Asbestosis : Lung Disease Due to Asbestos

Asbestosis is a lung disease due to the inhalation of asbestos substances to the lungs resulting in severe damage. In some cases the disease asbestosis can develop into lung cancer.

Cause

Inhaled asbestos fibers can lead to the appearance of scar tissue (fibrosis) in the lungs. Lung tissue that forms fibrosis can not inflate and deflate properly. The severity of the disease depends on the amount of fibers are inhaled and duration a person is exposed to asbestos fibers.

Workers in mining, milling, construction, and other industries prone to exposure to asbestos. In addition, asbestos can also contaminate working families through the particles attached to the garment workers who carried to the house.

Other diseases caused by asbestos, among others:

pleural plaques
malignant Mesothelioma
pleural effusion

symptom

Symptoms appear gradually and asbestosis newly emerged only after the formation of scar tissue in large quantities and the lungs lose their elasticity.

    Shortness of breath is an early symptom of the disease emergence
    The ability to move the body is reduced
    Coughing and wheezing
    Chest pain
    Nail abnormalities or clubbing of fingers (fingers form that resembles a drum percussion)

Although rare, asbestos can also lead to tumors in the pleura, called mesotheliomas, or the lining of the abdomen called peritoneal mesothelioma. Mesothelioma usually occurs 30-40 years after exposure.

Treatment

To overcome the symptoms can be treatment with clear mucus from the lungs by way of postural drainage, chest percussion, and vibration. Patients will be given a mucus-thinning drug, if need be given oxygen, either through a plastic hose or facemask. When required to be performed lung transplants. Mesothelioma can be very fatal, even chemotherapy are not very useful and do not cure cancer tumor removal.