Our home is our sanctuary. Nothing beats the comfort you get when you get home after a long day at work. However, unknown to a lot of people, there are potential risks in your home that you may not be aware of. One of them is having asbestos in your home.
Asbestos is a common material used in homes because of its ability to provide insulation. Found in most homes nowadays, it could potentially cause health-related issues such as asbestosis or lung cancer when breathed in. That is why it is extremely important to utilize the services of licensed asbestos removal experts to help you avoid potential hazards in the future.
Here are the top four health dangers you may be exposed to if you have asbestos in your home.
- Lung Cancer
When you breathe in asbestos regularly in your home, it can precariously result to lung cancer. Asbestos exposure has caused a large number of deaths, especially those who are directly involved in mining and manufacturing asbestos. If your home has products that contain this mineral, you are in danger to have issues with your lungs. The common symptoms of lung cancer are coughing, shortness of breath, anaemia, and persistent chest pains.
- Asbestosis
Even though it is non-cancerous, asbestosis is a serious respiratory disease. When a person inhales asbestos fibres, it could irritate the lung tissues which eventually could result in these tissues to scar. The common symptoms for asbestosis are quite similar to lung cancer which is shortness of breath and a dry, chest pains, persistent dry cough, among others. Worst, it could lead to a cardiac failure. Whether you smoke or not, so long as you are exposed to asbestos for a longer period of time, you are still more likely to get lung cancer. Right now, there is currently no effective treatment for asbestosis that is why it is called a disabling disease. It is highly advised to take extra precautions on asbestos exposure, especially when renovating or demolishing houses that contain asbestos.
- Mesothelioma
Another rare form of cancer that is caused by asbestos exposure is mesothelioma. It often occurs in the thin membrane lining of the lungs, abdomen, chest, and rarely in the heart. The ones who are most affected by this are those workers who are directly involved in mining and manufacturing products made of asbestos. Whether your home contains a large amount of asbestos, or your home is situated near an asbestos factory or asbestos mines, you are highly at risk to get mesothelioma.
- Other types of cancers in the stomach, colon, oesophagus, and kidney
Inhaling asbestos is one thing while ingesting it is another. Ingesting asbestos is so dangerous that if not taken care of as early as possible, it could develop into cancer in the stomach, colon, oesophagus, and kidney. That is why, it is very important to check asbestos fibres from entering our bodies, most especially in our homes where we spend most of our time.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
