Asbestos Poisoning 2

Asbestos Poisoning 2
Other diseases caused by asbestos poisoning include:

Asbestos Warts – this is caused when the sharp asbestos fibers are lodge in the skin. When this occurs, the body responds with inflammation that causes skin to overgrow the asbestos fibers. This can lead to callous-like growths around the affected region. It is regarded as a relatively harmless condition.

Pleural Diseases – Can be caused when asbestos fibers penetrate the pleura, a sac that covers the outer surface of the lungs. Pleural plaques are discrete fibrous or partially calcified thickened area of the pleura. Diffuse pleural thickening is similar to pleural plaques and is sometimes associated with asbestosis. If these pleural diseases are extensive and widespread, it can cause impairment of lung function.

Other Cancers – besides mesothelioma and lung cancers, other cancers has been shown to be associated with asbestos exposure and poisoning. These are all gastrointestinal cancers with cancers of the esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum being reported. Also, asbestos poisoning has been linked to some cases of larynx cancer.

Although the current use of asbestos and asbestos products has dramatically decreased, they are still found in many residential and commercial settings and continue to pose a health risk to workers and others. Research has yet to determine a safe level of exposure to asbestos, but one thing is for certain; the more prolonged the exposure, the greater the risk becomes for developing an asbestos related disease.

Until 1972, most of the buildings in North America were constructed with asbestos, including schools, offices and homes. At the time, no one had any idea that when inhaled asbestos was deadly. Today, people and asbestos precariously coexist in old buildings – which may lead to future asbestos-related problems since symptoms of asbestos poisoning can go unnoticed for many years. This somewhat reflects that society has not necessarily taken all the appropriate precautions to protect the public despite our increasing knowledge about asbestos and its hazards.