Cancer is a truly scary diagnosis and even if you are diagnosed with cancer, there is hope. Knowing what to look for and what symptoms you might be dealing with will help you to understand what you are dealing with and what you are going to face. Mesothelioma is a fairly rare type of cancer named for the part of the body that it affects. Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that affects the soft tissue lining of the internal organs, the mesothelium. You can find a great number of online resources that better explain what happens.
Are there Regulations for Automotive Asbestos?
In cars that are built before the 1970s asbestos is a fairly common substance that was used to help insulate and raise heat resistance in cars. Before 1970 it was fairly unregulated, and it could be used for nearly anything. There are some regulations in place now that help to keep the asbestos exposure in vehicles low. Brakes used to be made of up to 60% asbestos, today, they are not allowed to be more than 35% asbestos. The most common point of exposure is in production factories.
Anyone that is exposed to brake dust is at an increased risk of developing asbestos. This can mean that toll booth workers, people on manufacturing lines, and even mechanics are at an increased risk of being exposed to asbestos. With things like asbestos used in brakes, there is really no way to avoid it or to identify it and then avoid it. If you work in the auto industry you can always seek compensation if you feel that you may get mesothelioma or if you are at risk.
What are the Symptoms of Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is caused when fibers from asbestos get embedded in the lining of the lungs. The lining of the lungs then hardens and tightens making it harder and hard to breathe as the disease progresses. Mesothelioma, though it can be found in other organs, most commonly affects the lungs as the means of it getting into the body is through the respiratory system.
Some symptoms of mesothelioma that you can look for are chest pain, painful coughing or wheezing, you might be short of breath, you may have lumps of tissue under the skin of the chest, and you may also have unexplained weight loss. These symptoms often come on gradually but once they do, they get intense, and they do start to make normal every day tasks difficult and make you feel worse and worse.
This type of cancer is fairly uncommon and since asbestos is not used in building anymore, it is not as common anymore as it once was. Mesothelioma is a terrible cancer that does move quickly once it fully develops. You may not know you have it until it is too late. If you suspect that you have been exposed to asbestos, and you have mesothelioma, it is best to get care as quickly as you can.
