Asbestos is a fairly common building material that is present in many buildings that are older than the 1970s. Asbestos was commonly used for a few reasons, it was cheap, it was easy to access, and it did help to stop fires and make them far less common.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that is commonly used in things like tiles, insulation, and flooring. Asbestos is something that has the potential to be very dangerous to anyone that inhales it. Asbestos is a material that is not dangerous unless it gets airborne and does get inhaled. There are different types of asbestos but all are dangerous to people and even animals that are breathing it in.
When is Asbestos Dangerous?
Asbestos is not always dangerous until it is airborne and until it is able to be breathed in. If asbestos is sealed behind a wall and is not disturbed it does not cause a great deal of concern and is likely not to cause any problems. When the asbestos is disturbed, however, like in cases when the walls are being torn down or when a home or building is being remodeled, it does become airborne and can cause problems.
Asbestos dust is what is the most dangerous because the particles are so small that they can be flying through the air and you may not even be aware of it. This dust can stay on surfaces and continually be kicked up and put into the air and you may not even have any knowledge that it is in the air or that you are in danger. This means that you may do work on your home then the dust can still be in the air or still be on surfaces then get kicked up again.
What is Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer whose only cause is the breathing in of asbestos fibers. The fibers lodge themselves into the tissue of the lungs causing the growth of cancerous tumors and scar tissue that make it difficult and even impossible to breathe in some cases. Pleural mesothelioma is a type of mesothelioma that affects the lining of the lungs and that does eventually lead to the death of the affected party.
This type of mesothelioma can cause a build-up of fluid in the lungs and can cause pain, tightness in the chest, breathing challenges, and can even cause lightheadedness from not being able to get enough oxygen into the body. The lungs can become so scarred that a transplant is needed. If you have mesothelioma as the result of inhaling asbestos fibers in a workplace, in a business, or in another area where you had no control over it, you may be able to get compensation or to file a lawsuit for exposure.
Mesothelioma is a very serious illness that does lead to death in most cases. The best way to learn about mesothelioma is to take the time to educate yourself and to truly learn about it.
