Asbestosis

Description of asbestosis

Asbestos – the name of the Group of minerals, which consist of bundles of tiny fibers of hydrated magnesium silicates. This natural mineral, that comes out of the ground. Asbestos is widely used in the construction and manufacturing industries, because it is resistant to high temperatures and chemicals.

Asbestosis – Pulmonary Disease, caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers. Ordinary dust particles when inhaled nose are filtered out or upper airways. But asbestos particles are very thin and light, so sometimes not filtered and fall into the light. After years of exposure to asbestos, this may cause damage to the lung tissue and cause serious diseases, including cancer.

Causes of asbestosis

Asbestosis occurs, When asbestos fibers penetrate deeply into the lungs. Here they accumulate into tiny air sacs, and cause scarring in the lung tissue – fibrous. Repeated or continuous exposure over long periods of time can cause scarring in the lungs for large areas. When this happens, the lungs lose their elasticity. If the lungs cannot expand and contract normally, a person will experience shortness of breath. Scars also reduce the ability of the lungs to Exchange carbon dioxide into oxygen.

Risk factors

Asbestosis primarily affects people, which are regularly exposed to asbestos. The more people working with asbestos, the greater the risk of developing asbestos-related diseases. But, most people have, who had prolonged contact with asbestos asbestosis is not. Factors, that increase the likelihood of asbestosis:

• People, working with asbestos material at your workplace:
  • Workers, extractive or manufacturing asbestos;
  • Construction workers;
  • Working shipyards;
  • Auto mechanics;
• Members of the human family, who work with asbestos, and may bring fibers home on hair or clothing;
• People, who work in the field, where asbestos is used as a building material;
• Smoking.

Symptoms of asbestosis

Development of asbestosis takes a lot of time. The earliest symptoms usually appear 10-40 years after the first exposure to asbestos. The disease can evolve, even if contact with asbestos was a few years ago. The severity of the disease depends on the number and duration of exposure to asbestos. The symptoms worsen as the illness progresses, and may include:

• Breathlessness – the first noticeable symptom, which causes breathing difficulties;
• Cough – stable and dry (that means no mucus in the respiratory tract).

Other symptoms may include:

• Pain or tightness in the chest;
• The feeling of general malaise;
• Loss of appetite;
• Thickening of the Terminal phalanges of fingers, in some cases this is due to the accumulation of fluid;
• Weight loss.

Diagnosis of asbestosis

Diagnosis is made on the basis of:

• The availability of data on the effects of asbestos;
• You have lung scarring and fibrosis, found on medical examination and/or performing additional tests;
• In the absence of other causes, that could cause a similar clinical picture.

Tests, used to diagnose asbestosis:

• Chest X-ray – changes in light visible on images;
• CT scan (CT) – type of X-ray inspection, which uses computer, to make pictures of structures inside the body. Computed tomography has higher resolution, than a simple x-ray and can detect anomalies in individuals, who were exposed to asbestos;
• Pulmonary test – functional test, which measures, how well your lungs inhale and exhale air. Test can show a decreased ability of the lung to function properly;
• Oximetry – is a noninvasive method of evaluating oxygen status.

Treatment for asbestosis

There is no treatment for asbestosis, and the disease gradually worsens. The first and most important steps, that need to be taken when asbestoze:

• To prevent further contact with asbestos;
• Give up smoking. People, who have asbestosis and smoking, risk of lung cancer.

Treatment involves keeping the patient's health and the treatment of the symptoms. This includes:

• Immediate treatment of colds and other respiratory infections;
• Immunizations, especially for influenza and Pneumococcus;
• Avoid the crowds, where can be distributed infection;
• The existence of a regular chest x-ray, to see the signs of cancer, associated with asbestosis;
• Oxygen therapy and other types of respiratory therapy, to facilitate breathing;
• Improved nutrition;
• Perform breathing and physical exercises;
• Breathing pure oxygen, if necessary.

Prevention of asbestosis

At the moment, the use of asbestos in construction sharply reduced. Asbestosis can be prevented by controlling dust and fibers of asbestos in the workplace. Besides, people, who handled asbestos at work, need to take a shower and change clothes before leaving from work. As a result of these measures, the incidence of asbestosis is reduced.

If the asbestos materials were used when building a House, they must be replaced by safe modern counterparts.

It is also important to note, that smoking increases the likelihood and/or speed the progression of asbestosis.