What is asbestosis?
Asbestosis is a chronic, incurable, and progressive lung disease (or pneumoconiosis) caused by exposure to asbestos. Like silicosis (miner's lung) asbestosis is caused by breathing an irritant into the lungs. In the case of asbestosis, this irritant is the mineral asbestos.
What causes asbestosis?
Asbestosis is caused by exposure to asbestos. A fibrous and lightweight mineral, asbestos can float in the air for a long time once it becomes airborne. Microscopic asbestos fibers can be inhaled in the millions in a single breath. While most of these fibers are expelled on exhalation, many are not and despite their small size, are too strong to be broken down or carried away by the body's normal defenses. As the body fights to remove or destroy the foreign asbestos fibers, lung tissue becomes irritated and inflamed. Over time, the long thin asbestos fibers can cause scars to form, inhibiting the normal functioning of the lung and making breathing and oxygenating the blood difficult. Even after exposure to new asbestos fibers has stopped, the scarring process continues. This scarring, called fibrosis, increases over time and gradually destroy lung function.
Asbestosis is a dose-dependent disease, meaning that the greater the exposure, the more likely you are to both develop symptoms and the more likely they are to be serious. Asbestosis can be diagnosed years, even decades, after the asbestos exposure has ended. Most Nevadans with asbestosis will have suffered from repeated exposures to asbestos, however, many did not work directly with asbestos, but alongside others who were using asbestos. On-the-job exposures to asbestos in Nevada often occurred at auto repair shops, construction sites, copper mines, or hotel sites. Other Nevadans with asbestosis were exposed further afield, as those injured during their time in the Navy, and returned home unaware that asbestos was slowly destroying their lung function.
What are the symptoms of asbestosis?
The most common physical symptom of asbestosis include:
- persistent cough,
- chest pain, and
- shortness of breath.
As time passes, additional symptoms may develop such as nail abnormalities and the clubbing of fingers.
How is asbestosis diagnosed?
Asbestosis is generally diagnosed 10 years or more after exposure, so it is important to let your physician know if you have a history of asbestos exposure. Most patients are visiting their doctor after experiencing some symptoms such as constant shortness of breath or a persistent cough. Beyond a thorough patient history, your doctor is likely to listen to your lungs with a stethoscope; if he or she hears suspicious rasping or crackling sounds in your lungs, your physician may follow up with pulmonary function tests, x-ray, or CT scan. Pulmonary function tests can determine how well your lungs are functioning. X-ray or CT-scans can show the actual fibrosis in the lungs.
What are the treatments for asbestosis
Unfortunately, there are currently no treatments that can heal or reverse the damage done to the lung tissues. Asbestosis treatments aim to ease the symptoms or to prevent complicating secondary infections. Supplemental oxygen or medications can help the lungs do their work. Lung secretions may be managed with chest percussion, vibration, postural drainage, and/or medications. If you have been diagnosed with asbestosis, smoking cessation, flu vaccinations, and prompt treatment of colds and infection are also important to maintaining health and avoiding respiratory complications.