Asbestos Testing: The Dangers Of Asbestos Exposure

Are asbestos testing Colorado Springs services really necessary? What exactly is wrong with asbestos, and why is it so important to detect it and get rid of it? Find out everything you need to know in this article.

What Is Asbestos?

For decades, various sectors added the material asbestos in literally hundreds of goods. The mineral’s popularity stems from the fact that it is inexpensive, durable, and resistant to heat and flame. That’s all and good when you don’t consider the possibility of lung cancer.

Nonetheless, there was accumulating evidence that asbestos exposure was dangerous.  In the 1980s, the United States started enforcing stricter rules against asbestos. The dangers of asbestos exposure from previous use of the material persist even now.

Signs Of Exposure

It’s possible that the first sign of a problem won’t show up until years after you’ve been exposed to asbestos. In general, it might manifest itself via the following signs:

• Feeling like you can’t get enough air
• Wheezing or hoarseness
• A persistent cough that steadily becomes worse over time.
• spitting out blood with a cough
• A decreased desire to eat
• Loss of weight
• Tiredness and anemia
• Experiencing discomfort or stiffness in the chest
• Having difficulty swallowing
• a puffiness in either your face or neck

And the symptoms do not stop there; some cases get as worse as head-on to real severe diseases. 

4 Illness Related To Asbestos Exposure

Asbestosis

The presence of asbestos in one’s environment for an extended period of time can lead to the development of the chronic lung disease asbestosis. The word “asbestos” refers to a class of fibrous minerals that may be found in very small amounts. In years gone by, it was a common material in building construction. The use of asbestos may carry a high risk.

Lung cancer

Lung cancer induced by asbestos exposure is the same as lung cancer triggered by smoking and other factors (and seems to be the same disease). 

It is believed that there is about one mortality caused by lung cancer for everyone caused by mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma

Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the lining of the lungs (also known as the pleura) and the lining surrounding the lower digestive system (peritoneum). Exposure to asbestos is the practically exclusive cause of it, and by the time it is detected, it is almost always too late to save the patient’s life.

Pleural Thickening

During prolonged or intense exposure to asbestos, pleural thickening is often an issue that develops. The pleura, which is the lining of the lung, becomes thicker and swollen. If this condition continues to worsen, the lung itself may become compressed, which may result in pain in the chest as well as shortness of breath.

Whereabouts Of Asbestos

Asbestos is seldom used in modern manufacturing processes. Only the very few manufactured goods that still contain inhalable asbestos are obliged to have warning labels. Yet, asbestos may be found in a wide variety of common house construction materials and insulation products. Many everyday items may have contained asbestos in the past, including:

• Sprayed coatings
• Asbestos cement water tank
• Electrical systems
• Boilers and pipes
• Toilet seats
• AIB partition walls
• Textured decorating coatings 
• Asbestos rope seals, gaskets, and paper
• Vinyl floor tiles
• AIB around boilers
• Textiles eg, fire blankets

Asbestos is ingrained in construction materials and can only be released whenever it’s scratched, damaged, or inhaled.

If you feel the symptoms mentioned earlier, you probably need an asbestos testing Colorado Springs service done immediately!