MESOTHELIOMA Facts

So what is MESOTHELIOMA?
If you would search the web, you will find several answers, some write about how mesothelioma is cured, how mesothelioma has been acquired, where mesothelioma come from. And many more about mesothelioma. But what exactly is mesothelioma?

I find it interesting, cause the word is something that you would not read every day and very uncommon. So here it is. Mesothelioma is a rare kind or form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos . In this case, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Most common site is the pleura ( outer lining of the lungs), but may also occur in other body organs.

Most people people who develop mesothelioma have been expose to asbestos particles, where they have inhaled tiny particles of asbestos dust. Most of them inhaled asbestos working from their work sites. Others have been cross contaminated or get it indirectly, specially family members. Washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos can also put a person at risk for developing mesothelioma. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking. Compensation via asbestos funds or lawsuits is an important issue in mesothelioma.

Symptoms
The symptoms of mesothelioma include shortness of breath due to pleural effusion (fluid between the lung and the chest wall) or chest wall pain, and general symptoms such as weight loss. The diagnosis may be suspected with chest X-ray and CT scan, and is confirmed with a biopsy (tissue sample) and microscopic examination. A thoracoscopy (inserting a tube with a camera into the chest) can be used to take biopsies. It allows the introduction of substances such as talc to obliterate the pleural space (called pleurodesis), which prevents more fluid from accumulating and pressing on the lung. Despite treatment with chemotherapy, radiation therapy or sometimes surgery, the disease carries a poor prognosis. Research about screening tests for the early detection of mesothelioma is ongoing.

Source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Mesothelioma - Lets help relieve the pain!

By (Author) Krishna Jani
When we think about Mesothelioma the first word that strikes our mind is Cancer. But have we ever thought, what exactly is Mesothelioma? It's a rare cancer in the extremely thin layer of the tissue that covers the majority of organs of your body. People suffering from this disease go through severe mental and physical pain. We need to support them and also understand their pain. Below are some points that will help you understand how we can work on this.

Most of the time people who suffer from Mesothelioma experience pain due to their illness. The pain that they have depends on the stage or extent of Mesothelioma that they have and also on their tolerance power.

The cause of pain may be due to several reasons. Some are listed below:

•One reason can be the tumor that is present in their body. If this tumor is pressed against their bones or nerves or any other body part, significant pain can be experienced.

•The treatment that is given for Mesothelioma is very harsh and can be painful. Even this can cause unbearable pain to the patient.

•Also there are general pains that cannot be related to cancer. Pains like a headache or muscle ache are typical.

There are various steps that can help the pain that is caused by Mesothelioma. The patient's doctor can help in reducing these pains in different ways like:

•Radiation Therapy •Pain medicine •Nerve block •Alternative treatments

Radiation can help in relieving pain as it reduces the size of the tumor present in the Mesothelioma patient's body. Radiation Therapy can be combined with chemotherapy and/or surgery.

Even pain medicines offer relief in Mesothelioma pain. It is safe to use any medicine if you use it properly and under observation of a doctor or a nurse. Some pain killers can be purchased without a doctor's prescription and for some a prescription is mandatory. Most of us are always worried of getting addicted to these medications but this happens rarely.

The nerve block is a process where a doctor injects alcohol into the area around the nerves near the lungs to block the pain of Mesothelioma.

There are alternative treatments like massage, acupuncture and acupressure that can help decrease the pain of Mesothelioma.

It is always good to communicate openly with your doctor or nurse about the pain of Mesothelioma. The better you communicate the better they can understand. You can also share each others views about the medicines that help you get relief from the pain and the ones which do not. For more information on Mesothelioma pain you can contact your doctor, pharmacist or a social worker.

About the Author ( KrishnaJani )
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I am an occupational content writer as wrting is my hobby and i enjoy wrting on various topics.