Have you worked in shipyards before? Then you are at risk of asbestos exposure

There are certain jobs that increase one's risk of asbestos exposure. If you worked in shipyards during World War II and the Korean War you were very likely exposed to asbestos. The material was greatly used for shipbuilding because of its ability to resist corrosion and high temperatures. The asbestos dust tended to build up around these areas and other inadequately ventilated parts of the ship, which led to human exposure aboard vessels.

Not only the shipbuilders, but the crews of those ships and the longshoreman (those who load the ships) were heavily exposed to asbestos as well. In fact, before the 1980s, many longshoremen probably even loaded bundles of asbestos onto ships.

Before that time, the health risk associated with asbestos was not known by these workers and no special precautions were taken to prevent inhalation.

A scientific study revealed that 86 percent of shipyard workers with 20 or more years of experience developed asbestos-related lung disease or lung cancer. If you have ever worked in a shipyard or on an old ship and feel you may have been exposed to asbestos, it is important that you discuss it with your physician. As with most types of cancer, mesothelioma is best treated if detected early.

If you or a family member are diagnosed with an asbestos-related disease you should seek to know more about the disease and seek for legal help to you get monetary compensation from those that wrongfully exposed you to asbestos.




Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

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How To Recognise the early symptoms of asbestosis

Asbestosis is one of the disease associated with asbestos exposure and it is characterized by chronic scarring of the lungs. Thankfully however it is not a life threatening disease although it is chronic in nature. Most of its symptoms are common to other respiratory illness but if you have been exposed to asbestos in the past and you start to experience these symptoms you should start suspecting that maybe you have asbestosis.

Early Symptoms of Asbestosis

Asbestosis symptoms generally show up in three stages. In the earliest stage, it is usually assumed that the mild symptoms are due to general illness, being overweight or simply being out of shape. These are some of the early symptoms of asbestosis:

-Dyspnoea{difficulty in breathing} after exertion or exercise. This is usually the first symptom and it is most often overlooked as a symptom of some other milder commoner respiratory illness. Some other people just assume that they may be overweight.-

-Dry cough, especially a chronic cough that isn't associated with other symptoms. For example, a dry cough that is not associated with fever nor other signs of infection.

-General malaise or easy fatiguability. - -Wheezing can sometimes occur early on as well, especially if the individual is also a smoker.

Mid-Stage Symptoms of Asbestosis

Mid-stage asbestosis symptoms include all of the earlier symptoms, plus:

-Dyspnoea{difficulty in breathing} that has now worsened with Dyspnoea now occurring at rest when the victim is not engaged in any physical activity.

-Recurring chest pain or a feeling of tightness in the chest area. Some people feel like they "can't catch their breath" or that they cannot fill their lungs.

-Clubbed fingers or pitted, uneven fingernails - these symptoms indicate that the concentration of oxygen in the blood is reduced as result of poor absorption of oxygen into the blood stream via the lungs.

-A honeycomb-like appearance of the lungs in an MRI scan film.-

These symptoms of asbestosis are caused by permanent scarring of lung tissue, this causes inefficient transfer of oxygen into the blood stream. Asbestos could also result in the development of other more severe types of asbestos related disease like mesothelioma and lung cancer, so you should also be conversant with the symptoms of these other diseases.



Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

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3 Important Medical Costs Associated With Asbestos Related Diseases.

The medical costs associated with diseases that are related to asbestos exposure can be extremely high. Every patient afflicted with an asbestos related disease must be aware of the likely medical expenses he/she will likely incur. Asbestos-related illnesses can be very expensive for a variety of reasons. Understanding the expenses involved in treatment is an important factor when considering filing a claim against the company responsible for asbestos exposure.

1-Long-term care costs.

Asbestosis is a progressive disease with no true cure. If you are diagnosed with asbestosis, your physician will work to make you as comfortable as possible and maintain your lung functioning as long as possible. The use of oxygen therapy (which provides the body with adequate oxygen) is one method of therapy. Another beneficial treatment is respiratory therapy, where the patient works with a respiratory therapist to strengthen the lungs. A respiratory therapist can also teach special breathing techniques that will help the patient clear secretions from the lungs. This therapy can help slow the progression of asbestosis.

2-The cost of combination therapy.

Mesothelioma is aggressive and highly resistant to treatment. Once diagnosed with the disease, the average mesothelioma patient survives roughly one year. There are several reasons why mesothelioma is so difficult to treat. One factor is the difficulty in detecting the cancer. By the time the patient is diagnosed with mesothelioma, it has often spread. Another factor is the location of the tumors, which are sandwiched in the mesothelium lining. Because of these factors, any hope for a cure must include aggressive treatment. This may entail surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation in any combination, and includes frequent medical monitoring to determine how well the treatment is working. This form of combination therapy is usually very expensive requiring the use of expensive drugs and highly specialized medical personnel whose services do not come cheap.

3-The cost of participating in clinical trials.

Because mesothelioma is often a terminal disease, many mesothelioma patients are advised to participate in clinical trials. Clinical trials are used to test the efficacy of new drugs to treat diseases before approval for general use by the drug regulatory agencies {FDA in the US}. Involvement in clinical trials is strictly voluntary, and may provide a last hope of successful treatment for many patients. The costs of participating in clinical trials are not usually covered by insurance, as they are not considered standard methods of treatment. Some expenses of a clinical trial will be paid by the hospital conducting the trial and some expenses will not be covered which the participant will have to bear.

Medical treatment for asbestos related diseases can be very expensive and every victim should file a lawsuit against the companies that were responsible for the wrongful exposure to asbestos to be able to claim much needed compensation.




Bello Kamorudeen. http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com

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