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Mesothelioma and asbestosis are serious diseases that cause lung deficiency. The two health problems are known to be caused by asbestos, a mineral that causes your body, specifically your lungs, to respond negatively. If you have been around asbestos, you are most likely going to be susceptible to either one of these illnesses. You can tell what your condition may be by understanding what makes you more vulnerable to the illnesses.
The underlying cause of either Mesothelioma or Asbestosis is exposure to asbestos for a specific period of time. If you have been around asbestos in a building for several years, you are more likely to develop one of these conditions. The general consensus is that it takes between eight and ten years of being exposed to asbestos in order for it to affect you significantly. However, if you have worked directly with the product, you will also be more likely to develop these conditions and illnesses at a quicker rate. Breathing in the asbestos after it gets on your clothes or through other secondary sources may make you more at risk to the diseases.
Beyond this are other contributing external factors that may link to the development of Mesothelioma and Asbestosis. In some instances, there are individuals who have increased their risk because of smoking. This; however, will not occur unless you have also been exposed to asbestos for a long time. The combination of cigarette smoke and asbestos in your lungs will cause your lungs to develop lung cancer much quicker than usual.
In some instances, your body may react more severely to asbestos, causing for the illnesses to develop at a rapid rate. For example, the simian virus is known to develop Mesothelioma as a cancer more severely because of the reactions that it causes in both the immune system and among the DNA cells. It is also known that Mesothelioma can occur without asbestos in rare instances. Irradiation and inhaling other fiber substances, such as erionite, can cause the same illness and cancer forming problem.
If you want to stay less exposed to these illnesses, then it is important to make sure that you are not at risk with asbestos that may be in a building. It is now a regulation that asbestos is not used as insulation; however, some buildings that were used before the 1970s still have this insulation as one of the main substances. The only other preventative act that you can take is to check with the Environmental Protection Agency and Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These committees regulate the use of asbestos, and can make sure that the building you are in will not cause you to be exposed to the mineral.
Being at risk for Mesothelioma and Asbestosis is dangerous and can be fatal. By understanding the risks that are associated with the two diseases, as well as knowing whether you are prone to having either disease can help you to understand if you need to do anything to take preventative measures for your health.
