dry, crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a rare cancer which may affect the lining of the lings (plura) or the abdominal contents (peritoneum). Most mesotheliomas are caused by exposure to asbestos.

Cures for Asbestos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:08:00 +0000

People concerned about asbestos exposure should review the informational materials on this Web site. If you think you have been exposed you should take action and inform your doctor. Even if you don’t feel sick tell your doctor that you might have been exposed to asbestos. Most people don’t show any signs or symptoms of asbestos related disease for 10 to 20 years or more after exposure. Only a doctor can tell if you have any health problems due to asbestos exposure. Your doctor may refer you to a specialist who treats diseases caused by asbestos.

Finding a Doctor / Physician Referrals:

Often the best source for a referral is your own primary care physician. Usually, this person will be well aware of local medical specialists and resources.
Other sources of referral include your local hospital/medical center's "physician referral line" and local academic medical centers.
Below is an alphabetical list of links to other sources for referrals. This list is by no means exhaustive, but each of these links has a "doctor finder" feature. ATSDR suggests looking for physicians who specialize in pulmonary medicine or occupational medicine/environmental medicine.

American Medical Association"Doctor Finder" feature that allows searches by specialty, name, and availablity of web consultations.

American Osteopathic AssociationSearchable database of doctors of osteopathy.

Association of American Medical CollegesLinks to American Medical Teaching Hospitals. Searchable by state or hospital name.

Association of Occupational and Environmental Health ClinicsClickable map to locate health care providers with expertise in occupational and environmental health.

Health Risks of Asbestos Exposure

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:06:00 +0000

Chronic exposure to asbestos may increase the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders. Evidence in humans comes from epidemiologic studies as well as numerous studies of workers exposed to asbestos in a variety of occupational settings. Tremolite asbestos exposure has been associated with an increased incidence of disease in vermiculite miners and millers from Libby, Montana. This evidence is supported by reports of increased incidences of nonmalignant respiratory diseases, lung cancer, and mesothelioma in villages in various regions of the world that have traditionally used tremolite-asbestos whitewashes in homes or have high surface deposits of tremolite asbestos and by results from animal studies.

Asbestos health effects

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:04:00 +0000

Significant exposure to any type of asbestos will increase the risk of lung cancer, mesothelioma and nonmalignant lung and pleural disorders, including asbestosis, pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and pleural effusions. This conclusion is based on observations of these diseases in groups of workers with cumulative exposures ranging from about 5 to 1,200 fiber-year/mL. Such exposures would result from 40 years of occupational exposure to air concentrations of 0.125 to 30 fiber/mL. See Detecting Asbestos, for typical levels of concentration. The conclusion is supported by results from animal and mechanistic studies.

Diseases from asbestos exposure take a long time to develop. Most cases of lung cancer or asbestosis in asbestos workers occur 15 or more years after initial exposure to asbestos. Tobacco smokers who have been exposed to asbestos have a "far greater-than-additive" risk for lung cancer than do nonsmokers who have been exposed, meaning the risk is greater than the individual risks from asbestos and smoking added together. The time between diagnosis of mesothelioma and the time of initial occupational exposure to asbestos commonly has been 30 years or more. Cases of mesotheliomas have been reported after household exposure of family members of asbestos workers and in individuals without occupational exposure who live close to asbestos mines.

Detecting Asbestos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:02:00 +0000

The combined use of detection methods called light microscopy, electron microscopy, and energy dispersive X-ray analysis offer the most accurate approach to identify asbestos and to estimate concentrations that may become airborne upon disturbance. For the purposes of counting asbestos fibers in these samples, regulatory agencies commonly count as fibers those particles of asbestos minerals at least 5 micrometers in length and with length:width ratios of 3:1. For other purposes, such as detecting fibers in bulk building materials, asbestos particles with length:width ratios of 5:1 are counted. Air concentrations of asbestos fibers in ambient (typical) air are 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibers per milliliter (fiber/mL). The recently established exposure limit for U.S. workplaces is 0.1 fiber/mL.

Asbestos Exposure and Your Work

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:01:00 +0000

Many people have come into contact with asbestos fibers through their jobs (occupational exposure). Some of the work environments or occupations in which workers are now or were exposed in the past include:

Work Environments:
Asbestos product manufacturing (insulation, roofing, building, materials)
Automotive repair (brakes & clutches)
Construction sites
Maritime operations
Mining operations
Offshore rust removals
Oil refineries
Power plants
Railroads
Sand or abrasive manufacturers
Shipyards / ships / shipbuilders
Steel mills

Occupations:
Asbestos removal workers
Workers at exfoliation facilities where vermiculite ore from Libby, Montana, was processed
Demolition workers
Workers at asbestos product manufacturing plants
Auto mechanics
Boilermakers
Bricklayers
Building inspectors
Carpenters
Drywallers
Electricians
Floor covering manufacturers or installers
Furnace workers
Glazers
Grinders
Hod carriers
Insulators
Iron workers
Laborers
Longshoremen
Maintenance workers
Merchant marines
Millwrights
Operating engineers
Painters
Plasterers
Plumbers
Roofers

Individuals who have worked in the above work environments and occupations should consult with a physician with expertise in the evaluation and management of asbestos-related lung disease.

How Are People Exposed to Asbestos?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 16:00:00 +0000

We are all exposed to low levels of asbestos in the air. These "ambient" - or typical - air concentrations of asbestos fibers are 0.00001 to 0.0001 fibers per milliliter (fiber/mL). Much more concentrated levels of exposure are known to cause health effects in humans.

Types of Asbestos

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:58:00 +0000

There are two general types of asbestos, amphibole and chrysotile. Some studies show that amphibole fibers stay in the lungs longer than chrysotile, and this tendency may account for their increased toxicity (harmfulness to the body).

Scanning electron micrograph of asbestiform amphibole from a former vermiculite mining site near Libby, Montana. Source: U.S. Geological Survey and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 8, Denver, Colorado.

Regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recognize six asbestos minerals: chrysotile, a serpentine mineral with long and flexible fibers; and five amphibole (with relatively brittle crystalline fibers) minerals, actinolite asbestos, tremolite asbestos, anthophyllite asbestos, crocidolite asbestos, and amosite asbestos.

Asbestos: The Definition

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 May 2008 15:55:00 +0000

Asbestos is the name of a group of highly fibrous minerals with separable, long, and thin fibers. Separated asbestos fibers are strong enough and flexible enough to be spun and woven. Asbestos fibers are heat resistant, making them useful for many industrial purposes. Because of their durability, asbestos fibers that get into lung tissue will remain for long periods of time.
For more information on asbestos, see ATSDR's Toxicological Profile on Asbestos. Other ATSDR resources include the Public Health Statement on Asbestos, which is the summary chapter from the Toxicological Profile, and the ToxFAQs for Asbestos, which is a shorter question and answer version.