Treating and Managing Asbestosis

How Asbestosis Is Treated

There is no treatment that can reverse the damage done by asbestos, but certain steps can help slow down progression of the disease and relieve symptoms. Avoiding further exposure to asbestos and other irritants such as cigarette smoke will help slow disease progression and prevent complications, such as development of lung cancer. Medication and breathing treatments may be prescribed by your healthcare provider to help ease breathlessness and maintain your general lung health. Here are some things your provider may recommend:

Managing Asbestosis

Your healthcare provider can help you manage your symptoms, but you can also take steps to keep yourself healthy by doing the following:

• Maintain nutrition with a well-balanced diet that limits salt intake and includes drinking lots of water.
• Get adequate sleep every night and take a short rest during the day if needed.
• Stay as active as you can by exercising regularly but be careful not to overexert yourself.
• Prevent respiratory infections that can make your lungs worse. Get vaccinated against the flu every year. Your provider may recommend additional vaccinations such as pneumococcal pneumonia, COVID-19 and RSV.
• Stay inside when air pollution is severe and pollen counts are high.
• Avoid breathing pollutants that can trigger shortness of breath, including secondhand smoke, traffic fumes, smog, aerosol sprays and vapors from products such as paint, kerosene and cleaning agents.
• Be vigilant about monitoring your condition and watching for signs of infection (worsening fatigue, fevers, confusion, weight loss, low oxygen saturation or low peak airflow on home monitoring, etc.). See your healthcare provider immediately if one develops.
• Have a plan to manage flare-ups. Maintain an updated account of emergency contacts with your healthcare provider, and become familiar with local services which can help you manage your medications and medical equipment while at home or while traveling.
• Visit your provider regularly to receive updated guidance on how to manage your condition and for monitoring of development of other related conditions (autoimmune conditions, lung cancer, etc.).

What to Expect

You may get sick more often when you have asbestosis. As your disease progresses, you may need to make lifestyle changes such as using oxygen therapy, attending pulmonary rehabilitation and learning energy conservation tips that reduce you feeling short of breath.

As with all chronic lung diseases, it is important to discuss with your healthcare provider how to stay as healthy as possible. If your provider thinks there may be a point when your asbestosis will cause you to be hospitalized, they might recommend a productive conversation about palliative care options, including filling out an advance directive and taking other steps so that your treatment wishes are respected.