Saturday, November 29, 2008

Causes And Symptoms Of Mesothelioma The Deadly Cancer Killer

Mesothelioma can be described as a rare type of cancer which is caused due to the exposure of humans to asbestos. In more clear words, mesothelioma occurs when asbestos are inhaled and absorbed into the individuals bloodstream which results in the formation of a cancerous coating on the internal body organs of patients.

Pleural Mesothelioma is considered as the most common type of houston lawyer mesothelioma asbestos. This type of mesothelioma creates a tumor on the pleura - the sac which lines the chest cavity protecting the human lungs.

Peritoneal Mesothelioma is another type of mesothelioma which affects the peritoneum of the human abdominal cavity. There are also several other forms which effect various areas such as the lining of the heart and abdomen.

Causes of Mesothelioma

As mentioned earlier, exposure to asbestos is the main reason for mesothelioma cancer. Asbestos is a heat resistant fibrous mineral which is commonly used for various industrial purposes. Asbestos is widely used as the main object in creating gasket compounds, roofing, patching compounds, and floor tiles.Asbestos dust is injurious to the human body, and may invariably lead to this cancerous condition if exposed to for a longer period of time.

Symptoms of Mesothelioma

According to physicians, mesothelioma is common with people working with asbestos. It is reported that the effect of a couple of weeks or even less can result in the risk of mesothelioma. The effect is not immediate and to say an average it takes around 35 to 45 years to develop a malignant tumor. Mesothelioma cancer is mostly seen in miners, factory workers, railroad laborers, ship builders, insulation workers, and gas mask makers.

Some of the main symptoms of mesothelioma cancer include breathing difficulties, abdominal pain, bowel obstruction, and continuous coughing causing chest and stomach pains.

Treatments

With the advancement in science and technology, newer treatment techniques have been introduced, and some of it is looking promising as well.

Today, there are several procedures used for mesothelioma treatment. The type of mesothelioma treatment purely depends on several factors such as the health and age of the patient, location of the cancer, and the stage of the disease.

The main form of treatment for houston lawyer mesothelioma asbestos is surgery to remove the tumor and some of the tissue around the infected part. For cancer of the pleura, an operation known as pneumonectomy is usually done to remove a lung. In certain cases, the diaphragm, the muscle just below the lungs which aids in breathing is removed.

Radiation therapy, also known as radiotherapy, is another method of mesothelioma treatment. In this treatment high energy rays are used to kill cancer cells and shrink tumor affected cells.

Another treatment for mesothelioma cancer is chemotherapy. In this treatment anticancer drugs are used to kill cancer cells throughout the patients body. This treatment involves the administration of the drugs by injection into a vein.

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Friday, November 28, 2008

Pleural Mesotheloma

The Pleural Mesothelioma is one of the most common forms of mesothelioma that exist, and in the malignant form it is the direct consequence of the exposure to asbestos fibers. One can obtain beginning tumors with the pleural mesothelioma, but its malignant form is by means far the most common. The gasping in of the asbestos fibers is the cause that puts those ones that works unprotected with the asbestos at maximum risk, and these risks could be heightened through smoking and also by the exposure to this risky fiber.

Pleural mesothelioma mostly attacks the parts of the lungs and the whole respiratory areas of the human body. These are a form of cancer and mainly attack the cells of the lining known as pleura of the ribs and the lungs. With the other forms of pleural mesothelioma, the various symptoms could take more than twenty to thirty years or sometimes longer. There are a numerous of common symptoms for the pleural mesothelioma, and like the common peritoneal mesothelioma, they might appear as very non-specific and might be put downward to a amount of common illness or diseases.

The extended latency period connected with this houston lawyer mesothelioma asbestos is previously the cause of delay, except the type of various symptoms that are associated with this illness may cause even more delay, even while the inception begins. With no prior awareness that one have worked with the exposure of asbestos and are therefore the elevated risk patient where the pleural mesothelioma is concerned with, ones doctor might end up trying for the wide variety of the other diseases such as the pneumonia. These wastes to a large amount need time, and so it is vital that one not only maintain his eyes open for some of the connected symptoms but moreover inform ones doctor of his past account of working with the asbestos. All armed with information, the doctor of medicine could then start in running suitable tests.

Some of the common symptoms that are associated with the pleural houston lawyer mesothelioma asbestos: the persistent coughing; facial swelling, difficulty in swallowing; fever, weight loss; rasping; and in some it also extends up to coughing up blood. Some of the patients may also go through the shortness of breath, whether they are in sleep or active. This may be caused due to the thickening of the pleura which is formed due to the increase of the tumor. As much the pleura get thicker, the reduced amount of space the lungs will have to function up properly, therefore the breathing start on to be affected.

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Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Student Loan Consolidation Made Easy

The student loan consolidation process can be complex. But it doesn't have to be. The following step-by-step guide will help you better understand how student loan consolidation works and how it will benefit you for years to come.

Step #1: Apply for Student Loan Consolidation

The first step in consolidating your student loans is to apply for a student consolidation loan using a lender application form.





When you apply, you'll have the choice of receiving an application and information packet via eSignature or postal mail. Your packet will contain a consolidation application, as well as information about your discounts, and details on how your interest rate is computed.

Step #2: Locate Your Current Student Loans

As a result of recent changes at the Department of Education, you'll need to provide your student loan information with your consolidation application. Today, there are a number of ways that you can locate your student loans and our loan counselors will gladly walk you through each process.

Once you have reviewed the promissory note, and understand the terms, you will sign and return it to us. Either by eSignature online, or by sending the paper application back in our pre-paid envelope.

Step #3: The Student Loan Application Process

Upon receiving your signed application, your loan counselor will check the application for errors. We also check to make sure it complies with all federal guidelines set forth for federal loan consolidation. This ensures that your application is completed quickly and accurately.

After your application is submitted for processing, the loan retrieval" begins. Your student loan consolidator will contact your lenders for the exact amount you owe; this information is sent to them on a loan verification certificate. This process can take up to 60 days depending on the response time from your lender. Once we have valid loan verification certficates from your lenders, your consolidator will send them a check for the balance of your student loans.

Once the check has been sent to your lender and processed, your loans have officially been consolidated. You will receive a new statement from your consolidator detailing when your first payment is due, and when each payment is due thereafter. Your previous lenders can take a week or two to close out your accounts, so do not be alarmed if you get a statement from your consolidator and a statement from your old lender. This happens frequently and is no cause for concern.

Your first billing statement from your consolidator includes the automatic checking account withdrawal enrollment form. It will also include information on any other discounts you are eligible for. Your consolidation will now appear on your credit report. Your previous Stafford loans are paid in full. This is why consolidation is a smart idea for your credit rating - it shows that you have successfully paid off all your existing Stafford loans, which reduces the number of loans you owe, and shows you successfully paid off a series of debts, both of which increase your credit score.

Student Loan Consolidation sounds difficult but is rather easy to implement. Follow the steps outlined above and you'll be making a single payment in no time.


Student Loan Consolidation Basics

Student loans are a great source of financial aid for students who need help paying for their education. Unfortunately, students often leave college with burdensome debt. In addition, they often have multiple loans from different lenders, meaning they are writing more than one loan repayment check each month. The solution to this problem is student loan consolidation.

What is student loan consolidation?

Loan consolidation means bundling all your student loans into a single loan with one lender and one repayment plan. You can think of student loan consolidation like refinancing a home mortgage.


When you consolidate your student loans, the balances of your existing student loans are paid off, with the total balance rolling over into one consolidated loan. The end result is that you have only one student loan to pay on. Both students and their parents can consolidate loans.

Should I consolidate my student loans?

Loan consolidation offers many benefits:

  • Locks in a fixed, usually lower, interest rate for the term of your loan, potentially saving you thousands of dollars (depending on the interest rates of your original loans)
  • Lowers your monthly payment
  • Combines your student loan payments into one monthly bill

In addition, consolidated loans have flexible repayment options and no fees, charges, or prepayment penalties. There are also no credit checks or co-signers required.

You should consider consolidating your loans if the consolidation loan would have a lower interest rate than your current loans, particularly if you are having trouble making you monthly payments. However, if you are close to paying off your existing loans, consolidation may not be worth it.

How will the interest rate for the student consolidated loan be?

The interest rate for your consolidated loan is calculated by averaging the interest rate of all the loans being consolidated and then rounding up to the next one-eighth of one percent. The maximum interest rate is 8.25 percent.

How much can I save?

How much you save by consolidating loans depends on what interest rate you get and whether you choose to extend your repayment plan. According to Sallie Mae, the leading provider of student loans in the United States, consolidating student loans can reduce monthly payments by up to 54 percent. However, the only way to reduce your payment this much is to extend your repayment plan. You typically have 10 years to repay student loans, but, depending on the amount you're consolidating, you can extend your repayment plan all the way up to 30 years. Remember that if you choose to extend your repayment term, it will take longer to pay off your overall debt and you'll pay more in interest. There are no preypayment penalties, so you can always choose to pay off the loan early.

Am I eligible to consolidate my loans?

In order to consolidate your loans, you must meet the following criteria:

  • You are in your six-month grace period following graduation or you have started repaying your loans
  • You have eligible loans totaling over $7,500
  • You have more than one lender
  • You have not already consolidated your student loans, or since consolidation you have gone back to school and acquired new student loans

The following types of loans can be consolidated:

  • Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
  • Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
  • Direct PLUS Loans and Federal PLUS Loans
  • Direct Consolidation Loans and Federal Consolidation Loans
  • Guaranteed Student Loans
  • Federal Insured Student Loans
  • Federal Supplemental Loans for Students
  • Auxiliary Loans to Assist Students
  • Federal Perkins Loans
  • National Direct Student Loans
  • National Defense Student Loans
  • Health Education Assistance Loans
  • Health Professions Student Loans
  • Loans for Disadvantaged Students
  • Nursing Student Loans

Where can I get a consolidation loan?

You can consolidate your loans through any bank or credit union that participates in the Federal Family Education Loan Program, or directly from the U.S. Department of Education. The loan terms and conditions are generally the same, regardless of where you consolidate. You may want to check first with the lenders that hold your current loans.

If all your loans are with one lender, you must consolidate with that lender.

If you decide to consolidate your student loans, remember that you can only do so once unless you go back to school and take out more loans. Therefore, you will want to make sure you get the best deal the first time. The interest rate will be the same from all lenders, but some lenders may offer future rate discounts for prompt payment and a discount for having monthly payments directly debited from your account.

Can my spouse and I consolidate our loans together?

You can consolidate your loans together, but it is not a good idea for a couple reasons:

  • Both of you will always be responsible to repay the loan, even if you later separate or divorce
  • If you need to defer payment on the loan, both of you will have to meet the deferment criteria

When should I consolidate my loans?

You can consolidate your loans any time during your six-month grace period or after you have started repaying your loans. If you consolidate during your grace period, you may be able to get a lower interest rate. However, since you will lose the rest of the grace period, it is a good idea to wait until the fifth month of the grace period before consolidating. The consolidation process usually takes 30-45 days.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Common Mesothelioma Type And Its Treatments

What a paradox! Mesothelioma cannot be fully cured. This is one real fact. And the other is Mesothelioma can be cent percent prevented only if asbestos dust fibers are not allowed to mix in the atmosphere and pollute the air in which we respire. Isn't the saying that prevention is better than cure exclusively appropriate in this context?

To completely wipe out the presence of asbestos dust in the air the use of asbestos has to be totally put off. The law and order has to be made every strict to put a ban on the use of asbestos. Again an alternative for asbestos has to be figured out to serve such similar purposes where asbestos was used.

Let's hope that the day is near when no sign of Mesothelioma will be present in the human civilization. But now when the disease is taking a dangerous shape, all of us must become aware of it. How many types of Mesothelioma can attack your body and what type of treatments can be availed? This is something quite preliminary and each one of us must have knowledge about it.

Three types of Mesothelioma

* Pleural Mesothelioma
* Peritoneal Mesothelioma
* Pericardial Mesothelioma

These are the three types of Mesothelioma cancer help known till date and among them the Pleural Mesothelioma is the most widespread whereas the Pericardial Mesothelioma is the rare type. A mere group of 5 percent becomes the victim of this rare type of cancer.

Pleural Mesothelioma

Pleural Mesothelioma is the most known form of Mesothelioma affecting the workers of the asbestos industries. The Mesothelium covering around the lungs beneath your chest is badly affected by the asbestos dust. Slowly water starts accumulating in those cavities and take the shape of tumors. Initial symptoms pop up as pain across the chest, running out of breath and suffering from cough and cold. The initial diagnosis is often mistaken for influenza. But with time some other symptoms become prominent like weight loss, frequent fever and the coughing blood. Further medical tests confirm that you are actually suffering from Pleural Mesothelioma cancer.

The treatment

Radiation therapy and chemotherapy are the most appropriate means of treating the Pleural Mesothelioma patients. Better ways of treatment are under research and may be they can help the patient to get fully cured.

Surgical method is only used when the condition of the patient is really adverse and immediately the tumors have to be removed from the body. Surgery causes an immense pain to the body and it becomes tough to get back to the normal life, hence avoided in the first step.

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