Benzene Health Effects

With more than 17 diseases linked to benzene, you can be sure that this is one chemical you need to avoid at all costs. It is a toxic chemical that naturally occurs in the environment, but it is also used in manufacturing to make many products, such as paint, solvents, dyes and some household products. Some of the illnesses caused by benzene include:

Aplastic anemia
Various forms of leukemia
Hodgkin’s Disease
Multiple Myeloma
Lymphomas
Myelofibrosis
Myelodysplastic Syndrome

Most people don’t even realize that they have been exposed to Benzene until they become ill. When they relate their symptoms of fatigue, respiratory problems, weight loss, and many others to their doctor, the result is usually testing for various forms of cancer. This chemical has been identified as a Class A carcinogenic by the Environmental Protection Agency and does have both acute and chronic health effects. Some of these can be deadly if they are not discovered in time.

The acute health effects of exposure to benzene can include neurological effects resulting in dizziness, headaches, fatigue and even fainting spells. Depending on the level of exposure, acute effects often include vomiting, convulsions and even sudden death. When this chemical comes in contact with the skin, it can cause the skin to redden and blister and inhaling the odor can cause breathing problems and eye irritation.

The long term effects of exposure to benzene result in alterations to the body’s ability to produce red blood cells. When the bone marrow is affected the result is usually a form of leukemia, which may or may not be treatable.

Hodgkin’s disease is another illness with long term effects where the lymph nodes are damaged. Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma is also a result of benzene exposure and while this is not as deadly as Hodgkin’s disease itself, the patient still has to endure a long regimen of treatment.

The most common long-term health effects associated with benzene exposure are:

Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) in which cancer cells are present in the blood and bone marrow.
Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) in which the cancer affects the cells that make the lymphocytes for the bone marrow.
Chronic Myelogemour Leukemia (CML) in which the leukemia develops from the white blood cells reducing the body’s ability to fight disease and infection.

Exposure to benzene can also cause menstrual problems in females and decrease the size of the ovaries. Through tests done on animals exposed to this chemical, it has been shown that it does cause low birth weight in infants and damage to bone formation and bone marrow. Tests are ongoing to broaden the scope of health effects that exposure to this chemical could cause. Research has already linked it to many disorders and illnesses. Anyone working in occupations where there is an increased risk of exposure should contact a doctor for testing immediately. Because most of the symptoms are common to several diseases, those exposed may shrug them off as being insignificant health issues until it becomes too late.

When you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an illness resulting from exposure to benzene, you do have a right to seek compensation. It is important that you contact a lawyer that specializes in cases involving exposure to benzene as soon as possible after the diagnosis. This is because there is a statute of limitations on the amount of time you have in which to make a claim and this varies from one state to another. The lawyer you choose has experience in dealing with cases such as yours and will review your case. Then he/she will discuss the options you have for pursuing the claim.

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