Facts about Asbestosis

Asbestosis, like mesothelioma, is a disease that could be avoided if it was possible to avoid asbestos fibers completely. Unfortunately, asbestos remains a ubiquitous part of America. It won't disappear anytime soon. Although many industrialized countries have banned asbestos, the United States is not one of those, preferring to just regulate a toxic substance that has proven to be deadly. It has value that businesses believe is worth the risk.

Here is a primer on asbestosis, just the facts and the figures:

• Asbestosis is not a cancer, although it can increase the risk of developing either lung cancer or mesothelioma.
• Asbestosis is a breathing disorder, a lung disease caused by a prolonged accumulation of asbestos fibers in the lungs. It causes scarring of lung tissues, leading to a gradual thickening.
• Asbestosis symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they usually don't appear until many years after the exposure to asbestos.
• An estimated 125 million people in the world today are exposed to asbestos in the workplace, according to the World Health Organizations.
• Despite active removal efforts throughout the country, an estimated 1.3 million general-industry workers in the United States potentially are exposed each year to asbestos. Many of those are involved in the manipulation during renovation or demolition activities that involve asbestos.
• There are an estimated 1,880 tons of asbestos imported annually into the Unites States, according to a United States Geology survey for manufacturing.
• More than 107,000 people world-wide die each year from asbestos-related, occupational exposure, from illnesses like lung cancer, mesothelioma and asbestosis.
• Asbestosis is caused exclusively from an exposure to asbestos.
• The United States and Canada are the last two industrial countries in the world that have not banned asbestos, although regulations do exist. More than 50 countries have banned asbestos.
• Asbestosis was identified as the underlying cause of death for more than 9,000 people in the United States from 1968 to 2005, according to the American Public Health Association.
• The first official diagnosis of asbestosis, described in medical literature, was made in 1924 by an English doctor. The patient was a textile worker named Nellie Kershaw. Her death resulted in the first asbestos-related industry regulations, which began in 1932.
• There is no curative treatment for asbestosis. Treatments include oxygen therapy at home, which often relieves the shortness of breath and removes secretions from the lungs.
• It can take anywhere from 10-50 years for symptoms of asbestosis to occur following a first exposure to asbestos.

More Facts, More Figures

If you want more facts and figures about asbestosis or other asbestos-related diseases like mesothelioma, fill out this form and receive a free informational packet from The Mesothelioma Center. The packet is comprehensive, and it has details about doctors and cancer centers that treat asbestosis and mesothelioma as well as information about clinical trials and patient support. Click here to order your free packet and get it delivered overnight.