Asbestos is a natural, carcinogenic substance that can be found in people’s homes. In the past, before people knew of its dangerous properties, asbestos was used in cloth, cement, plastic, and other aspects of homes because it was a good and cheap insulator. It was mostly found in roofs, walls, and tiles. Builders used to use asbestos to retain heat inside the house. However, it was discovered that much exposure to asbestos is toxic for humans and can result in a number of health conditions if it enters the lungs. A lot of these conditions may also take years to appear. Illness from asbestos is also irreversible, and the longer people have been exposed to it, the worse the impact may be. If you live in Perth and think your house may have Asbestos, there are many companies offering Asbestos Removal in Perth that can help you and your family avoid getting Abestosis.
Asbestosis is the name of the lung condition that is caused by this long-term exposure to asbestos. It is mostly found in those who have been in working conditions around asbestos for a long time – such as construction workers, heating engineers, or plumbers.
If you think you may have asbestosis, or have been exposed to it for some time, check if any of these symptoms apply to you:
- Continuous shortness of breath
- Coughing persistently
- Wheezing
- Consistent and extreme fatigue
- Pain in your shoulder and chest
- Swollen fingertips
If you feel any of these symptoms may relate to you, get checked out as soon as possible, as asbestosis can lead to much more serious conditions, such as lung cancer, pleural effusion (collecting fluid around the lungs), or mesothelioma (which affects the lining of the heart of abdomen). To understand whether you have asbestosis, a doctor may do a number of tests on you, including a chest X-Ray, a CT scan of your lungs, or other lung function tests. If you do have asbestosis, there unfortunately is no cure – as the damage it can do is irreversible. However, some treatments can help, such as:
- Oxygen therapy
- Inhalers
- Pulmonary rehabilitation
- Cessation of smoking entirely
Depending on where you are based, there are also support services to help those who were impacted by asbestos in previous years. What is crucial to remember is that although asbestos damage is irreversible, there are many financial and social support services to those who have been exposed to it in your country – so you are not alone in your struggles.