Treatment Options
Diseases caused by Asbestos Exposure
Following are the main diseases caused due asbestos exposure.
- Asbestosis
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
Asbestosis Treatment
Asbestosis is a chronic and restrictive lung disease. It is caused by inhalation of asbestos particles over a period of time. Asbestosis takes approximately 15 to 20 years to show its effects.
Persons suffering from asbestosis are more prone to develop bronchitis and pneumonia.
Symptoms of Asbestosis may include one or more of the following.
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty in breathing
- Constant dry cough
- Constant pain in the chest
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Excess phlegm
There is currently no total cure for asbestosis. Treatment of asbestosis begins with ending exposure to all sorts and forms of lung irritants. Exposure to asbestos fibers must be stopped immediately. Smokers diagnosed with asbestosis have a higher risk of developing lung cancer and smoking must be stopped immediately.
Treatments available to manage the symptoms of asbestosis include vaccines and medication.
Persons diagnosed with asbestosis are vaccinated annually for flu and periodically as required for pneumonia.
Asthmatic patients suffering from asbestosis are prescribed medication to relieve the symptoms of asthma. In more severe cases antibiotics could be used to treat and cure lung infections.
It is very important to maintain clean surroundings and proper hygiene if diagnosed with asbestosis. Any respiratory infection could lead to more serious complications due to the presence of asbestosis.
Mesothelioma Treatment
Mesothelioma is a cancer of the pleura (lung lining).
Mesothelioma takes approximately 20 to 30 years to develop and show its effects. It is one of the most fatal, aggressive and painful cancers, almost always leading to death.
Symptoms of Mesothelioma may include one or more of the following.
- Shortness of breath which keeps on increasing as the disease progresses
- Extreme difficulty in breathing due to lung compression caused by the disease
- Constant pain in the chest which ranges from mild to severe pain
- Unexplained sudden abdominal swelling and pain
- Unexplained weight loss
Treatments for Mesothelioma include radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery; the same treatment as that for lung cancer.
Surgery is usually required in treating mesothelioma. This can include removal of a part of the lining of the chest and infected tissue around it. If detected as pleural cancer, a lung may be removed in an operation known as pneumonectomy. In rare cases a part of the muscle below the lungs that aid in breathing (diaphragm) could be removed.
If you know that you have been exposed to asbestos over short / long periods of time in the past, it is so important to get yourself examined and screened ASAP.
For further information, contact the staff at adfa.
We’re here to help
If you or someone you love has been affected by asbestos, you don’t need to face it alone. Our team is here to provide support, information and guidance.