If you think you have
been exposed to asbestos and you are
experiencing asbestos symptoms,
contact your medical provider immediately.
It
is important to remember that exposure to
asbestos and the actual development of
asbestos symptoms can occur decades later.
That is why prevention of asbestos exposure
is key to preventing future health
complications.
Asbestos symptoms consist of shortness of
breath increasing over a period of time,
extreme weight loss, coughing, chest pain,
pneumonia, headaches, hoarseness, coughing
up blood and extreme fatigue.
It
is easy to see that these symptoms are
general enough that they could also be
related to a host of illnesses. Some easily
treated and others, such as cancer, which
could prove to be fatal. It is critical to
see your healthcare provider for a complete
work out to determine the cause of your
symptoms.
After your medical provider has confirmed
your symptoms, they will most likely run a
battery of tests to determine the exact
cause of your symptoms. These medical tests
can help to rule out some diseases and help
to confirm others.
As
you go through the process to determine the
cause of your symptoms, your doctor may
order specific tests to determine if you
have mesothelioma. Medical test ordered by
your physician may consist of x-rays, MRI,
and CT scans to view the various internal
organs especially the lungs, heart and
abdomen.
The
most invasive diagnostic test used to
determine if your asbestos symptoms are a
result of mesothelioma is a thoracoscopy or
peritoneoscopy. With these tests a small
camera is inserted through a small incision
in the chest or abdomen to search for
potential damage and to take a small tissue
sample for biopsy.
As
other causes are ruled out, your healthcare
provider may begin to ask you about what
kind of occupation you have had in the past
in order to confirm asbestos symptoms. It is
these questions that could begin to open the
investigation into the relating asbestos
symptoms directly to asbestos exposure.
If
you are one of the many people exposed to
asbestos, it will be important to know how
long ago you believe you were exposed to
asbestos and how long you believe that you
worked with exposure to asbestos.
Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer and is
a direct result of individuals who have been
exposed to asbestos. Currently there is no
known cure of malignant mesothelioma.
Asbestos symptoms related to lung disease,
such as shortness of breath, may take years
to show up because malignant mesothelioma
can lie dormant in the body for 20 to 30
years. Some victims may not even realize
they have been exposed to asbestos until
they develop mesothelioma decades later.
Asbestos symptoms are serious and because
they mimic many other diseases and
conditions, those symptoms must be evaluated
by your physician in order to determine the
root cause of the symptoms. Time is of the
essence as mesothelioma is a disease that
cannot be cured; however medical
intervention can help to improve a
mesothelioma patient’s quality of life and
in some cases life expectancy.
