Asbestosis Symptoms
Asbestosis is a chronic lung ailment which has been linked to exposure to asbestos fibers,
usually inhaled, that can produce shortness of breath, coughing, and permanent lung damage. When asbestos fibers are inhaled and embedded in lung tissue, the reaction of the body is to produce an acid that is intended to destroy the fibers. Instead, because asbestos is resistant to any kind of chemical damage, the lungs become damaged instead, and it forms scar tissue. Eventually, the scarring can become so severe that the lungs cannot function at all.
Besides asbestosis, breathing air-borne asbestos can cause other serious
illnesses including mesothelioma, and lung cancer. Most of the time, though, the effects take years to become noticeable. Asbestos exposure does not produce immediate symptoms, like headache or sore muscles. Symptoms of asbestosis include:
- Coughing
- Shortness of breath even while resting
- Decreased tolerance for physical activity
- Chest pain
Although most of these symptoms are similar to those of a condition such as asthma, the way in which they develop is different. In asbestosis the effects of the disease are insidious, occurring over months and years. If
you have a history of exposure to asbestos and you're experiencing increasing
shortness of breath, talk to your doctor about the possibility of asbestosis. If
it is asbestosis, your doctor may be able to prescribe treatment to relieve your
symptoms. Asbestosis
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