Showing posts with label Questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Questions. Show all posts

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Mesothelioma - An Overview

Mesothelioma is an incurable form of cancer, which is rather uncommon. It is caused by previous exposure to asbestos. If we go through the history of mesothelioma patients we can see that either they have worked on jobs where they had inhaled asbestos particles or they must have been exposed to asbestos dust or particles in other ways. These particles pierce the delicate internal organs like the lungs, intestine and even the heart. It also destroys mesothelium, the protective sack which produces fluid facilitating the proper movement of organs. Apart from this, it can develop cancerous tumors which spread all over the body.

There are different forms of Mesothelioma. Pleural Mesothelioma is the most common form. Peritoneal Mesothelioma stands second which affects the stomach and intestines. Another rarest form of Mesothelioma, called Pericardial Mesothelioma attacks the membrane lubricates in the heart during circulation. During the initial stages, people tend to mistake mesothelioma for pneumonia. How ever, the common symptoms are persistent cough, shortness of breath, chest pains, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, swelling up of face and neck, coughing up blood, weight loss etc. Even though it is not compulsory that everyone who comes into contact with asbestos will develop the disease, keeping the risk factor in mind, it is better to consult the doctor on time which helps in early detection of the disease.

Normally mesothelioma is diagnosed in the later stages and it can be a serious blow to the family. Though research work continues incessantly there is no cure for the disease now. Mostly, the treatment is provided to lessen the severity of the symptoms of the disease. Doctors depend on some combinations of chemotherapy drugs and research scientists concentrate on finding ways and means for an early diagnosis of the fatal disease. In some cases surgery is performed on patients to remove tumors or an entire lung. Still most of them are treated with radiation or chemotherapy.

The reason someone develops the condition can be attributed to the negligence of the employers. The harmful impacts of asbestos and asbestos products are quite evident. Still, most of the employers pay scant respect regarding the health of the employees and do not offer adequate protection. It was in the 1970s that the public became aware of the dangers of the asbestos dust and fibers. Since then many employers have started giving protective clothing such as respirators, aprons, gloves and other necessary items to the hapless victims working in the field on a daily basis. But, these efforts are not at all sufficient and lot more has to be done to ensure the safety of the workers. The companies dealing with the production of asbestos or products containing asbestos have been subjected to numerous law suites owing to the irresponsible behavior of the employers. Most of these cases are filed by the unfortunate victims of the disease.

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Friday, March 12, 2010

Symptoms That Help You Identify Mesothelioma


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Mesothelioma can only be identified with help of its symptoms which appear after 20-50 years the person has developed the disease. Symptoms of mesothelioma appear when you have been exposed to the deadly toxic asbestos decades back. By the time they appear, they have already spread to all parts of the body.

There are 3 major types of mesothelioma which attack the body with some similar symptoms. These types of mesothelioma along with their symptoms are:

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural mesothelioma attacks the lining of the lungs and causes various symptoms. These symptoms include:
Cough
Difficulty sleeping
Fever
Pain at the side of the chest or the lower back
Pleural effusions (fluid in the chest cavity)
Progressive loss of appetite and weight loss
Dyspnea
Tiredness
Trouble swallowing
Muscle weakness
Sensory loss
Nausea

Pleural effusion is an accumulation of fluid between the lining of the lung and the chest cavity. It is one of most common symptoms of mesothelioma and leads to shortness of breath. As the fluid collects in the lining of the lungs and chest, the pain and shortness of breath also increase. Dyspnea is shortness of breath which can be caused by a pleural effusion and/or by the presence of a tumor in the pleura or the lining of the lungs.

A buildup of fluid in the pleural can create a feeling of fullness and pressure, causing areas of pain in the chest cavity and sometimes in the lower back area. Chest pain occurs more often on the right side of the body, as mesothelioma affects the right lung 60% of the time. Only 5% patients suffer from mesothelioma in both lungs.

In some cases, a patient may also have chronic hoarseness, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia) and/or the coughing up of blood (hemoptysis). These are the rare symptoms of mesothelioma and seen in less than 1% mesothelioma patients. If the patient also suffers from swelling of the face or neck areas, it means that the cancer has spread beyond the mesothelium.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma

The other type of mesothelioma is peritoneal which attacks the lining of the stomach or the abdominal cavity. It can cause symptoms like:
Belly Pain
Nausea
Vomiting
Weight loss
Fever
Night sweats
Frequency of urination
Bowel obstruction

Abdominal pain and swelling due to a buildup of fluid in the abdomen also known as ascites is one of the symptoms of peritoneal mesothelioma. If there is a tumor in the peritoneum membrane, it can put increasing pressure on the organs in the abdomen, leading to bowel obstruction and distention.

Pericardial Mesothelioma

The third type of mesothelioma is pericardial mesothelioma which attacks the lining of the chest cavity. It is not a common type of cancer. It can cause symptoms like:

Heart palpitations
Chest pains
Shortness of breath
Persistent cough
Weight loss
Irregular heartbeat

Pericardial effusion may also occur in pericardial mesothelioma. It is the accumulation of liquid in the lining of the chest cavity which may cause difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath. The patient may also complain of irregular heartbeat which is caused due to liquid accumulation in the chest. Persistent cough along with blood may also occur. Pericardial mesothelioma can also lead to lung cancer.

Some of these symptoms can help you identify mesothelioma. Some patients show no symptoms of their mesothelioma which makes it more difficult to diagnose. The exact symptoms will often depend on the area where mesothelioma affects which will help you identify mesothelioma.

For more information on mesothelioma lawyers, mesothelioma in different regions and help, check out:

http://www.rarehope.com

http://www.mesotheliomaresourceonline.com

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