Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label doctor. Show all posts

Monday, January 10, 2011

Asbestosis Treatment : How to Treat The Disease




Asbestosis is a disease caused by Asbestos exposure. This is a respiratory illness that affects the lungs. It's not always detected, as the symptoms are similar to those of generally getting older, and being slightly overweight.


If any of the symptoms of asbestos exposure were found, then you clearly need
treatments. The treatments for asbestos vary depending on the type of disease the person contracts. There are many options and some are disease-specific, which means that the treatment option is only applicable to a certain disease.


At present, there is no cure for asbestosis. The lung tissue that has been scarred cannot be repaired but further damage can be prevented by ending asbestos exposure. Treatments are available to manage the symptoms but not the disease. It is important, though, to stop exposure to asbestos fibers as well as to dust, smoke and other irritants.


If you are diagnosed with asbestosis, doctor will likely instruct you on how to an asbestos bronchial drainage which leads to excessive coughing to remove unwanted materials in the bronchi. He generally will recommend the use of pain killers, bronchodilators and antibiotics for relieving the symptoms. If lung function has been greatly affected, oxygen therapy might be required as well. Bronchodilators may help the shortness of breath. It relax the airways so that more air can be inhaled into the lungs. The asbestosis patients may suffer excessive lung scarring, hence a postural drainage procedure might be employed to remove these secretions in order to improve lung capacity. Oxygen supplementation could be administered for more sever cases of asbestosis.


People diagnosed with asbestosis, have to limit the exposure to asbestos and smoking. The latter contributes a lot to contracting inflammatory diseases. The first line of defense is to give you antibiotics to resolve other respiratory diseases. Those who continue to smoke even after being diagnosed with asbestosis are more likely to develop lung cancer.


The symptoms of asbestos exposure can also be relieved to some extent by following alternative healing therapies such as acupuncture, meditation, deep breathing exercises, herbal remedies and homeopathy. If you have been exposed to asbestos in the past, it is advisable to have yourself diagnosed by a surgeon who specializes in asbestos exposure cases. Early detection is your best protection against diseases caused by asbestos exposure. With an early diagnosis and asbestos exposure treatment, you can increase your chances of containing the disease.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Symptoms Asbestos Exposure : Know The Signs

The symptoms of Asbestos exposure is a "red flag" that should be immediately sent an individual straight to a physician if any symptoms are diagnosed. It is better if the physician is familiar with Asbestos disease, because the sooner that an asbestos disease is identified, the sooner the treatment will begin. This is particularly important for cancers caused by asbestos exposure.

Many studies reported that the combination of smoking and asbestos exposure is particularly hazardous. Smoking seems to increase the frequency and/or the rate of progression of asbestosis, possibly by preventing the efficient elimination of inhaled fibers from the airways. Smokers who are exposed to asbestos have a risk of developing lung cancer that is greater than the individual risks from asbestos and smoking added together.

Most asbestos exposure symptoms don't begin to manifest until 15-30 years after initial inhalation. With the lack of early warning signs, it makes that wait all the more dangerous. Normally, you won't even notice anything until the cancer has actually gotten to a life-threatening stage.

Short term exposure to asbestos may show up symptoms like, shortness of breath. In such cases, one can experience the short term asbestos exposure symptoms like, abdominal pain, chest pain and irritation of the skin and the mucus membrane, along with shortness of breath. Another symptoms can be spotted are :

  • Shortness of breath, hoarseness or wheezing
  • A persistent cough that gets worse over time, or a change in cough pattern
  • Blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up from the lungs
  • Difficulty in breathing
  • Pain in the abdomen
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Fatigue or anemia
  • Crackling sound in the lungs during inhalation
  • Swelling of the neck and/or face
  • Loss of appetite
  • Coughing up blood
  • Wheezing
  • Nausea

Having one or more of these symptoms does not mean that you have an asbestos related health problem, but it could be some other problem not related to Asbestos at all, but it is advisable to get it checked by your physician immediately.

You may be asked to get X-rays of the chest removed, or a CT scan done, or if the case is found to be of severe nature, a lung biopsy to detect the asbestos fibers could be performed.

Visiting the physician once you are aware of any symptoms of asbestos exposure could not just prolong, but possibly even save your life.