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Mesothelioma is serious cancer and asbestos is main cause. During in 1940 and 1950s constructions community used asbestos as the best thing to happen after cement for construction industry. Asbestos was applied greatly in insulator and ceiling tiles in homes, schools and factories because to high degree of stability and resistance to very high temperatures.

Nonetheless, asbestos is capable of causing harm, contaminant. It has trend to break into small parts and remain stay in the air for longer durations. For individual who is that comes in contact it, becomes attackable to serious disease to lung cancer or mesothelioma lung cancers.

What types of Mesothelioma?

Name of Mesothelioma, asbestos related cancer, acquires its name from the mesothelium cells that are responsible for protecting and enabling easy movement of our vital organs such as lungs, heart and the abdomen in the body. Mesothelioma is generally of three types, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

If a person is suffering from hoarseness, difficulty in breathing, loss in weight, coughing, blood in sputum, chest pain, weak muscles, reduced tactile sensitivity, he may be suffering from Pleural mesothelioma or the cancer of lining of the lungs. This is the most common type of mesothelioma and almost two-thirds of the mesothelioma patients suffer from pleural mesothelioma. The Peritoneal mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the abdomen causes impaired bowel motion, bloating, swelling in feet, and nausea. This is less common among mesothelioma patients and it affects one-third of the mesothelioma patients. Pericardial mesothelioma is of the cancer of lining of the heart. It is also caused because of asbestos exposure. However, its prevalence is rare. Pericardial mesothelioma manifests in the form of chest pain, palpitations and cough.

Lawsuits related to Mesothelioma:

The dangerous consequences of long term contact with asbestos and its linkage to mesothelioma cancers has led to several lawsuits against its manufacturers. The manufactures were claimed by the attorneys that they were aware of the capable of causing harm affects of asbestos exposure and yet persisted with its use for profit motives. This is the reason why juries have ordered stringent awards in many mesothelioma and asbestos related lawsuits.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my write-up about Mesothelioma here! Also visit my site to learn more about Mesothelioma Lawsuits.

Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer induced by exposure to asbestos. It affects the mesothelium, a protective sac that covers most of the internal organs of the human body and nearly takes 10-50 years to develop. In the nascent stage of Mesothelioma attack, the pleura or peritoneum are affected and then it gradually spreads to the other parts of the body. Mesothelioma is also termed as ‘malignant’ mesothelioma where the lining of the chest, the abdomen and the heart are attacked. There are two types of mesothelioma, one being Pleural mesothelioma (lung cancer) and the other being Peritoneal mesothelioma (abdominal cancer).

How you can get affected of Mesothelioma

The inhaling of the fine airborne asbestos dust and fibers causes mesothelioma. It is a proven fact, as 70% to 80% of the case histories of patients state that asbestos exposure in factories or industries leads to mesothelioma. Hence all those working in construction based jobs like shipyards, boilermakers, insulators etc. are susceptible to this fatal disease.

The first step to cure of this disease is to find out all the relevant symptoms. But because of the long latency period of mesothelioma, the symptoms come into play even after 30-50 years since the contraction of the disease. Moreover, the symptoms are not conclusive, and are common to most other diseases. This is why the mesothelioma tests are imperative from the doctor’s point of view.

The symptoms

The three most prominent symptoms of Mesothelioma are excruciating pain whilst breathing or coughing, breathing problems and a persistent cough, which could even, lead to bleeding. In addition, tiredness, loss of appetite, loss of weight are some of the other symptoms. Amongst some of the very rare symptoms, husky voice, problem in swallowing, swelling of the face and pain around the rib area are considered.

The diagnosis

It is a daunting task to diagnose the victims of mesothelioma. Normally the average age of the victims at diagnosis is around 50 to 70 years. Surprisingly, the white Americans are victimized more than the African Americans. At the time diagnosis begins, the disease had already spread and seems invincible. A victim would normally survive for only one year when the disease becomes quite ominous. However, the survival time of the patient can be stretched to almost two years if the disease is detected early and given proper treatment.

The treatment

There are many factors, which determine the treatment of Mesothelioma viz., stage of the disease, location of the cancer, patient’s age and general health. Surgeries, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy are amongst the basic treatments for Mesothelioma. In the recent past, treatments like removal of the pleural fluid to relieve pain and control breathlessness are being used. Apart from medication, there are a few helpful techniques that can help relieve pain and stress. These involve a balanced diet preferably prescribed by a general physician or a dietitian, conservation of energy on self-initiative as well as therapies such as aromatherapy, relaxation and massage.

In the inference, it would be worthwhile to mention that Mesothelioma is a dreadful disease and its spread can only be shunned if you are willing to know more about the disease. Then again you should also make sure that you take precautionary measures by piecing together all the information that you have garnered today.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my write-up about Mesothelioma here! Also visit my site to learn more about Mesothelioma Lawsuits.

What are mesothelioma lawsuits and how do they arise?

Mesothelioma lawsuits are filed by the victims of mesothelioma to avail reparations for medical expenses, pain & suffering and loss of income associated with the growth of this disease. Mesothelioma is a kind of cancer, which is inflicted by exposure to asbestos most frequently used in industrial and residential places till the late seventies. The numbers of mesothelioma victims were on the rise as the employers continued using these hazardous materials despite knowing the harmful consequences of them. Thus the poor workers, who were ignorant of the potential health risks that they were about to confront, were the unfortunate victims.

In case the victim dies there is a provision that one of the family members or the executor of his estate can file the lawsuit. On the other hand a family member who has contracted the disease from the victim of mesothelioma can also file a lawsuit.

Thus, if an individual is victimized owing to the negligence of another person, he has absolute right to take legal actions in the court of law for compensation. An individual needs to first consult with an attorney who deals with asbestos litigation and on his discretion the victim can file the suit.

How long does the process take and what are the end results?

These lawsuits tend to be cumbersome and longwinded. It could also stretch to years even to reach any settlement. Again all lawsuits are not necessarily longwinded; some of them take lesser time. However, in some of the cases the victims receive negligible amount of money, most of which are used to meet the lawyer’s and the court’s expenses. Nevertheless victims of mesothelioma should exhibit their rights and fight for their compensation. Again, mesothelioma lawsuits are generally settled out of court before they are set for trail. This actually makes more sense because it curtails court expenses for both the parties.

What can you do if you are uncertain about exposure to asbestos?

If you don’t know where and when you were exposed to asbestos, you should speak to your lawyer who will help you out. The lawyer may possibly hire a professional investigator who can make the necessary investigations so as to find out where the exposure had occurred and who are the ones that can be held responsible.

How much do you have to pay?

Factually, you need not pay unless and until you receive your compensation. It is only then that your lawyer shall take a percentage out of the compensation as his remuneration.

How much can you expect as compensation?

Well it depends on how creditable your case is. You will find that past settlements amounted to quite a ransom. But in the recent past with the subsequent increase in the number of mesothelioma lawsuits, there is a sleek chance to realize the entire amount.

The history of mesothelioma lawsuits

According to U.S mesothelioma history, the first ever mesothelioma lawsuit was filed in 1966 against the careless use of asbestos. But unfortunately the verdict went against the case. For the second time, another suit was put forward for a co-worker and this time the case was won. This gave impetus to all those helpless victims who craved for justice as innumerable mesothelioma lawsuits cropped up simultaneously.

Mesothelioma lawsuits also tells us that how ignorant people were initially about the causes and the aftereffects of the deadly disease. But now with the intervention of the law firms the victims of mesothelioma are provided with all-round assistance as regards lawful solutions to their righteous problems.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my story here! Also visit my site to learn more about Abestos Settlement.

A brief on Mesothelioma

A whopping 2,000 to 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma is on the rise in United States of America. Mesothelioma is a rare form of cancer and it is an aftereffect of the asbestos exposure. The cancerous cells tend to destroy the mesothelium, which is a protective sac that holds the internal organs of the body. Initially, pleura or peritoneum are affected and then it spreads to the other parts of the body. It is a fatal disease and the survival time of the victim is almost one year from the time of diagnosis depending on the treatment and other contributing factors.

What is mesothelioma prognosis?

Prognosis for mesothelioma is solely dependent on the merit of diagnosis and the treatment. If treatment is provided with much delay then the survival chance of the victim grows slimmer. Then again, survivability depends heavily on factors like treatment, type of mesothelioma as well as patients health and morale. The stage of the disease during diagnosis is the most crucial factor that decides the prognosis and the minimum survival expectancy of the victim. But disappointingly, mesothelioma unlike other cancers is somewhat difficult to stage. This is because the symptoms of mesothelioma are non-specific due to which the cells are already matured at the time of diagnosis.

What are the determining factors that lead to prognosis?

The early detection of the disease is imperative for pursuing any kind of treatment. The location and size of the cancer, response of the cancer to the treatment, the extent to which the cancer has spread, what impression does the cells give under the microscope and the patients age are some of the contributing factors that determine prognosis. It should be pointed out that diagnosis of the disease is not a child’s play. Further more it becomes all the very more difficult because of the deceptive nature of the subtle symptoms of mesothelioma. Like for example, if you are coughing and you might never know that you have contracted the disease unless and until your doctor clarifies it all by providing a mesothelioma prognosis.

Do you know about the mesothelioma treatment options?

Amongst the staging systems the oldest of them all is the Butchart system, based on the extent of mass, primary tumor and segregates the cancer into four stages. The TNM system is a more recent one while the Brigham system is the latest. It uses resectability and lymph node involvement for staging mesothelioma. The traditional kinds of treatments are also prevalent in case of malignant mesothelioma. Radiation therapy exercises high-energy X-rays to eradicate cancer cells while chemotherapy does it through use of drugs. Immunotherapy helps to strengthen the immune system; photodynamic therapy uses light energy while the genetic therapy resurrects the inherent genetic defects of the patient to fight the disease.

The process of removing fluid from the chest is known as thoracentesis while fluid reduction from the abdomen is known as paracentesis. Conventional surgeries and effective drugs like L-NDDP or Platar, Endostatin and Lovastatin somewhat come to the rescue of the victims of mesothelioma. The surgical removal of a part of the chest or the abdominal lining is called pleurectomy and if the lung is removed, then the operation will be termed as pneumonectomy.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my story here! Also visit my site to learn more about Abestos Settlement.

Lately many people have been looking for mesothelioma fact and information. The startling mesothelioma fact is that Mesothelioma Cancer is a rare cancer but every year about 2,000 new cases of mesothelioma are diagnosed in the United States and this number has been continuously increasing for the past 20 years. Initially mesothelioma was recognized as a tumor of the pleura, peritoneum and pericardium. Later on, the doctors studied the fact linking mesothelioma cancers to asbestos exposure. J.C.Wagner wrote the first on mesothelioma by, and emphasized its linkage to asbestos exposure in about 32 cases of workers in the “Asbestos Hills” in South Africa.

Thereon the fact about relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure was confirmed in different research studies around the world. Mesothelioma is caused because of asbestos exposure and inhalation of asbestos particles. Asbestos was widely used in industrial and manufacturing processes and building materials. Construction materials such as cement, tiles, roofing shingles, pipes, insulating material and many more, contained asbestos materials. The shocking mesothelioma fact is that almost all American buildings constructed before 1970s contain asbestos material that could pose risk for the occupants.

Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation has released a fact that, though since 1970s the protections against asbestos exposure have been in place, the mesothelioma would take 30 to 50 years to be noticed. This is because mesothelioma cancer and other asbestos diseases have a high latency rate. The asbestos particles can lie dormant in the human body for 30-50 years before manifesting as mesothelioma cancers.

Mesothelioma cancers are of two main types. In pleural mesothelioma, the cancer cells are found in the sac lining the chest and the peritoneal mesothelioma is found in the lining of the abdominal cavity. There are rare instances of mesothelioma of the lining of hearts and testicles. Mesothelioma is more prevalent in men than in women.

Awareness about mesothelioma facts is also helpful in having awareness about symptoms of mesothelioma. This information helps in early detection and timely treatment of disease. Chest pain that is caused by cancer itself or shortness of breath, abdominal pain and swelling, cough, fatigue and unexplained weight loss are some possible symptoms of mesothelioma cancers.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my write-up about Mesothelioma here! Also visit my site to learn more about Mesothelioma Lawsuits.

The cause of mesothelioma cancer:

Mesothelioma is a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos without sufficient protection over one’s mouth and nose. Asbestos is a fibrous mineral which was discovered in the 1860s but not properly used until the 1930s. Asbestos was used hugely in construction due to its property of being fireproof even at high temperatures. It was not until the 1960s that it became clear that asbestos was causing a number of diseases. These diseases include mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer.

Asbestos as the cause of mesothelioma:

When exposed to asbestos without sufficient protection, a person will inhale many tiny asbestos fibres that are suspended in the air. These will pass into the respiratory system and get most probably get lodged in the lining of the lungs. An accumulation of these fibres can cause the cells around it to become abnormal and this can lead to mesothelioma. Through the lymphatic system, asbestos fibres can become lodged in the lining of the abdomen or in the lining of the heart.

The suffering endured by patients of mesothelioma:

The symptoms of mesothelioma vary depending on what type of mesothelioma a patient has. However, there are several common symptoms of all types. These include chest pain, shortness of breath, coughing, coughing up blood, weight loss and loss of appetite. These symptoms usually take affect only when the mesothelioma cancer has fully matured and developed. Due to the fact that these symptoms are frequent for a number of more common diseases such as pneumonia, mesothelioma is very difficult to diagnose in its early stages.

The treatments available for mesothelioma:

As yet, all treatments for mesothelioma have a low success rate. The effectiveness of treatment depends largely on how aggressively and early the cancer is treated. If treated in its later stages when it has fully developed, it is extremely difficult, almost impossible to cure. Treatments include surgery which comes in two forms, aggressive surgery and palliative procedures, radiation therapy, chemotherapy and dual therapy which is a combination of all three main treatments combined. Dual therapy has shown the most promising signs so far as a curer for mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma research:

Research is being undertaken in numerous research labs all across the United States although so far no breakthroughs have been made. Many pharmaceutical companies are also endeavouring to find new drugs for chemotherapy. Researchers have recently predicted that a long awaited new treatment method for mesothelioma is on the way to being discovered.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my story here! Also visit my site to learn more about Abestos Settlement.

Mesothelioma and asbestos are so much linked that many people call it by the name of mesothelioma asbestos. While mesothelioma is a serious cancer, asbestos is its main cause. While one may approve of things that remain of use for a long time, their effect on the surroundings decides the worthiness of that product in the end. The same holds true with asbestos. The 1940s and 1950s saw a surge of ‘asbestos’ as the next best thing to happen after cement in the construction industry. Due to it’s high degree of stability and resistance to very high temperatures, asbestos was applied greatly in insulators and ceiling tiles in homes, schools and factories.

However, this product is a harmful contaminant. Asbestos has the tendency to break into small particles and remain suspended in the air for longer durations. Any individual that comes in contact or inhales it becomes vulnerable to serious diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer or the mesothelioma lung cancers.

Types of Mesothelioma:

Mesothelioma, asbestos related cancer, acquires it’s name from the mesothelium cells that are responsible for protecting and enabling easy movement of our vital organs such as lungs, heart and the abdomen in the body. Mesothelioma is generally of three types, pleural mesothelioma, peritoneal mesothelioma and pericardial mesothelioma.

If a person is suffering from hoarseness, difficulty in breathing, loss in weight, coughing, blood in sputum, chest pain, weak muscles, reduced tactile sensitivity, he may be suffering from Pleural mesothelioma or the cancer of lining of the lungs. This is the most common type of mesothelioma and almost two-thirds of the mesothelioma patients suffer from pleural mesothelioma. The Peritoneal mesothelioma or cancer of the lining of the abdomen causes impaired bowel motion, bloating, swelling in feet, and nausea. This is less common among mesothelioma patients and it affects one-third of the mesothelioma patients. Pericardial mesothelioma is of the cancer of lining of the heart. It is also caused because of asbestos exposure. However, its prevalence is rare. Pericardial mesothelioma manifests in the form of chest pain, palpitations, cough and dyspnea.

Lawsuits Related to Mesothelioma and Asbestos:

The hazardous consequences of long term contact with asbestos and its linkage to mesothelioma cancers has led to several lawsuits against its manufacturers. The mesothelioma or asbestos attorneys claim that the asbestos manufacturers were aware of the harmful affects of asbestos exposure and yet persisted with its use for profit motives. This is the reason why juries have ordered stringent awards in many mesothelioma and asbestos related lawsuits.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my story here! Also visit my site to learn more about Abestos Settlement.

What is mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma is cancer of the mesothelium. Like most cancers, mesothelioma involves the abnormal dividing of cells of a particular part of the body — in this case, the mesothelium. Mesothelioma is so deadly because it remains dormant for many years and then begins to rapidly expand. The cancer in that case begins to invade and damage nearby tissue, including the vital organs.

What is the mesothelium?

Many of the internal organs of the body are protected by a membrane called the mesothelium. This membrane in actual fact consists of two layers of cells. The inner layer surrounds the organs, and the second is a sac surrounding the inner layer. When organs within this membrane must move, expand or contract — like the heart, lungs, bladder, and so on, they are able to do so mainly because the mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid between the two layers.

Mesothelioma most often begins within the pleura or peritoneum. The pleura surrounds the lungs and covers the chest cavity. The peritoneum covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. Other mesothelium tissue is at the same time vulnerable to mesothelioma. These include the pericardium that surrounds and protects the heart; the tunica vaginalis testic which surrounds the internal male reproductive organs; and the tunica serosa uteri which is the membrane covering the internal reproductive organs in ladies.

Who is at greatest risk to develop mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma has a extremely specific cause – exposure to asbestos. During the first half of the previous century, right up until the mid 1970s asbestos was an crucial material used to insulate buildings, machines, heavy equipment, and a broad range of commercial applications. Simply because it was plentiful and cheap to mine, asbestos was used in many building products such as home insulation, floor, ceiling and roof tiles. It was also used in commonly found commercial products like brake linings and pipe insulation.

This meant that millions of people were coming in contact with asbestos on a daily basis. And since the effects of exposure to asbestos fibre often usually do not become apparent for 30 or 40 years after prolonged exposure, companies and health officials were slow to recognize the dangers of asbestos. As a result, shipyard workers, men and women working in asbestos mines and mills, workers producing asbestos products, workers during the heating and construction industries, and virtually all other tradespeople were exposed to asbestos fibres for extended periods of time.

Today it is understood that anyone working with or near asbestos has an increased risk of developing mesothelioma, so you will find strictly controlled limits of exposure in the work place. However since the dormancy period of mesothelioma can often be 30 or 40 years, there are millions of workers who are at risk due to their exposure in the decades before the safety controls were put in place.

What are the symptoms of mesothelioma?

Pleural mesothelioma – cancer of the pleura or lung lining – causes shortness of breath or chronic coughing. Other symptoms of pleural mesothelioma may include chest pain, chronic coughing, shortness of breath, fatigue, wheezing, hoarseness, weight loss, or blood in the phlegm from the lungs when coughing.

Peritoneal mesothelioma affects the lining around the stomach and intestines and is typically just as dangerous. Symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma include pain or swelling in the abdomen, weight loss, bowel obstruction, anemia, and fever.

Many of the symptoms of mesothelioma can easily be mistaken for allergies or a common cold. Mesothelioma is often discovered when patients think they have one of these other common illnesses.

How Serious is Mesothelioma?

By the time most infected people become aware they have mesothelioma, it’s no longer dormant and becomes extremely aggressive. In its active phase, mesothelioma can travel quickly, and is almost impossible to stop. You will find treatments used to keep the patient comfortable, nonetheless there is currently no cure for mesothelioma. As many as 75% of those who develop the disease will lose their life within one year. The remainder might last for up to an additional six months.

This makes it extremely important to detect the disease before it enters its active phase.

How is mesothelioma diagnosed?

Mesothelioma is often not diagnosed until it reaches an advanced stage. This is due to its long dormancy period, and because once it becomes active the initial symptoms are similar to even more common and less dangerous sicknesses such as colds or the flu. If a patient has a history of exposure to asbestos, subsequently a complete physical examination is recommended. This would normally include x-rays of the chest or abdomen and lung function tests. It might also include a CT (or CAT) scan or an MRI. Both of these tests give detailed pictures of areas inside the body.

If these tests indicate the probability of mesothelioma, in that case it’s required to perform a biopsy to confirm the diagnosis. Doing a biopsy involves an oncology specialist taking a small sample of affected tissue and examining it under a microscope for signs of malignancy. Depending on the location of the affected tissue, carrying out a biopsy can be a relatively straightforward procedure. It normally involves the insertion of a small instrument into the suspect cavity. These surgical devices have both viewing and sample taking capabilities. So the oncologist or surgeon can look at the cavity from the inside, and then take tissue samples from different areas.

If mesothelioma is discovered, the initial tests are followed up with what is called “staging”. This involves more tests to determine how far the disease has spread.

How is mesothelioma treated?

Standard treatments include the normal options available to cancer patients: surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Sometimes, these treatments are combined. Should the mesothelioma is discovered at an early enough stage these treatments can sometimes be effective.

Among the treatments which are used in order to reduce the effects of the disease are oxygen, postural drainage and pain killers. Many alternative treatment methods are also being tested, including attempts to strengthen the body’s immune system. Gene therapy is also being tested in an attempt to attack the problem at the DNA level. Other treatments being tried and tested include homeopathy, herbs and acupuncture. Unfortunately none of these have been found to be very effective once the disease reaches its aggressive stage.

As with all cancers, early detection is the best defense against mesothelioma. Anybody who has been exposed to asbestos should be alert for symptoms and contact a doctor immediately. Detecting mesothelioma at the earliest stage possible greatly increases the chances of beating the disease.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my story here! Also visit my site to learn more about Abestos Settlement.

The internal organs of the human body are encased in a protective sac called the mesothelium. Examples of mesothelilial membranes are the peritoneum (abdominal organs), pleura (lungs), and pericardium (heart).

Under specific conditions, the cells of the protective membrane divide uncontrolled and become cancerous. This disease is termed as Mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer which is caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos dust.

The disease is found to occur among those who work in shipyards, asbestos mines and factories, industries that produce asbestos based products, and the heating and construction businesses. Approximately 3,000 cases occur each year in the US, and most patients are between 50-70 years old. Statistics show that males are commonly affected and among them whites more than African Americans.

First studied in the late 1700s in depth studies were only done in the 1960s. Tumors of the Mesothelioma can be benign or malignant. The malignant Mesothelioma are categorized into three types:

- Epithelioid, accounting for 50-70% of mesotheliomas.

- Sarcomatoid, accounting for 7-20%.

- Mixed or bi-phasic, accounting for 20-35%.

When asbestos fibers are breathed into the lungs they travel through large air passages to reach the smaller passages and from them the pleura. In the pleura they damage: the mesothelial cells leading to cancer; lung tissue causing lung cancer; and the development of scar tissue within the lungs known as asbestosis. When asbestos fibers are swallowed they reach the abdominal cavity and cause peritoneal mesothelioma.

Research reveals that the disease only manifests 20-50 years after being exposed to asbestos dust. The symptoms are not specific to the disease but a patient may develop:

- Breathlessness.

- Chest pain accompanied by tightness believed to be caused by accumulation of fluid in the pleura.

- Low back pain.

- Swelling of face and arms.

- Sensory loss.

- Muscle weakness.

- Nausea.

- Vomiting.

- Weight loss that is unexplained.

- Persistent dry cough.

- Sore throat.

- Anemia.

- Fever.

- Constipation.

- Problems with blood clotting.

Since the above are common to minor ailments, patients often ignore the symptoms. It is advisable to consult a doctor if any of the above symptoms persist or if you feel you have been knowingly or unknowingly exposed to asbestos.

A doctor will:

- Take down a detailed medical history and try and determine the symptoms and risk factors.

- Do a thorough physical examination and check for signs of:

- Pleural effusion, fluid accumulated in the chest cavity.

- Fluid in the abdominal cavity.

- Pericardial effusion, fluid in the lining of the heart.

- Take a chest x-ray and check for thickening of the pleura, calcifications, and lowered lung fissures.

- Ask for a CT scan to determine clearly the location, size, and extent of the problem if any is suspected.

- Recommend tests of tissue samples and pleural fluids.

Other risk factors are cigarette or cigar smoking, exposure to radiation, exposure to zeolite a compound that is similar to asbestos, exposure to or infections caused by SV40, a Simian virus.

Those who work in a risky environment should wear protective clothing, have the surroundings tested regularly for suspended asbestos particles, and ensure that they have regular medical tests and report to the doctor any ailments that persist.

Being aware of the disease and its problems helps.

I’m Greg. Gardner, I’m surviving from Abestos Mesothelioma Cancer, and still defeating it everyday! You can read more about my write-up about Mesothelioma here! Also visit my site to learn more about Mesothelioma Lawsuits.