The Treatment

If you or someone you love has asbestosis, you should know this: nothing can reverse the damage done by asbestos. There is nothing within the entire scope of modern medical science, that can restore your stolen health—no drug, no medication, no treatment, nothing.

That being said, there are some things you can do to improve your quality of life. You can’t restore your lost lungs, but you and your doctor together can make the most of what you have left.

In this battle, your doctor is your general and your partner. Make certain your doctor knows of your asbestosis. Although there’s little he can do for you directly, the problem should always be in the back of his mind when he’s treating you, because it can influence the decisions he makes.

Defense
The aim of your defense should be to protect what lungs you have left. If it’s already hard to breathe, why make it harder? Never expose your lungs to anything that might damage them further—you can’t afford it.

Quit smoking. And stay away from anyone who is smoking. If you only follow one tip in this article, make it this one. The combination of cigarette smoke and asbestos multiplies your chances of getting cancer by ninety times. And the damage cigarette smoking causes to human lungs is now too well known to be ignored.

Avoid exposure to anything else dangerous—asbestos, fumes, sprays, dust, mold. Let someone else use harsh cleansers to scrub the bathroom or open that can of paint—you protect yourself.

Use air filters to improve the quality of the air in your home, and stay indoors when pollen or pollution counts are high.

Use a humidifier and drink lots of fluids to keep your tissues moist, unless your doctor says otherwise.

Prevention
Respiratory infections are doubly dangerous for anyone who has lung problems. So do your best to prevent getting sick at all. Get the yearly flu and pneumonia vaccines, and use preventive measures against infections such as washing your hands and avoiding crowds.

Treat any respiratory problem aggressively. See your doctor as soon as you notice a problem—sneezing, coughing, runny nose, fever. Although it might be the common cold, it might not, and only your doctor can tell the difference.

Also, have regular chest x-rays. Since a person with asbestosis is so much more likely to develop lung cancer than anyone else, it only makes sense to watch for it. The earlier cancer is found, the more possible it is to cure it. The expert recommendation these days is once every five years, but ask your doctor.

Offense
The gold standard of treatment for patients with asbestosis or any other chronic lung problem is pulmonary rehabilitation.

Pulmonary rehabilitation is boot camp for people with breathing problems. It requires a doctor’s prescription, but once you’re in, it helps you to make the best and most efficient use of the lungs you have left.

In pulmonary rehabilitation, therapists will position your body in such a way that the fluids drain naturally from your lungs, a technique called postural drainage. Other specialists will teach you breathing techniques, such as pursed lip breathing, to fight shortness of breath. They’ll also guide you through exercise therapy, to make your lungs more efficient so that you’ll get more benefit from each breath you take.

The worst
If your case is severe, your doctor might prescribe oxygen for you. It can be comforting, to know that a steady supply of air is right at your fingertips. But it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions and don’t change the settings without his say-so.

The most severe cases require a lung transplant. But because this is such a major surgery, it really is the last resort. If you feel it’s right for you, get with your doctor for more information.