A frequent asked question I often read about is "have I inhaled
asbestos?" The short answer is 'Yes' but also 'No.'
The precise way to know if you have inhaled asbestos would require
biopsy of lung tissue and examining it histocytologically for evidence
of the microscopic particles that asbestos is. But this procedure will
only happen if you are seriously sick and your physician suspects mesothelioma. So
what options are we left with? Most people expose themselves to asbestos in
a visit to a building built before asbestos was banned- around 1985
for brown, blue asbestos and at the end of 1999 for Chrysotile asbestos
in the UK. (The building's integrity has to be disturbed to be considered
really asbestos-poisoned.)
Two things to look for:
- Was your visit to that building long-lived and frequent?
- Were there asbestos signs around the building?
If the answer to the questions is 'yes,' then you may just have inhaled
asbestos. One thing I'd like to point out is the fact that you've inhaled
asbestos doesn't ALWAYS mean you'll get mesothelioma. (The symptoms
of mesothelioma usually appear 20-25 years after asbestos exposure.)
The exposure becomes worrisome when large concentrations of asbestos
are inhaled over a long period of time.
The above discussion doesn't apply to construction workers who may
be exposed to asbestos on a daily basis.
You will find detailed discussion on:
No comments:
Post a Comment