Asbestos is a mineral fiber commonly used in insulation. When damaged, asbestos microfibers can become airborne and inhaled into the lungs where they cause serious health conditions and diseases. In the United States, about 10,000 people die each...
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that starts in the mesothelium, which is a protective layer that envelopes many internal organs. The most common sites of mesothelioma are the pleura, which surrounds the lungs and lines the chest cavity, and the...
At one time, the producers of siding and roofing products added asbestos to give their products more strength, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. However, when health risks associated with asbestos were discovered in the early 1980s,...
According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asbestos is a mineral fiber commonly used as insulation and a fire retardant. When disrupted, damaged or destroyed, asbestos microfibers become airborne and can be inhaled. Once...
Asbestos is the name of a group of naturally occurring minerals which are heat resistant and do not conduct electricity. Because of these properties, prior to the 1970s it was commonly used in commercial products such as building materials....
The United States Environmental Protection Agency describes asbestos as a mineral fiber found in construction materials, automobile parts, fire retardant fabrics, gaskets, coating for commercial products and packaging material. As a highly toxic...
Asbestosis is a chronic condition caused by long-term inhalation and retention of asbestos fibers, which affect lung tissue, causing inflammation and a buildup of fibrous tissue. People with this condition are at high risk of certain types of...
Asbestos is an industrial mineral with fibers that can lodge in the lungs if people breathe them in, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, or ATSDR. Over time these fibers accumulate and can cause scarring and...
Smoking causes a host of ills, including lung conditions. It accounts for about 87 percent of the 157,300 lung cancer deaths in the United States each year, according to the American Cancer Society, and can also lead to emphysema. The habit's...
Asbestos can remain in the lungs for many years, causing a range of diseases and breathing problems, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. Once common in many industries, asbestos is a mineral made of small fibers that can be...
Exposure to asbestos increases the risk of common cancer that attacks the lungs or a rarer cancer that attacks the membrane lining the chest, studies have concluded. Both types of cancer are highly lethal. Asbestos was widely used in construction...
Pleurisy occurs when the tissue lining your lungs and chest wall becomes inflamed and painful -- a condition usually made worse by breathing deeply or coughing. The University of Maryland Medical Center states that numerous factors may lead to...
Patients experience decreased stamina after surgery, particularly cardiac surgery, or after a prolonged disease or injury that has prevented daily activity. Furthermore, bed rest for four days or longer results in decreased muscle mass. Therapists...
Pleurisy is inflammation of your pleura -- a two-layered membrane that covers your lungs. According to the National Health Service of the United Kingdom, if your pleura becomes irritated or inflamed, you may experience sharp chest pain, especially...
According to the DoctorsLounge website, left upper quadrant pain is often associated with diseases of the spleen and colon. However, other areas of the body, including the chest, can cause pain in this part of the abdomen too. Left upper quadrant...
Asbestos is a natural fiber that is known for its strength and durability. It is because of these attributes that it is used in manufacturing, primarily of construction materials. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is...
An estimated 1.3 million workers in the United States are exposed to asbestos, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. People in the construction industry, particularly those involved in demolition of old buildings and...
