How to Prevent Asbestosis

Asbestosis is an inflammation of the lungs brought on by long-term exposure to asbestos particles. It is a chronic disorder but not contagious. Treatments involve ways to relieve symptoms, but it's not considered curable. By the time symptoms appear, often many years after exposure, irreversible damage to the lungs has already been done. So the best defense is to take precautions to prevent the disease altogether.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

1. Wear a protective mask or air supplied hood when working around asbestos. Due to government regulations now in place, asbestos is no longer used in building construction. However, older buildings often do contain this harmful insulator so take precautions when remodeling or demolishing older buildings.

2. Follow recommended industrial procedures to prevent exposure to harmful dust during asbestos removal. Some of these methods involve wetting down surfaces with water and covering asbestos loads with various materials to prevent fibers from entering the air.

3. Engage in regular exercise designed to strengthen your cardiopulmonary system. Keeping your heart and lungs healthy and strong will help them ward off damage.

4. Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke whenever possible. Smoking causes similar damage to your lungs as asbestos exposure does, so if you smoke you could be giving your lungs a double dose of poisoning.

5. Schedule regular x-rays if you work in asbestos-related industries. They can detect shadows on the lungs that could be an early sign of asbestosis.

Tips & Warnings

• The most common early symptoms are coughing and shortness of breath. Since these are also symptoms of other pulmonary-related diseases like emphysema or lung cancer, you should see your doctor right away.

• Early treatment is vital to preventing complications that arise in late stages of asbestosis. These include pleurisy, lung cancer and tuberculosis.