Asbestosis

Asbestosis is a lung disease that develops slowly over time. It occurs when you breathe in tiny asbestos fibres. Inhaling asbestos fibres can lead to scarring in the lungs.

Asbestosis is caused by exposure to asbestos fibres.

What is asbestos?

Asbestos is a group of minerals shaped like thin, long fibres. For many years during the 1900s, asbestos fibres were commonly used in construction and insulation.

Due to their small size, asbestos fibres can be inhaled and become trapped in your airways. They irritate lung tissue, leading to symptoms and complications. Symptoms may take 10 or more years to develop.

In Australia, asbestos use was gradually phased out and banned in 2003. Homes built after 1990 are unlikely to contain asbestos.

Who is at risk of asbestosis?

People at risk of asbestosis are usually exposed to asbestos fibres over a long period.

• Certain jobs, such as construction, plumbing, insulation, roofing and shipbuilding, often involve working with asbestos. Demolition workers may also be exposed when tearing down older buildings with asbestos.
• Asbestos fibres can stick to clothes. If you lived with someone who worked with asbestos, you might have been exposed.
• Some people are exposed to small amounts of asbestos naturally in nature.

Asbestosis symptoms usually develop many years after asbestos exposure. The most common symptom of asbestosis is difficulty breathing. Symptoms are often mild at first but can get worse over time.

Symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• persistent dry cough
• chest pain or tightness
• a crackling sound when breathing in
• tiredness
• swollen or rounded fingers and toes (clubbing)

Most people with asbestosis don't show any symptoms until 10 or more years after they were first exposed to asbestos. The more intensive the exposure, the shorter the time it may take for symptoms to show up.

See your doctor if you know you were exposed to asbestos in the past or think you may have been exposed.

Go to the emergency department immediately if you:

• have severe shortness of breath with chest pain or nausea
• are coughing up blood

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, your medical history and any known past exposure to asbestos. They may also perform a physical examination, including listening to your lungs.

If your doctor suspects you have asbestosis, you may be referred for tests including:

• chest x-ray
• CT scan
• lung function tests — to check how well your lungs are working
• bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) — a procedure to collect a sample from your lungs to look for asbestos fibres in lung fluid
• lung biopsy — when a small sample of the lung tissue is taken and analysed

There is no cure for asbestosis. It cannot be reversed and is likely to get worse over time. However, there are things that you can do to reduce your risk of complications from asbestosis:

• If you smoke, quit.
• Avoid further exposure to asbestos.
• Treat respiratory infections
• Ask your doctor about vaccinations against pneumonia and the flu.

If you have severe lung problems, oxygen therapy may also help you.

Your doctor may recommend pulmonary rehabilitation. This is a program designed to help people with lung diseases feel better and stay active. It includes:

• exercises appropriate for your condition
• education about managing your condition
• nutritional advice
• emotional support

Asbestosis increases your risk of complications, including:

• respiratory failure — over time, scarring in the lungs can make it hard to breathe
• mesothelioma — a rare cancer linked to asbestos
• other types of cancer — including cancer of the lungs, larynx (the voice box), kidney, oesophagus (food pipe) and biliary system

You can prevent asbestosis by avoiding exposure to asbestos. If you are likely to be exposed to asbestos, you should wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect your lungs.

• If you think you may have been exposed to asbestos, you can register your information on the Australian Government's National Asbestos Exposure Register (NAER) (Opens in new tab).
• If you have symptoms and have been exposed to asbestos at work or outside of work, the Asbestos Diseases Society of Australia offers a health check (Opens in new tab).
• Visit Lung Foundation Australia's website to learn what you can do to protect your lungs if you're working with or are exposed to asbestos fibres (Opens in new tab).
• Read this Department of Health, Disability and Ageing guide (Opens in new tab) for more information about identifying and safely removing asbestos.
• If you are worried about asbestos in your home or in general, you can discuss your concern with the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency (Opens in new tab).
• Fibrocement cladding can be tested to see if it contains asbestos. Contact the National Association of Testing Authorities (Opens in new tab).

You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Other languages

Health Translations Victoria (Opens in new tab) offers a fact sheet on the history and facts of asbestos, including the national strategic plan to remove it.