industrial injury advice
Asbestosis is a chronic inflammatory medical condition affecting the parenchymal tissue of the lungs. It occurs in those who have had long term, heavy exposure to asbestos, such as miners, builders, and demolition specialists. It is also possible to be affected even if you have just been indirectly exposed, such as through a ventilation system, however this is less common.The effects of long-term exposure to asbestos typically don't show up for 20 to 30 years after exposure. Symptoms of asbestosis appear gradually only after large areas of the lung become scarred. The first symptom of asbestosis is usually shortness of breath following exercise or other physical activity. The early stages of the disease are also characterized by a dry cough and a generalized feeling of illness.
A person with noncancerous asbestos effusion may have difficulty in breathing because of fluid accumulation. Pleural plaques cause only a mild breathing difficulty that results from stiffness of the chest wall. Smokers who have chronic bronchitis along with asbestosis may cough and wheeze.
Gradually, breathing becomes more and more difficult. In about 15% of people with asbestosis, severe shortness of breath and respiratory failure develop. As the disease progresses and lung damage increases, shortness of breath occurs even when the patient is at rest. Recurrent respiratory infections and coughing up blood are common, so is swelling of the feet, ankles, or hands.
Persistent pain in the chest and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms caused by mesothelioma. Other symptoms of advanced asbestosis include chest pain, hoarseness, and restless sleep. Patients who have asbestosis often have clubbed (widened and thickened) fingers. Other potential complications include heart failure, collapsed (deflated) lung, and pleurisy (inflammation of the membrane that protects the lung).
In Summary:Firstly, your GP will find out about your history of exposure to asbestos, in particular whether you have been exposed to large quantities or over a long period of time.
Breathlessness is a key symptom that will help your doctor to diagnose asbestosis. When holding a stethoscope to the chest, your GP may be able to detect a crackling sound as you breathe.
Lung function tests may be carried out to check for:
A chest X-ray or CT scan may be taken as part of this investigation. It may also be necessary to carry out a biopsy, where a small sample of tissue from the lung is taken for examination.
Other lung conditions such as lung cancer will need to be ruled out as part of the diagnosis.
There is no cure available. The goal of treatment is to help patients breathe more easily, prevent colds and other respiratory infections, and control complications associated with advanced disease. Treatment is aimed at preventing progression and relieving symptoms. The most important factor in stopping progression is ceasing exposure to asbestos. Most of the time, scarring of lung tissue doesn't begin or progress when exposure has ended. Close monitoring for mesothelioma is mandated. Supportive treatment of symptoms includes respiratory treatments to remove secretions from the lungs by postural drainage (a chest tap), chest percussion (hitting your chest), and vibration. Oxygen therapy at home is often necessary, as it helps relieve shortness of breath. Occasionally, severe cases of asbestosis may be treated with lung transplantation. Ultrasonic, cool-mist humidifiers or controlled coughing can loosen bronchial secretions. Draining fluid from around the lungs using a procedure called thoracentesis also may make breathing easier.
Doctors often treat the complication of pulmonary hypertension (high blood pressure) with medications to expand or relax blood vessels, and blood-thinning medications to prevent blood clots from forming and obstructing narrowed vessels. Mesothelioma is invariably fatal; most people with mesotheliomas die within 1 to 4 years of diagnosis. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy do not work well, and surgical removal of the tumor does not cure the cancer. Other treatment is focused on controlling pain and shortness of breath, in an effort to preserve as much quality-of-life as possible.
Legal action is commonplace, as the dangers of exposure to asbestos have been officially known since the early 1960s, and were suspected long before this. In spite of this, effective legislation has only started to appear within the last 20 years, so many are affected by the negligence of their employers.
