Recognizing the signs of asbestosis
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Recognizing the signs of asbestosis

by | Oct 27, 2016 | Work Injury

If workers in Missouri have been exposed to asbestos in their workplaces, for that reason they face many workplace injuries. This is a chronic lung disease that results in breathing problems due to tissue scarring, and it can cause discomfort, pain and suffering to the people who are afflicted by it.

While there is no cure for asbestosis, Mayo Clinic states that it is important to identify the symptoms regardless. Asbestosis symptoms can still be treated even if the illness itself will remain with a person for their lifetime, so quick identification of the problem means quicker relief and easier symptom management. Some symptoms that may indicate asbestosis include:

  • Dry coughing that goes on extensively
  • Shortness of breath
  • Clubbing of the toes and fingers
  • Weight loss or loss of appetite
  • Feelings of tightness in the chest

Keep in mind that these symptoms can emerge as much as 10 to 40 years after the initial exposure to asbestos.

Asbestos.com also says that the damage done to the lungs can cause other notable symptoms, such as “crackles”, which is a rattling or clicking noise that usuallyoccurs when the sufferer breathes in. In addition to the finger clubbing that can affect the patient, their nailbeds may also soften and the nails may become misshapen due to the lack of blood flowing to the hands and feet.

If a person is experiencing these symptoms, they should seek medical attention, especially if they have worked in or around a place with a known history for use of asbestos.

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