How to deal with asbestos poisoning

How to deal with asbestos poisoning rt.com

How to deal with asbestos poisoning

Risk of Asbestos and Cancer

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of minerals that appear naturally as a fiber bundle. These fibers are found in soil and rocks in many parts of the world. They are mostly made of silicon and oxygen, but they also contain other elements. There are 2 main types of asbestos:

- Chrysotile asbestos, also known as white asbestos, is the most common type of asbestos in industrial applications. When viewed under a microscope, chrysotile asbestos fibers wrap themselves in a spiral, which is why this form of asbestos is also called serpentine or curly asbestos.

- Amphibol asbestos fibers are straight and needle-like. There are several types of amphibole fibers, including amosite (brown asbestos), crocidolite (blue asbestos), tremolite, actinolite, and anthophyllite.

Both types of asbestos have been linked to cancer.

Asbestos fibers can be useful because they are strong, resistant to heat and many chemicals, and do not conduct electricity. As a result, asbestos has been used as an insulating material since ancient times. Since the industrial revolution, asbestos has been used to isolate factories, schools, homes and ships, and to make car brakes and clutch parts, roof shingles, ceilings and floor tiles, cement, textiles, and hundreds of other products.

During the first half of the 20th century, more evidence showed that breathing in asbestos caused scarring in the lungs. Exposure to asbestos dust in the workplace is not controlled at that time. Starting in England in the 1930s, steps were taken to protect workers in the asbestos industry by installing ventilation and disposal systems. However, in an effort to make large ships during World War II, a large number of workers were exposed to high levels of asbestos.

When asbestos-related cancers became known in the second half of the 20th century, steps were taken to reduce exposure, including setting exposure standards and laws that prohibit the use of asbestos in construction materials. There has been a dramatic decline in importing and using asbestos in the United States since the mid-1970s, and alternative insulation materials have been developed. As a result, asbestos exposure has dropped dramatically. However, it is still used in some products, and may still be exposed to asbestos in old buildings, water pipes and other arrangements. The use of asbestos has been banned in the European Union since 2005, although the ban does not require the elimination of existing asbestos. Still, heavy use of asbestos continues to occur in several countries.

How are people exposed to asbestos?

People can be exposed to asbestos in various ways:

- Inhaling asbestos: Most of the exposure comes from breathing in asbestos fibers in the air. This can occur during mining and processing of asbestos, when making products containing asbestos, or when installing asbestos insulation. This can also occur when old buildings are destroyed or renovated, or when old asbestos-containing materials begin to break down. In this situation, asbestos fibers tend to make dust made of small particles that can float in the air.

- Swallowing asbestos: Asbestos fibers can also be swallowed. This can occur when people consume contaminated food or liquids (such as water flowing through asbestos cement pipes). This can also occur when people cough asbestos they breathe, and then swallow their saliva.

Many people are exposed to very low levels of asbestos that occur naturally in the outside air as a result of erosion of rocks containing asbestos. This risk is higher in areas where rocks have a higher asbestos content. In some areas, asbestos can be detected in water supplies and also in the air. It can enter the water through several sources, such as rock or soil erosion, corrosion of asbestos cement pipes, or damage to roofing materials containing asbestos which then enter sewers after rain.

However, people with exposure to those who work in the asbestos industry, such as shipbuilding and insulation. Many of these people remember working on a thick cloud of asbestos dust, day after day.

The family members of the workers can also be exposed to high levels of energy because they can be taken home to workers' clothes, and can be removed by other people in the household.

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5 Asbestos Poisoning Warning Signs

Asbestos was officially banned in the United Kingdom in 1999, but it still poses a serious risk to our health. As building materials used for insulation, floors and roofs, asbestos is often present in older buildings and warehouses. If asbestos is exposed and small fibers are inhaled, they can remain in your lungs for long periods of time and can cause fear and inflammation. This can cause directly related medical conditions, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma.

It is often difficult to identify whether a business or workplace is at risk of asbestos because the symptoms of asbestos-related diseases often do not manifest for several years, or even decades. This is why it is important for British businesses to seek help from registered OSHCR consultants who specialize in asbestos to protect employees from potentially life-threatening conditions.

Here are 5 warning signs that you may show signs of asbestos-related diseases:

-   Out of breath

If you have inhaled asbestos fibers, they can cause scar tissue to form in your lungs known as asbestosis. This scar tissue can make breathing difficult and shortness of breath can be one of the first signs of asbestos related diseases.

- swollen fingertips

The sign of asbestosis is a swollen fingertip, in about half of the cases. Also known as clubbing, swelling at the fingertips, when the fingertips look wider and rounder, are a common symptom of a type of condition related to asbestos.

- fatigue

Extreme fatigue can be a sign of asbestos-related conditions and when combined with other common symptoms, such as shortness of breath and swollen fingertips, can be an indication of asbestos-related diseases, such as mesothelioma or lung cancer.

- wheezing

Wheezing is caused by inflammation in the lungs and often causes whistling sounds, especially when taking a deep breath. In conditions related to asbestos, for those who do not smoke, wheezing can be a cause of concern and may indicate that you have been exposed to asbestos.

- Persistent dry cough

Because the effect of asbestos can remain undetected for years after exposure, a persistent cough can be an indication of possible conditions related to asbestos. Even 40 years after initial contact, patients can experience persistent cough due to the formation of scar tissue in the lungs over time.

In the UK, the most at risk workers are those in shipyards, those who work with airplanes and cars, miners, building construction companies, electricians and railroad workers; However, asbestos can also be present in office buildings and warehouses, or public buildings or housing that was built before the 1980s.

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Alternative Care

Some patients also find help through alternative medical treatments such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and homeopathic treatment. Although none of these treatments offer cure for asbestosis, many of them offer relief from pain, reduced inflammation, and increased lung function.

The most common alternative treatments for asbestosis include:

- Acupuncture

- Meditation

- Massage therapy

- Nutrition

- Natural medicine

- Homeopathic Medicine