Asbestosis can possibly set in motion a cycle of conditions. The disease commonly prevents the lungs from fully oxygenating blood, which eventually forces the heart to work harder. As the heart works harder, the blood pressure will increase. Just as the blood pressure rises, fluid builds up right around the heart and lungs, which can result in swelling in the face and neck, which in turns can result in the difficulty swallowing. In addition fluid can also build up in the abdomen, which creates tenderness or bloating, which can lead to a loss of appetite and some potential weight loss. In the more advanced cases fluid retention, when untreated or treated improperly, will result in finger deformity, commonly known as clubbing.
Relieving the Symptoms of Asbestosis
Even though there is no exact cure for asbestosis, most doctors will recommend a number of treatment options to relieve the symptoms, and there are indeed some changes to lifestyle and dietary program that patients can do to get better and better. Some treatments and medications are actually available to help with pain and coughing. Some other treatments include the use of inhaler, antibiotics, and supplemental oxygen. Hereunder are some of the ways to relieve asbestosis symptoms.
- Pulmonary Rehab
Pulmonary rehabilitation is the first option patients can resort to. Used in conjunction with some medical treatment, pulmonary rehab is seen as a long-term approach to helping patients that are taught new breathing strategies; better exercise techniques; and ways to manage stress. Pulmonary rehabilitation can also rise the energy levels, improve the overall survival and quality of life, and strengthen exercise.
- Palliative Treatment
Due to coughing and shortness of breath are the most common symptoms of asbestosis, palliative treatment oftentimes aims at reducing these symptoms. The pleural effusion which causes many of the symptoms experienced by patients with asbestosis, can actually be treated by using 2 non-invasive surgeries, a pleurodesis and thoracentesis.
- Lung Transplant
In the more severe cases of asbestosis, a doctor may suggest lung transplant procedure. This surgery particularly comes when the patient baffles some other condition, such as lung cancer. The one-year survival rate for lung transplant patients is around 80 percent, yet the aggressive surgery is often viewed as the last-resort treatment.
- Lifestyle Adjustments
In order to help alleviate some of the asbestosis symptoms, patients may be required to alter their lifestyle by reducing the amount of daily physical activity and stopping smoking, which can seriously worsen the disease. Some of the adjustments in diet can also be helpful, typically in the early diagnostic process. An herbal supplement known as slippery elm bark can be used as the natural treatment for sore throats and coughs, and astragalus plays prominent role in Chinese medicine for treating respiratory functions.
Well, as you can see, there are various ways that patients with asbestosis can resort to when trying to relieve asbestosis symptoms, regardless of which symptoms occur at specific time during asbestos exposure or during treatment. Leave comment if you find this article helpful.
