The Long-Term Health Effects of Asbestos & Lead Exposure

In decades past, it was incredibly common to insulate your home with asbestos and cover your walls with lead paint. These materials were relatively inexpensive compared to the alternatives and were thus a popular choice among many families and businesses. What we didn’t know then, however, was that exposure to either or both of these created a massive health crisis among certain generations. What we were completely unaware of was the long-term health effects of asbestos and lead exposure.

Mesothelioma

If you’ve ever worked with asbestos, lived with someone who has, or grew up near an asbestos mine, you should visit a doctor if you’re having problems breathing or feel it’s had an impact on your health. Your lungs’ capacity can be assessed via an X-ray, or by a pulmonary function test. In order to establish whether you have mesothelioma, they may do a CT scan or biopsies on you. Lung, chest, and abdominal lining cancer is just what it sounds like. The accumulation of fluid around the lungs might be a warning indication. Other signs and symptoms include rib pain, coughing, difficulty breathing, lumps in the abdomen, and exhaustion.

Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a lung condition. Coughing, difficulty breathing, and irreversible damage to the lungs are all possible symptoms.  Chest discomfort and unusually broad or round fingernails or toenails are also possible symptoms. When a person has been exposed to asbestos on a daily basis for years, asbestosis takes years to manifest. Asbestos damage to the lungs’ tiny sacs (alveoli) cannot be healed. Your doctor, on the other hand, will provide you with advice on how to deal with your symptoms. They may suggest taking oxygen in addition to the medication they already have you on. If your symptoms are severe, you may be put on a lung transplant waiting list. Lung cancer is significantly more common in people who have asbestosis.

Lead Poisoning

Children’s health can be seriously harmed by exposure to lead. The brain and central nervous system are attacked by lead at high levels of exposure, which can result in coma, seizures, and sometimes even death. There is a risk of mental impairment and behavioral problems in children who survive toxic exposure to high levels of lead. Lead is now recognized to cause a range of injuries across various bodily systems at low exposure levels that don’t create any visible symptoms. Children exposed to high levels of lead may have behavioral changes such as decreased focus and inappropriate social conduct. Other health effects of lead exposure include anemia, high blood pressure, kidney failure, immune system damage, and reproductive organ poisoning. As far as we know, lead’s neurological and behavioral consequences are irreversible.

Now you have an idea of the long-term health effects of asbestos and lead exposure. Unfortunately, many of these cases could have been prevented with the right industrial cleanup services. If you’re worried your workplace may still be using lead paint or asbestos insulation, give us a call today!