Asbestos symptoms may not be manifested until decades after the initial contact with the asbestos fibers.
Asbestosis is a build up of scar tissue in the lungs due to the presence of asbestos. It differs from mesothelioma, in that mesothelioma is a cancer and asbestosis is not. Symptoms progressively worsen over time. The initial symptom is shortness of breath. However, as the condition progresses, the effort required to breathe normally increases as the inflammation of the lungs increases. This can further result in weight loss, coughing, chest pain and fatigue. Clubbing of the fingers, which is a thickening of the ends of the fingers, can also occur in a smaller percentage of patients.
Severe symptoms of advanced asbestosis include extreme difficulty in breathing once the scar tissue in the lungs restricts the expansion of the lung tissue during inhalation. Consequently, the reduced lung capacity can lead to heart problems or in some cases heart failure.
Smoking always exacerbates the symptoms.
Asbestosis is a build up of scar tissue in the lungs due to the presence of asbestos. It differs from mesothelioma, in that mesothelioma is a cancer and asbestosis is not. Symptoms progressively worsen over time. The initial symptom is shortness of breath. However, as the condition progresses, the effort required to breathe normally increases as the inflammation of the lungs increases. This can further result in weight loss, coughing, chest pain and fatigue. Clubbing of the fingers, which is a thickening of the ends of the fingers, can also occur in a smaller percentage of patients.
Severe symptoms of advanced asbestosis include extreme difficulty in breathing once the scar tissue in the lungs restricts the expansion of the lung tissue during inhalation. Consequently, the reduced lung capacity can lead to heart problems or in some cases heart failure.
Smoking always exacerbates the symptoms.
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