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Mesothelioma. Figuring out how to pronounce the word is a lot easier than having to live with it (or die from it). The dictionary breaks it down like this: Mez - uh - thee - lee - oh - muh It is a malignant (cancerous) tumor of the lung or the lining of the pleural and abdominal cavities, most often associated with exposure to asbestos. Let’s break it down some more. The pleural lining is what surrounds your lungs. It expands and contracts every time you breathe. Next, you have the abdominal cavity. It isn’t really empty, of course. That is where most of your internal organs are housed including stomach, small intestine, colon, kidneys, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, bladder and spleen. Now, for the culprit Asbestos is a naturally-occurring mineral that is made up of fibrous bundles. The fibers are long and thin and they stick on or to things when the fibers separate. It is very similar to fiberglass in that regard. Centuries ago, the Greeks began using asbestos in a wide variety of products due to the physical properties it displayed. Asbestos is extremely strong, has a very high resistance to heat, chemicals and electricity and can be woven like cloth. But even the ancient Greeks discovered the extreme down-side to extended exposure to asbestos. The Greeks didn’t call it mesothelioma, but they did find that those who worked with it developed severe, often deadly, breathing problems. Even though asbestos is no longer in production in the U.S., it is still imported and used in a wide range of products: • Asphalt roofing materials
• Brake shoes and clutches
• Fireproof mail bags
• Kevlar
• Insulating and finishing cement
• Countertops
• Friction materials
• Ironing board covers You aren’t in danger by just randomly touching asbestos or by being in close proximity to it. The danger of developing Mesothelioma comes from long-term exposure to the mineral primarily through inhalation. Over time, the small fragmented fibers of asbestos build up in the lungs and abdominal cavity causing severe health problems from asbestosis (scarring of the lungs) to lung cancer and death. Symptoms to be aware of include: • Shortness of breath
• Cough or change in cough pattern
• Fluid or blood in the sputum
• Difficulty swallowing
• Pain in the abdomen
• Cold or flu symptoms that don’t go away Workers in such industries as construction, mining, shipyards, oil refineries and railroads need to be especially alert to their health issues, as they are among the most likely candidates for contracting mesothelioma. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or died due to asbestos exposure or mesothelioma Mobile, Alabama area, please visit Long & Waite today for expert legal assistance.
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