Asbestosis Symptoms and Diagnosis

Common Asbestosis Symptoms

Common signs and symptoms of asbestosis affect a person’s ability to breathe, including chest pain and shortness of breath. A crackling sound in the lungs that doctors can listen for with a stethoscope is another symptom for determining a diagnosis. The severity and frequency of asbestosis symptoms can vary.

Common Asbestosis Symptoms

• Blood in sputum
• Chest pain or tightness
• Crackles (sounds in the lungs when breathing)
• Difficulty swallowing
• Fatigue
• Finger deformity
• Hypertension
• Loss of weight/appetite
• Persistent, dry cough
• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the neck or face
• Wheezing

Many of the these symptoms are also present with pleural mesothelioma cancer, which is the most common type of malignant mesothelioma cancer. Doctors look for these symptoms and perform various pulmonary and breathing function tests to reach a diagnosis. Patients can keep track of their symptoms, noting the frequency and intensity, to share with their health care provider.

How Long Do Asbestosis Symptoms Take to Appear?

In most asbestosis patients, symptoms develop within 20 to 30 years after asbestos exposure. For some people who experience exposure repeatedly over a decade or more, the latency period of symptom development may be less. 

Key Facts About Asbestosis Symptoms and Diagnosis

1. Asbestosis is a form of fibrosis that develops over a long period following exposure to asbestos fibers. Symptoms include breathing problems, crackles, cough and pain.
2. Symptoms develop over time as scar tissue replaces normal lung tissue. An excessive amount of scar tissue causes reduced pulmonary function.
3. Asbestosis is diagnosed through your work history, medical records and a series of tests and imaging scans. Examples include X-rays, CT scans and pulmonary function tests.
4. Asbestosis tests gather images and metrics regarding the lungs. Lung capacity, tissue scarring and breathing irregularities can indicate asbestosis if a patient has a history of asbestos exposure.

Asbestos fibers are microscopic in size, sharp and straight. During exposure, inhaled asbestos particles can become lodged in lung tissue. The shape and texture of the fibers make it difficult for the body to dislodge and expel. Over time, the fibers cause irritation, inflammation and scarring, which leads to symptoms that primarily affect the lungs.

Relieving Symptoms of Asbestosis

Doctors recommend several treatment options to help relieve asbestosis symptoms, including surgery, medication, or breathing exercises and techniques. While there’s no cure for asbestosis, these therapies can help manage symptoms and lessen their severity. 

Ways to Manage Asbestosis Symptoms

• Lifestyle Changes
• Medication
• Pulmonary Rehabilitation
• Surgery

Lifestyle changes, using inhalers or taking supplemental oxygen can make a difference in symptom severity and frequency. All patients, regardless of the presence of symptoms, should attend regular exams with their doctor and undergo all recommended screenings, such as a chest X-ray or lung CT scan to detect disease. Seek medical attention immediately for any new or worsening symptoms. 

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Lifestyle Changes

Lifestyle adjustments like quitting smoking, changing your diet and exercising can help. Patients should quit smoking because it worsens symptoms and speeds up its progression. A nutritious, balanced diet low in salt that emphasizes water intake aids symptom management. It’s also important to stay active to keep lung fitness and function high.

Several alternative therapies may provide some relief, but patients should talk with their doctor before taking anything new. Herbs like astragalus or slippery elm bark may ease coughs and improve respiratory function. But these and other natural treatments can trigger allergic reactions or interact with prescription drugs. Patients should speak with their doctor to get advice on what to take or avoid.

Medication

Doctors may prescribe several types of medications for asbestosis symptom relief. The disease has no specific treatment regimen, so the best medications depend on each patient’s symptoms, medical history and overall health.

Medications for Asbestosis

• Antibiotics: Doctors often prescribe antibiotics for respiratory infections that can worsen asbestosis symptoms.
• Expectorants: Expectorants like guaifenesin can treat infections and ailments of the lungs by making it easier to clear away mucus.
• Inhalers: Inhalers and other asthma medications can provide some relief for people with asbestosis-related breathing issues.
• Supplemental Oxygen: Patients with hypoxemia can benefit from supplemental oxygen that improves comfort and quality of life.

Patients who have prescription medications should take them exactly as their doctor recommends. Never stop a medication without first speaking with a physician. Patients should track all changes in symptoms and health and report them to their doctor. 

Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation is a program to manage symptoms with exercises and increased awareness. This therapy focuses on teaching patients how to make helpful lifestyle changes to better handle ongoing breathing difficulties. 

Therapists teach a variety of breathing exercises and techniques that improve lung function and strength, leading to a better quality of life. Some patients’ breathing is computer-monitored to provide feedback. Increased awareness combined with breathing exercises can help the patient breathe easier. They can learn to control their breathing even during periods of stress or physical activity. 

Surgery

Doctors may recommend lung transplant surgery to relieve symptoms and halt disease progression. Providers typically only recommend a lung transplant when the patient battles another condition like lung cancer. A U.S. National Library of Medicine review found severe asbestosis cases may require a lung transplant as a last-resort treatment.

The 1-year survival rate for lung transplant patients is around 80%, but aggressive surgery is often viewed as a last resort. Patients who undergo aggressive surgery or have severe symptoms can also consider palliative treatment to manage their pain and other symptoms to improve their quality of life.

Challenges in Diagnosing Asbestosis

Asbestosis is one of the more difficult asbestos-related conditions to diagnose because it is like other conditions. While many asbestos-related conditions share symptoms, most have a few strong distinguishing factors. This isn’t the case for asbestosis.

As this table demonstrates, the symptoms of asbestosis are shared with many other asbestos-related and lung-related conditions. This means it can go misdiagnosed or entirely undiagnosed for years at a time, presenting a much greater risk when it’s finally discovered. Because of this, you should seek medical attention as soon as you suspect you may have asbestosis and get multiple professional opinions throughout the process.

Jerry Cochran

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Navy Veteran’s Symptoms Lead to Asbestosis Diagnosis

Jerry Cochran felt like something else was going on since his condition was worsening. He was then diagnosed with asbestosis. He struggles to breathe because his lungs can’t expand and contract the way they’re supposed to. The paint he scraped off of the aircraft carrier he served on decades ago contained asbestos, leading to his asbestosis. The condition is incurable, but many patients can survive several decades with treatment.

Jerry Cochran

Verified Asbestos.com Survivor

Read Jerry’s Story

How Is Asbestosis Diagnosed?

Asbestosis is diagnosed with lung function tests and imaging scans that detect irregularities. The patient must have a history of asbestos exposure. Doctors use the test results in tandem with your asbestos exposure history to make a diagnosis.

Tests to identify asbestosis and other forms of lung fibrosis look for certain signs and symptoms. Examples include crackling breathing sounds, scar tissue in the lungs and pleural plaque buildup. 

Medical History and Physical Examination

First, your doctor will review your medical history and conduct a physical exam. Listening to the lungs with a stethoscope can lead to further diagnostic tests. 

Be sure to inform the doctor of any past exposure to asbestos or diagnoses of other asbestos-related conditions. A history of asbestos exposure is a vital factor in diagnosing asbestosis.

Imaging Tests

Doctors will take a chest X-ray followed by a CT scan. The chest X-ray creates an image of your chest cavity and the vital organs inside. Lungs with asbestosis typically appear whiter or more opaque on an X-ray. They may have a honeycomb-like appearance in severe cases.

Routine monitoring and initial diagnostic scans often involve CT scans. These create a much more detailed image of the body than X-rays, giving doctors a better idea of what conditions a patient may or may not have. A 2022 study found that a diagnostic algorithm identified asbestosis on CT scans more accurately than a radiologist.

Pulmonary Function Tests

Pulmonary function tests check how well a patient’s lungs function. If a patient’s results are low, and they’ve been exposed to asbestos in the past, a doctor may look further into an asbestosis diagnosis.

Tests may include a lung capacity test, respiratory muscle strength and performance tests for mild cardio such as a 6-minute walk. These allow your doctor to check if your lungs are working properly or overworking to compensate for any damage.

Biopsy and Pathology

Lung biopsies are rarely used to diagnose asbestosis but can be a valuable tool. Doctors typically hesitate to perform a lung biopsy because it is invasive, but they will do so as a last resort.

To perform this test, doctors take a small sample of lung tissue and observe it under a microscope. They examine the tissue for any abnormalities, especially the presence of scarring and asbestos fibers. If they detect scarring and asbestos fibers, doctors consider the patient’s medical history and other test results to make a diagnosis.

Importance of Diagnosing Asbestosis Early

Getting an asbestosis diagnosis as early as possible is crucial because it allows you to begin treatment promptly. Because treating asbestosis is mostly about managing symptoms, the earlier you start treatment, the more effective that treatment will be.

If you know you’ve been exposed to asbestos, we recommend going to regular medical screenings to find abnormalities. Whether or not you think you have asbestosis, screenings can show early signs of this disease and many other dangerous conditions.

Regular screenings can identify cancers such as mesothelioma in earlier stages and other interstitial lung abnormalities. Early treatment improves the prognosis for many of these conditions.

Doctors can run critical tests, give important advice, and prescribe the treatment you need to manage your condition and retain a high quality of life. Starting treatment before asbestosis advances maximizes your chances of a positive outcome.

Grades of Asbestosis Severity

When you are diagnosed with asbestosis, your doctor will assign your condition one of five grades: Grade 0 is the lowest, while grade 4 is the highest. Understanding what each grade means is important because it will affect your treatment.

The 5 Grades of Asbestosis

• Grade 0: Some scarring in the passageways and air sacs of the lungs, known as bronchioles and alveoli, respectively.
• Grade 1: Scarring in most of the bronchioles and some of the alveoli.
• Grade 2: Scarring in most of the bronchioles and alveoli.
• Grade 3: Extreme scarring throughout the lungs. Some alveoli are destroyed at this point.
• Grade 4: Scarring has reached such an extreme point that the lungs have a honeycomb-like pattern.

Typically, the amount of scarring in your lungs determines the grade of your asbestosis diagnosis. Advanced scarring indicates a more severe case, which requires a more advanced treatment plan as a result.

What Should I Do After an Asbestosis Diagnosis?

Receiving an asbestosis diagnosis can be jarring. While the condition is incurable, treatment for asbestosis can help reduce its impact. However, it’s essential to start as early as possible.

The first and most crucial step after receiving an asbestosis diagnosis is to avoid any further asbestos exposure. For example, if you’re working in a field with frequent occupational exposure to asbestos, consider moving to a different position within your company. Once you’re no longer exposed to asbestos, reports show that simple changes such as a healthy diet and a moderate cardio routine can sometimes manage asbestosis symptoms.

When you are diagnosed, discuss treatment and management options with your doctor. Patients who start and follow a suitable treatment plan are often able to live long and fulfilling lives following an asbestosis diagnosis.

Common Questions About Asbestosis Symptoms and Diagnosis

What are the symptoms associated with asbestosis?

Asbestosis has symptoms like those of many other lung conditions. Pulmonary symptoms include chest pain, crackling sounds when breathing, dry cough and shortness of breath. Other signs can include clubbing of fingers and toes, fatigue, loss of appetite and sudden weight loss.

How can I tell if my symptoms are related to asbestosis or another condition?

It is difficult to identify asbestosis by its symptoms because they overlap with those of other pulmonary conditions. A doctor can order imaging scans and other tests to rule out other conditions, such as asthma and chronic bronchitis.

What should you do if you think you have asbestosis?

Immediately seek a medical opinion if you suspect you have asbestosis. This is a severe condition, and diagnosing it early is the best way to mitigate some of its effects.

Why is it essential to get a second opinion?

Because asbestosis is indistinguishable from other forms of pulmonary fibrosis and lung scarring, it can easily be misdiagnosed. Get a second opinion to ensure you have asbestosis rather than a different condition.

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