Asbestosis Information

Asbestosis, a serious lung inflammation, is caused by the inhalation of asbestos fibers and can lead to mesothelioma. The virtually indestructible fibers are microscopic, making them small enough to be completely inhaled deep into the lungs. After inhalation, the lung's defense cells try to destroy the asbestos fibers, but the body's defense mechanisms cannot break them down.

The result is that the asbestos fibers remain in the lungs, causing scarring and inflammation that continues for decades. This thickening and scarring prevents oxygen and carbon dioxide from traveling between the the tiny air sacs of the lungs and into the blood stream, making breathing much less efficient. In people who develop asbestosis, this inflammatory process continues to progress, fueled by the indestructible asbestos fibers even after the exposure to asbestos has ended.

Symptoms

Asbestosis is a slowly progressing disease that will show no symptoms for 10 to 30 years. Early symptoms of asbestosis commonly include shortness of breath, coughing, a dry crackling sound while inhaling and chest pain.