The Effects of Asbestos on the Lungs

Asbestosis
Asbestosis is one potential illness that may result from breathing in asbestos effects, and unlike mesothelioma as well as lung cancer, it is not cancerous. Asbestosis is seen as a inflammation and scarring in the lungs, as a direct result asbestos exposure, which makes it difficult to inhale. Asbestosis usually develops 10 to 20 years after your initial contact with asbestos. Some people can have asbestosis without actually knowing it, while in others it causes shortness associated with breath, difficulty breathing and even death in a few cases. Asbestosis can also progress and develop in to mesothelioma and/or lung cancer.

Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops either in the pleural (the actual lung lining) or the abdomen. Symptoms consist of difficulty breathing, unexplained weight loss, stomach pain or swelling because of fluid. Asbestos is the most common cause associated with mesothelioma, which often does not develop for 30 or even more years after the original asbestos exposure. Mesothelioma is really a difficult cancer to treat because it is normally not diagnosed until it's relatively advanced.

Whenever you Breathe in Asbestos
Normally, when you breathe within air, your nose filters out impurities and/or impurities are exhaled whenever you breathe out. However, when asbestos fibers are inhaled, a number of them get stuck in your lungs, usually in the liner of the lungs. Over time, these fibers develop and the lining of the lungs becomes scarred as well as inflamed. This inflammation leads to asbestosis, mesothelioma as well as lung cancer. The more asbestos you are subjected to, and the longer the length of exposure, the greater susceptible you are to having a dangerous build-up of fibers within the lungs.

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is a kind of cancer that spreads beyond the lining of the lungs through the lung. It can obstruct the air passages inside the lungs and make breathing very difficult. Some lung cancers are brought on by asbestos exposure. If you also smoke, you increase your likelihood of developing asbestos-related lung cancer. Lung cancer does not develop due to asbestos exposure for many years after the unique exposure, and it can be difficult to project just how many lung cancer patients developed the cancer due to asbestos exposure.

Pleural Abnormalities
The lining from the lungs is called the pleural. Exposure to asbestos effects can cause a variety of problems to occur in the lining of the actual lungs. Plaque or scarring can form on this particular lining (plural plaques). The lining can become thick due to fiber build-up, inflammation and scarring (pleural thickening). The liner can become calcified with calcium deposits developed because of scarring and inflammation (pleural calcification). Lastly, pleural mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer brought on by asbestos exposure, can develop. The majority of these pleural abnormalities develop only for those who have been exposed to large amounts of asbestos and/or been exposed for any significant time period.