Asbestosis is a lung disease caused by asbestos exposure that triggers scarring in the lungs. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, chest pain, and coughing. Asbestosis is not reversible, but treatments help manage symptoms and limit additional damage to lung tissue.
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What Is Asbestosis?
Asbestosis is a chronic respiratory condition that affects the lungs. It is caused by inhalation of asbestos fibers. Asbestos exposure that leads to asbestosis usually occurs in the workplace over several years.
Asbestos fibers in the lungs trigger inflammation, which leads to scarring. The scarring is permanent and makes lung tissue rigid. Symptoms of asbestos-related lung damage often don’t appear for decades after exposure, even if the damage has already begun.
About Asbestos Exposure and Asbestosis
As with all asbestos-related diseases, victims of asbestosis are usually exposed to asbestos at work. Job sites in many industries used asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) before regulations limited the use of the mineral.
Asbestos was commonly used in brakes, pipes, floors, shingles, cement, and as insulation before the dangers were more widely known.
By the time production and shipping of asbestos stopped, many victims had already been exposed to so much of the toxic set of minerals that their health was already in poor condition.
Who Is at Risk for Asbestosis?
Anyone exposed to asbestos is at risk for developing asbestosis. The risk of asbestosis is most significant with repeated and prolonged workplace asbestos exposure. These are some examples of occupations at high risk for asbestos exposure before the 1980s:
- Asbestos mining
- Automotor or aircraft repair and maintenance
- Trabajos de caldera
- Construcción
- Demolición
- Fabricación industrial
- Trabajos de aislamiento
- Oil refining
- Power generation
- Construcción y reparación naval
- Marina de los EE. UU.
Asbestos exposure is the most critical risk factor for asbestosis, but other factors increase the risk of developing the disease:
- De fumar
- Poor health
- Older age
- Genetic factors and family history
How Is Asbestosis Different From Mesothelioma?
Mesothelioma is another disease caused by asbestos exposure. The primary difference is that asbestosis is benign, and mesothelioma is malignant. Mesothelioma is a cancerous growth that begins in the pleura, the tissue around the lungs.
Mesotelioma pleural causes some of the same symptoms as asbestosis, but it is deadlier. It progresses rapidly and is nearly always fatal.
What Causes Asbestosis?
Asbestos exposure causes asbestosis. Not everyone exposed to asbestos will develop it. The risk is higher with more exposure and exposure that is repeated over a longer period of time.
When you breathe in asbestos, you risk fine, odorless, microscopic fibers lodged in your lungs. The fibers cause damage inside the body, leading to diseases like asbestosis. Prolonged asbestos exposure is the cause of asbestosis.
What Are the Symptoms of Asbestosis?
Again, some asbestosis victims may not experience many symptoms, and almost all victims have a long latency period between exposure and the first symptoms. The most common warning signs of asbestosis are:
- Chest tightness and pain
- Difficulty in breathing with shortness of breath
- An odd crackle-type sound when inhaling
- Appetite changes such as loss of appetite
- Dedos de las manos o de los pies en palillo de tambor
The symptoms of asbestos illnesses, including asbestosis, often take many years to appear. It could be decades after asbestos exposure before a person has enough troubling symptoms to seek a diagnosis.
Complications of Asbestosis
Asbestosis can also cause or contribute to other medical conditions. Potential complications of asbestosis include:
- Hipertensión pulmonar
- Insuficiencia respiratoria
- Mesotelioma pleural
- cáncer de pulmón
- Other types of cancer
- Heart damage
How Is Asbestosis Diagnosed?
Because asbestosis is progressive and causes symptoms that affect quality of life, it’s important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible.
To diagnose asbestosis, a physician typically begins with a medical history and physical exam. Inform your doctor of any past asbestos exposure or suspected exposure. This is vital information for an accurate diagnosis.
The next step is to undergo imaging scans, like chest X-rays, to look for fluid in the lungs and rule out pneumonia and other more common illnesses.
An X-ray can also catch signs of asbestosis. Asbestosis on an X-ray image has a honeycomb appearance. It is easier to see as the disease progresses.
A CT scan shows the bones and soft tissues of the chest cavity to help doctors look for abnormalities, like scarring or tumors. A CT can show signs of asbestosis earlier than an X-ray.
A biopsy is often the next step. A biopsy removes a small amount of fluid or tissue for diagnostic testing. There are two ways to perform a biopsy for asbestosis testing:
- Bronchoscopy. A bronchoscope is a small tube inserted into the lungs through the mouth or nose. Doctors use a small camera on the end of the scope to image the lungs. It can also be used to take a biopsy.
- Thoracentesis. During this procedure, a doctor uses a needle inserted into the chest cavity to remove fluid. It only requires local anesthesia.
Pathologists look at biopsy samples to check for cancerous cells. This is important if you have a history of asbestos exposure.
Treatment for Asbestosis
Although there is no cure for it, asbestosis is treatable. Treatments for asbestosis help manage symptoms to improve quality of life and extend life expectancy.
The most important thing a patient with asbestosis can do is eliminate any ongoing asbestos exposure. Most people were exposed years ago, but if asbestos is still an issue, removing it will slow the progression of the disease.
Treatments for asbestosis include:
- Pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a type of treatment that helps maximize respiratory function. A pulmonary specialist or respiratory therapist uses several strategies to help you breathe more easily.
- Supplemental oxygen. Scarred lungs are stiff and do not expand as much as healthy lungs. This makes it difficult to get adequate oxygen. Supplemental oxygen provides more oxygen per breath.
- Aerosol medications. Medication delivered as an aerosol into the respiratory system thins fluid in the lungs. This makes it easier to breathe.
- Surgery. Surgery is an uncommon treatment for asbestosis. Very few patients qualify for a lung transplant, but for those who do, it may be a treatment option.
- Lifestyle changes. Patients with asbestosis can benefit from lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking.
What Is the Outlook for Asbestosis?
According to the American Lung Association (ALA), asbestosis can last a lifetime and can also be the cause of death. The severity of the disease varies by individual and depends on the amount of asbestos exposure and how soon treatment is started.
The best prognosis for asbestosis is in patients with less asbestos exposure, an early diagnosis, and early treatment.
Can Asbestosis Be Cured?
There is no cure for asbestosis because the damage caused by asbestos fibers is permanent. No treatment or intervention can reverse the damage. Treatments can stop the damage and prolong life.
In rare cases, a patient with asbestosis may qualify for a lung transplant. This is the only way to restore lung function, but it is an uncommon treatment for this disease.
What Is the Life Expectancy for Asbestosis?
According to a study of asbestos diseases, the median age when people died from asbestosis was 79. This indicates it is possible to live many years with asbestosis.
Another study showed that asbestosis patients with less than average damage could live up to 14 years after a diagnosis. The median life expectancy for all patients in the study was ten years.
Treatment that slows the progression of asbestosis is the most important factor in prolonging life expectancy.
What Happens When Someone Dies of Asbestosis?
Severe asbestosis can cause death, but many people live with this as a chronic illness for many years. Death might result from a complication or another unrelated cause.
Living with Asbestosis
Aside from medical treatments, try these home care strategies to relieve symptoms and improve your quality of life.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Eating a healthy diet improves overall health, makes it easier to tolerate treatments, and improves quality of life.
A healthy diet should consist of plenty of fruits and vegetables while limiting salt intake, according to the Agency for Toxic Substances & Diseases Registry (ATSDR).
Additionally, unless specified otherwise by your physician, you should drink at least seven to eight glasses of water daily.
Get Enough Sleep
Along with a proper diet, people living with asbestosis should always get enough rest. ATSDR suggests getting at least eight hours of sleep per night and light naps to reduce your chances of getting too tired.
Protect Your Lungs
If you have asbestosis, your lungs don’t function normally. One of the most important things to do is stop smoking. Smoking worsens symptoms and may even accelerate its progression. If you don’t smoke, protect your lungs from other pollutants.
Stay indoors if pollution or smog is high, and avoid getting too close to cleaning supplies that contain aerosol, gasoline fumes, and other irritants that can flare up your lungs.
Track Your Symptoms
Further, ATSDR recommends keeping a journal to track down your symptoms and things that may have triggered pain.
Pay close attention to breathing difficulties and how long each bout lasts. Be sure to share your information with your physician. They can use this information to change treatment or recommend activities to avoid.
Asbestosis Lawsuits
In the early 1980s, the state of New Jersey experienced the first mass tort lawsuit after several victims and family members of deceased victims came forward to file wrongful death and personal injury claims.
This was the start of what would become standard in courts nationwide as more and more victims came forward.
The plaintiffs in these cases were all exposed to asbestos, particularly raw asbestos, which led to asbestosis and other asbestos-related diseases.
Asbestosis cases have not been limited solely to the U.S. For example, in 1984, an Australian attorney helped over 300 workers fight for compensation after exposure to asbestos at the Wittenoom mill.
Wittenoom is a national park in Western Australia, yet what was once a beautiful park is now known as a place of suffering after thousands were exposed to asbestos while mining in the area.
In another Australian lawsuit, several victims and family members came forward after being expuesto al amianto in the Latrobe Valley. The State Electricity Commission of Virginia (SECV) employed workers in their power stations.
During the power station construction, employees worked daily while being subjected to large amounts of asbestos. As a result, a good portion of the workers were later diagnosed with asbestosis.
Seeking Compensation for an Asbestosis Diagnosis
If you received a diagnosis of asbestosis, talk to an abogado de asbesto. They can help you track down your past asbestos exposure and take legal action to seek compensation.
Mesothelioma is often associated with recovering damages after asbestos exposure, but asbestosis also qualifies for compensation. You could be eligible to make a claim with an asbestos trust fund or to file a lawsuit against asbestos companies.
If you were exposed to asbestos in the military, you might qualify for VA benefits. An experienced mesothelioma lawyer can identify all your options for compensation and help you take the next steps.
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If you’ve been injured by mesothelioma or asbestos-related cancer, keep in mind that there is a good chance that you’ll qualify for considerable compensation. Don’t forget to fill out our form for our free Financial Compensation Packet, filled with information on the experienced asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys in your area.
