What are the types of asbestos related diseases?
As medical research continues to monitor the effects of asbestos exposure it is now well established that there are various types of asbestos related disease including the following:
Pleural plaques
The pleura is the outer protective membrane of the lung. By breathing in asbestos this membrane can become scarred with the accumulation of asbestos dust. It can occur in one or both lungs. Usually there is no breathlessness or disability. In themselves plaques are not a serious injury but do worry most people. The reason for this is that there is a risk of more serious illnesses developing. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to claim compensation for this injury.
Pleural thickening
Pleural thickening is more serious than plaques because it can cause pain and breathlessness. Pleural thickening occurs when the asbestos fibres accumulate in or around any part of the pleura.
Pleural effusion
This is a build up of fluid in the chest cavity. It is usually treated by way of a pleural aspiration i.e. drainage of the fluid from the chest cavity. A complete recovery would be expected although it can be the case that further illnesses do develop.
Asbestosis
This is the formation of fibrous or scar tissue in the lung itself. Symptoms associated with this include pain and discomfort when breathing, a dry cough and breathlessness. More often than not the development of symptoms will over the years increase and people often mistakenly associate the symptoms with old age rather than the disease itself. Asbestosis often gets worse with time. There is no cure for it.
Mesothelioma
This is a type of malignant tumour usually caused by inhalation of asbestos dust. It is a type of cancer of the pleura or peritoneum. Unfortunately despite advances in medical science there is no cure for this type of cancer. The symptoms associated with Mesothelioma include gradually increasing chest pain caused by a build up of fluid around the lung, shortness of breath, tiredness, weight loss and lethargy. These diseases have no connection with smoking and some can be caused as a result of only short periods of exposure to asbestos dust.
Other asbestos related diseases
Modern medical research has now proved that there is a link between asbestos exposure and some cancers including lung, gastro intestinal and laryngeal cancer.
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