Asbestosis - The Other Lung Health Problem Caused by Asbestos

The inhalation of asbestos fibers often leads to two brutal outcomes. One either gets Mesothelioma or lung cancer. Both of these cancers are often fatal. That being said, what if you are lucky enough not to get either of these? Well, you aren't out of the forest yet. You still have to worry about asbestosis.

The human body is an amazing thing. The fact we run normally is simply amazing given all the processes required to make that happen. They can be infinitely complex as can the processes used to fight things that are bad for us. Well, that is till we get to the lungs. The lungs are abused because they breathe in air from our world without much of a filter. The pollution in most cities is simply staggering. Regardless, the lungs react to foreign contaminants by using a brute force defense. They simply start trying to expel the material via a contraction. We've all experienced it. It is called coughing.

Asbestos is literally a killer because the lungs have massive problems dealing with it. The fibers tend to become embedded in lung material when breathed in. Despite endless coughing, most of the fibers will remain in the lungs. In unfortunate cases, this can lead to lung cancer or Mesothelioma. In others, it causes the less deadly, but often miserable condition known as asbestosis.

Asbestosis is literally the scarring of the lungs. When asbestos fibers are breathed in, they become embedded in the walls of the lungs. The body reacts by encasing them in scar tissue. This is problematic because scar tissue in the lungs is incapable of performing the gas exchange process handled by the lungs. If enough scarring occurs, your capacity for breathing will be reduced. This can greatly reduce the quality of one's life as exercise and such become next to impossible.

Is there a cure for asbestosis? No. The removal of scar tissue from inside the lungs is theoretically possible, but there is no procedural that will bring the underlying lung material back to a state where gas exchange can happen. Without that, the capacity of the lungs will remain limited. While asbestosis rarely is terminal, it certainly can cut down on the quality of one's life.