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What are the Clinical Signs of Asbestosis?
- Shortness of breath (dyspnea)
- -rarely occurs before a decade of exposure
- -appears first only upon exertion and subsequently occurs at rest
- Dry cough
- -dry and troublesome cough, perhaps associated with chest pain
- X-Ray changes
- -generally beginning with irregular opacities at the bases of the lungs, perhaps extending into the upper zones gradually
- Pulmonary function deficiencies
- -typically a pulmonary function test reveals a restrictive lung disease pattern
- -there may be a pulmonary function loss before x-ray changes become evident
Other more advanced symptoms of this disease include clubbing of the fingers (increased thickness of the digits and curvature of the nails) and cor pulmonale. Medical monitoring for radiologic changes is key, as persons with asbestosis have an increased risk of developing a malignancy.
Where Do I Go From Here?
After diagnosis, it is important to understand your treatment options. Your doctor will provide you with information on the treatments that are available to you. Medical monitoring is extremely important, for there is an increased risk of malignancy. Periodic chest x-rays will allow your doctor to observe whether any radiologic changes are taking place.
It is also important to know about your legal rights. If
you have asbestosis, or any other asbestos-related disease,
you were exposed to asbestos. Many of the manufacturers of
asbestos insulation products knew for decades that asbestos
was hazardous, yet made a business decision not to warn people
of those hazards. As a result, you may have a right of recovery
against those manufacturers, which can help defray the costs
of treatment and provide compensation for your pain and suffering.
Asbestosis Still Kills |
What are the Clinical Signs of Asbestosis?
Know
your rights | Asbestos
Licence Holders | Adenocarcinoma
Mesothelioma
Symptoms
Shortness of breath and pain in the chest due to an accumulation
of fluid in the pleura are often symptoms | Diagnosis
of Mesothelioma
Diagnosis begins with a review of the patient's medical
history, including any history of asbestos exposure |
Abdominal Mesothelioma
There are many diseases without any discernible cause to trace. Abdominal mesothelioma
is not one of these. | Mesothelioma
Cancer
Mesothelioma cancer is a specific type that has one main known
cause and many treatment options. | Cystic
Mesothelioma
Young females are the population most affiliated with the
disease cystic mesothelioma. |
Mesothelioma
Research
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