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Asbestosis Overview

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Asbestosis Symptoms

Asbestosis is a type of pulmonary fibrosis caused by asbestos exposure typified by excess connective tissue in the lungs. Because the disease manifests in the lungs, common asbestosis symptoms include respiratory problems such as coughing, swelling in the neck or face, cracking sound when breathing, or difficulty swallowing.

Fibrosis usually occurs due to the lungs reacting to and repairing damage to lung tissue over a long period of time; such as, continuous exposure to asbestos fibers. This reparative scar tissue replaces normal lung tissue, and an excess amount of scar tissue can cause reduced pulmonary function.

More Asbestosis Symptoms

During exposure, asbestos fibers are inhaled, and they can become lodged in lung tissue. The sharp, straight shape of the fibers makes them difficult for a body to dislodge and expel. Once in a body for a long period, the fibers cause irritation, inflammation and scarring, which cause symptoms that primarily affect the lungs.

In most asbestosis patients, symptoms develop within 20 to 30 years after being exposed to asbestos. If someone is exposed to asbestos for a long time, a decade or more, the latency period of symptom development is shorter: closer to 20 years.

 

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Common Asbestosis Symptoms

Although the severity and frequency of symptoms can vary among patients at the time of diagnosis, the most common asbestosis symptoms include:

• swelling in the neck or face

• difficulty swallowing

• high blood pressure

• blood in sputum

• crackling sound when breathing

• shortness of breath

• hyper tension

• finger deformity

• loss of weight/appetite

Many of these symptoms can also be associated with pleural mesothelioma, the most common type of mesothelioma. Other conditions that exhibit symptoms similar to asbestosis include lung cancer and pneumonia.

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What Causes Symptoms?

Lung scarring, or fibrosis, is the direct cause for the coughing and shortness of breath symptoms most commonly associated with asbestosis.

As the lungs become scarred and inflamed over time, their ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide decreases, resulting in a reduction of lung function and subsequent fatigue in patients. In the later stages of asbestosis, the amount of stress placed on the lungs and heart from the lack of proper oxygen can lead to serious lung and/or heart failure.

Shortness of breath arises because of pleural thickening, the thickening of the lining of the lungs, caused by the longtime presence of asbestos fibers, or pleural effusion, the buildup of fluid between the chest wall and the lungs. Effusions can be caused by many conditions (pneumonia, lupus, congestive heart failure) and can stem from inflammation of the lungs. The thickening and effusions constrict movement of the lungs and eventually the heart. At that point, neither organ expands or contracts properly, which leads to shortness of breath and more fluid build up.

Asbestosis can set in motion a cycle of conditions. The disease prevents lungs from fully oxygenating blood, forcing the heart to work harder. As the heart works harder, blood pressure increases. As blood pressure increases, fluid builds up around the heart and lungs, which can lead to swelling in the neck and face, which in turns can lead to difficulty swallowing.

Fluid up can also build up in the abdomen, creating bloating or tenderness, which can lead to a loss of appetite and potential weight loss. In advanced cases, fluid retention, if untreated, will lead to finger deformity, known as clubbing.

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What Causes Symptoms?

Lung scarring, or fibrosis, is the direct cause for the coughing and shortness of breath symptoms most commonly associated with asbestosis.

As the lungs become scarred and inflamed over time, their ability to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide decreases, resulting in a reduction of lung function and subsequent fatigue in patients. In the later stages of asbestosis, the amount of stress placed on the lungs and heart from the lack of proper oxygen can lead to serious lung and/or heart failure.

Shortness of breath arises because of pleural thickening, the thickening of the lining of the lungs, caused by the longtime presence of asbestos fibers, or pleural effusion, the buildup of fluid between the chest wall and the lungs. Effusions can be caused by many conditions (pneumonia, lupus, congestive heart failure) and can stem from inflammation of the lungs. The thickening and effusions constrict movement of the lungs and eventually the heart. At that point, neither organ expands or contracts properly, which leads to shortness of breath and more fluid build up.

Asbestosis can set in motion a cycle of conditions. The disease prevents lungs from fully oxygenating blood, forcing the heart to work harder. As the heart works harder, blood pressure increases. As blood pressure increases, fluid builds up around the heart and lungs, which can lead to swelling in the neck and face, which in turns can lead to difficulty swallowing.

Fluid up can also build up in the abdomen, creating bloating or tenderness, which can lead to a loss of appetite and potential weight loss. In advanced cases, fluid retention, if untreated, will lead to finger deformity, known as clubbing.

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Part 1 of 7: Overview

Overview

Asbestosis is a lung disease that develops from the presence of asbestos fibers, which lead to scarring. It restricts your breathing and interferes with the ability of oxygen to enter the bloodstream. Other names for this disease are pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial pneumonitis. Many cases come from workplace exposure to asbestos before federal laws regulating it were enacted in the mid-1970s. This disease takes years to develop and can be life-threatening. There were more than 3,000 deadly cases of it in the United States from 1999 and 2004, according to the American Lung Association. (ALA)

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Part 2 of 7: Causes and Risk Factors

Causes and Risk Factors Associated With Asbestosis

When you inhale asbestos fibers, they can become embedded in your lungs and lead to the formation of scar tissue. The scarring can make it difficult for you to breathe because it prevents your lung tissue from expanding and contracting normally.

If you worked in an industry associated with asbestos before federal laws to regulate exposure were put into place, you could face a higher risk of the disease. Asbestos was commonly found in construction and fireproofing jobs in addition to jobs related to asbestos mining and milling. It is still used in certain industries but is closely monitored by the government through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. If you smoke, you also face a much higher chance of developing asbestosis and other related diseases.

Part 3 of 7: Symptoms

Recognizing the Symptoms of Asbestos

In most cases, symptoms don’t start to appear until around 20 years after exposure.

Common symptoms of asbestosis include:

• shortness of breath
• tightness in the chest
• persistent cough with mucus
• chest pain
• appetite loss
• finger clubbing (enlarged fingertips)
• nail deformities

Part 4 of 7: Diagnosis

Testing for and Diagnosing Asbestos 

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Testing for and Diagnosing Asbestos

Your doctor will perform several tests to determine whether you have asbestosis and to rule out other conditions that have similar symptoms. Your doctor will use a stethoscope to listen for abnormal breath sounds as part of a physical exam. Your doctor will also order X-rays to look for a white or honeycomb appearance on your lungs or chest. Pulmonary (lung) function tests will be used to measure the amount of air you can inhale and the airflow to and from your lungs. Your doctor might also test to see how much oxygen is transferred from your lungs to your bloodstream. Computerized tomography (CT) scans can be used to examine your lungs in more detail. Your doctor might also order a biopsy to look for asbestos fibers in a sample of your lung tissue.

Part 5 of 7: Treatment

Treatment Options for Asbestos

Asbestosis cannot be cured. There are a few treatments that can help control or reduce symptoms. Prescription inhalers may help loosen the congestion in your lungs. Supplemental oxygen in the form of a mask or tubes that fit inside your nose can help if you have severe difficulty breathing. A lung transplant might be an option if your condition is extreme. Asbestosis treatments also involve preventing the disease from getting worse. You can do this by avoiding further exposure to asbestos and by quitting smoking.

Part 6 of 7: Complications and Outlook

Long-Term Outlook Complications of Asbestos

Asbestosis can lead to malignant mesothelioma, a severe form of lung cancer. Other types of lung cancer may develop in patients who smoke. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is another serious condition that can result. A buildup of fluid around your lungs, known as pleural effusion, is also associated with asbestosis.

Factors that affect the severity of the disease include how long you were exposed to asbestos and how much of it you inhaled. The condition progresses at a slower rate once your exposure to asbestos stops. People who have the disease but do not develop complications can survive for decades.

Part 7 of 7: Prevention

What to do if You’ve Been Exposed 

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What to do if You’ve Been Exposed

If you’ve been dealing with asbestos exposure for more than 10 years, you should visit your doctor for a chest X-ray and screening every three to five years. Be sure to use of every piece of safety equipment at work and follow all safety procedures if your job regularly exposes you to asbestos. Employers must watch the levels of exposure in the workplace and only allow work that involves dealing with asbestos to be done in specified areas. Federal laws also require workplaces to have decontamination areas. Employee training sessions are required as well. Routine medical exams, which can lead to an early diagnosis of asbestosis, are also covered under federal law.

Article Resources

[Bret]

Is there any ACC compensation for Mesothelioma ??

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Hi Bret,

This is   for  sufferers In  New Zealand as   we  are covered  by ACC from 1972 on  wards 

   First off  you have  to have it verified  by  your  doctor

 test  will have  to be  done

Then  when   you  got it  and  where  did  you get  it    what  type of  job    you  were  working  at

 If it  was before  1972  I  don;t  think  you will be  covered

Your  doctor  will help  you out   filling in  the forms

Best of  luck 

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Test:

Ct High Resolution

Date Received:

2/05/2017 4:16:09 p.m.

Health Centre:

Bush Road Medical Centre

Doctor's Name:

Dr Andrew Miller

Doctor's Comments:

am- similar changes to previous exams

Test Results:

 

Patient Details

Patient Name: HUNTLEY, John Cyril

NHI No:

Date of Birth: 29-Sep-1941

REPORT:

CT High Resolution

CLINICAL DETAILS:

Shortness of breath. Previous asbestos exposure. Current smoker.

Exclude combination of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/interstitial

pulmonary fibrosis.

TECHNIQUE:

Non-contrast high-resolution CT scan of chest protocol. FINDINGS:

There is bilateral diffuse emphysematous process mainly in the form of

centrilobular and panlobular emphysema. There is bilateral lower lobe

predominant subpleural reticulation, traction bronchiectasis, with some

ground glass infiltrate on the right side and dense scarring of on the left

side of likely representing interstitial pulmonary fibrosis. No pleural or

pericardial effusion.

Bilateral pleural thickening, plaques and calcification in keeping with

asbestos exposure.

No evidence of significant mediastinal lymphadenopathy. No axillary or

supraclavicular lymphadenopathy.

Mildly dilated gas containing thoracic oesophagus. No evidence of

enlargement of pulmonary arteries.

Calcification of coronary arteries noted.

No destructive bony lesion within the imaged bony skeleton.

Degenerative changes seen within lower cervical and thoracic spine.

IMPRESSION:

Bilateral diffuse emphysema.

Bilateral lower lobe subpleural interstitial pulmonary fibrosis, more

evident on the left side.

Bilateral pleural thickening, plaques and calcification in keeping with

asbestos exposure.

No evidence of pulmonary artery hypertension.

Reported by:

Dr Ziad Hamid

Radiologist

Ordered by:Matlawene Mpe

Lab Test Results Interpreted by:Hamid!*!Ziad

Laboratory:nthlndhl

Observation date:02-May-2017

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