Asbestos can cause serious health problems, like mesothelioma. Asbestos is often present in old building materials, but is it harmful in all cases?
How do you separate fact from fiction?
Read over these common myths about asbestos and find out the truth.
1.You’ll feel the effects of asbestos exposure almost immediately.
False: People exposed to asbestos fibers will often not notice any detrimental effects until between ten and forty years later. This also depends on the amount and duration of exposure.
2.All asbestos exposure is hazardous.
False: Many people work or dwell within buildings containing low levels of asbestos. The amount of asbestos, the material in which it’s contained (insulation versus flooring or ceiling), and the length of time spent in the area all play key roles in whether a person will suffer ill effects from asbestos exposure. In general, the risks associated with asbestos exposure are fairly low, but this doesn’t mean that precautions shouldn’t be taken.
3. If you see asbestos or asbestos-containing materials in your home, you should remove it immediately yourself and clean your house thoroughly.
False: Never handle materials thought to contain asbestos yourself. Always call in an asbestos abatement professional—they are trained in safe handling and removal of these materials. Asbestos is most dangerous when disturbed, such as during construction, remodeling, moving materials, etc. Since asbestos fibers become airborne if tampered with, the risk for increased exposure (and therefore possible damages to health) is elevated if self-removal is attempted.
4. Asbestosis, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases are contagious.
False: While living, working and moving through an area contaminated with asbestos may cause dispersal via your clothes, the diseases themselves are not transmittable to others. They are not caused by viruses, but by the body’s reactions to the mineral fibers. In order to protect your family from exposure to asbestos from your workplace, do not wear tainted work clothes home, and don’t wash the clothes in your home laundry machines.
5. The EPA requires removal of all asbestos materials from contaminated buildings.
False: Asbestos removal is only necessary in cases of potential public hazard, such as remodeling or deconstruction of buildings. Remember that undisturbed asbestos poses a relatively low health risk, and it’s only in cases of improper relocation and disposal (such as attempted do-it-yourself removal) that the airborne fibers put you in significant danger.
6. You can tell what building materials contain asbestos by sight.
False: For over 50 years (between 1920 and 1978), asbestos was used in the construction of about 3,500 different building materials. There’s no way of knowing what materials may or may not contain asbestos merely by looking—the only sure indicator is to have the material tested in a lab. Again, never attempt to test or remove suspicious substances yourself.
7. Chrysotile asbestos is not harmful to your health like other types of asbestos are.
False: Just because this type of asbestos is used in more materials than any other—95% of them, to be exact—does not mean it is safer. All forms of asbestos are potentially hazardous, so approach them with caution.
8. If you contract an asbestos-related disease, there is nothing you can do to alleviate symptoms or heal.
False: While you cannot necessarily cure asbestos-related diseases, you can certainly treat the symptoms and prevent further exposure. Doctors can prescribe antibiotics to treat and reduce the risk of further infections, as well as reducing the harmful and uncomfortable effects of coughing.
9. Only people who smoke cigarettes are susceptible to asbestos-related diseases.
False: Prolonged or excessive exposure to airborne asbestos fibers, in combination with regular tobacco use, increases your chances of contracting an asbestos-related disease 90 times. However, nonsmokers are certainly not a zero-risk population.
10. If you do not work or live in an asbestos-contaminated area, you will not suffer from the detrimental effects of asbestos exposure.
False: As previously mentioned, families and housemates of people who work around asbestos can be exposed to the fibers. Asbestos fibers are often carried between locations via clothes, bags, etc., where they can become airborne again.
Lawrence Reaves is a voracious reader and writes on various topics including health, medical, and disease. Recently he’s been writing for Asbestos News.com, a site which features a wealth of information on asbestos exposure and more.
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Asbestos inaweza kusababisha matatizo makubwa ya afya, kama vile mesothelioma. Asbestos mara nyingi hupatikana katika vifaa vya zamani vya ujenzi, lakini je, ni hatari katika visa vyote? Unatenganishaje ukweli na uwongo? Soma hadithi hizi za kawaida kuhusu asbestos na upate kujua ukweli. 1.Utahisi athari za kuambukizwa na asbestos karibu mara moja. Uongo: Watu wanaokabiliwa na nyuzi za amianti mara nyingi hawatagundua madhara yoyote hadi kati ya miaka kumi na arobaini baadaye. Hii pia inategemea kiasi na muda wa mfiduo. 2.Kujulikana kwa asbestos ni hatari. Uongo: Watu wengi hufanya kazi au kuishi ndani ya majengo yenye viwango vya chini vya amianti. Kiasi cha asbestos, nyenzo ambayo ni zilizomo (insulation dhidi ya sakafu au dari), na urefu wa muda uliotumika katika eneo hilo wote kucheza majukumu muhimu katika kama mtu atateseka madhara kutoka asbestos mfiduo. Kwa ujumla, hatari zinazohusiana na mfiduo wa asbestos ni ndogo sana, lakini hii haimaanishi kwamba tahadhari hazipaswi kuchukuliwa. 3. Uwe na mtazamo wa kweli Ikiwa unaona asbestos au vifaa vinavyomilikiwa na asbestos nyumbani kwako, unapaswa kuiondoa mara moja na kusafisha nyumba yako kwa uangalifu. Uongo: Usishughulike kamwe na vifaa vinavyofikiriwa kuwa na asbestos. Daima piga simu katika mtaalamu wa kupunguza asbestos - wao ni mafunzo katika utunzaji salama na kuondolewa kwa vifaa hivi. Asbestos ni hatari zaidi wakati kusumbuliwa, kama vile wakati wa ujenzi, remodeling, kusonga vifaa, nk. Kwa kuwa nyuzi za amianti husambaa hewani zinapobadilishwa, hatari ya kuathiriwa zaidi (na kwa hiyo madhara ya afya) huongezeka ikiwa jaribio la kujiondoa linafanywa. 4. Uwe na uhakika Asbestosis, mesothelioma, na magonjwa mengine yanayohusiana na asbestos ni ya kuambukiza. Ingawa kuishi, kufanya kazi na kusafiri katika eneo lililoharibiwa na asbestos kunaweza kusababisha kuenea kwa njia ya nguo zako, magonjwa yenyewe hayawezi kuambukizwa kwa wengine. Hazisababishwi na virusi, bali na athari za mwili kwa nyuzi za madini. Ili kulinda familia yako kutokana na kuambukizwa na asbestos kutoka mahali pa kazi yako, usivale nguo za kazi zilizochafuliwa nyumbani, na usifue nguo katika mashine zako za kufua nguo nyumbani. 5. Uwe na mtazamo mzuri. EPA inahitaji kuondolewa kwa vifaa vyote vya asbestos kutoka kwa majengo yaliyochafuliwa. Asbestos inahitajika tu katika kesi za hatari ya umma, kama vile kurekebisha au kuharibu majengo. Kumbuka kwamba asbestos unperturbed ina hatari ya chini ya afya, na ni tu katika kesi ya uhamisho usiofaa na kuondoa (kama vile jaribio la kufanya-ni-wewe kuondoa) kwamba nyuzi hewa kuweka wewe katika hatari kubwa. 6. Uwe na uhakika Unaweza kujua ni vifaa gani vya ujenzi vinavyo na asbestos kwa kuona. Kwa miaka zaidi ya 50 (kati ya mwaka wa 1920 na 1978), asbestos ilitumiwa katika ujenzi wa vifaa vya ujenzi 3,500 hivi. Hakuna njia ya kujua nini vifaa inaweza au haiwezi kuwa na asbestos tu kwa kuangalia kiashiria tu uhakika ni kuwa na vifaa kupimwa katika maabara. Kwa mara nyingine tena, usijaribu kamwe kupima au kuondoa vitu vyenye kutilika shaka mwenyewe. 7. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Asbestos ya chrysotile haidhuru afya yako kama vile aina nyingine za asbestos. Asbestos ya aina hii hutumiwa katika vifaa vingi kuliko vingine vyote - 95% ya vifaa hivyo, kwa usahihi - haimaanishi ni salama zaidi. Aina zote za amianti zinaweza kuwa hatari, kwa hiyo zungumza nazo kwa uangalifu. 8. Uwe na mtazamo gani? Ikiwa unakabiliwa na ugonjwa unaosababishwa na asbestos, hakuna jambo unaloweza kufanya ili kupunguza dalili au kupona. Uongo: Ingawa si lazima uponye magonjwa yanayohusiana na asbestos, kwa hakika unaweza kutibu dalili na kuzuia kuambukizwa zaidi. Madaktari wanaweza kuagiza dawa za kuua viini ili kutibu na kupunguza hatari ya maambukizo zaidi, na pia kupunguza athari mbaya na zisizofaa za kikohozi. 9. (a) Kwa nini? Ni watu wanaovuta sigareti tu walio na uwezekano wa kupatwa na magonjwa yanayohusiana na asbestos. Uwezekano wa kuambukizwa ugonjwa unaosababishwa na asbestos huongezeka mara 90 ikiwa unakabiliwa na nyuzi za asbestos zinazosambazwa hewani kwa muda mrefu au kupita kiasi, pamoja na kutumia tumbaku kwa ukawaida. Hata hivyo, bila shaka watu wasiovuta sigareti si watu wasio na hatari yoyote. Kumi. Ikiwa hufanyi kazi au huishi katika eneo lenye uchafuzi wa asbestos, hutapatwa na madhara ya kuathiriwa na asbestos. Kama ilivyotajwa hapo awali, familia na watu wanaofanya kazi karibu na asbestos wanaweza kuathiriwa na nyuzi hizo. Nyuzi za asbestos mara nyingi husafirishwa kati ya maeneo kupitia nguo, mifuko, nk, ambapo zinaweza kusambazwa tena hewani. Lawrence Reaves ni msomaji mwenye hamu ya kusoma na anaandika juu ya mada mbalimbali kutia ndani afya, matibabu, na magonjwa. Hivi karibuni amekuwa akiandika kwa Asbestos News.com, tovuti ambayo ina utajiri wa habari juu ya mfiduo wa asbestos na zaidi. [Easyazon-block asin=0195178696′′ align=none]