Four out of every 10000 Americans suffer from asbestosis

People who have been occupationally exposed to asbestos are at a high risk for asbestos poisoning. Depending on the concentration and longevity of asbestos exposure, symptoms of disease won't present itself from a few years to over forty years. Four out of every 10000 Americans suffer from asbestosis, a disease strictly caused by exposure to asbestos. People who develop asbestosis as a result of asbestos exposure will be affected by the condition for the rest of their lives. Symptoms of asbestosis begin to appear when lung function has been damaged by asbestos exposure. One of the first signs of asbestosis is when breathing has become noticeably difficult.

It has been estimated that over 30 million people have had asbestos exposure in the past 42 years. There are very small amounts of asbestos in the air we breath. Common symptoms of asbestos exposure are shortness of breath, coughing, chest pain, a dry crackling sound in the lungs while inhaling and weight loss. Most cases of lung cancer or asbestosis in asbestos workers occur 15 or more years after initial exposure to asbestos. For mesothelioma, the lag time is even longer.