Asbestosis

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You probably never paid much attention to your breathing — until you started to have trouble doing it.

When you have asbestosis, what used to be so natural is now a challenge. And whether or not you knew you’d been exposed to asbestos, it can be shocking to learn you now have a chronic lung disease. But what does that mean for your everyday life? And for your future?

Cleveland Clinic’s asbestosis experts are highly skilled in diagnosing and managing this lifelong condition. And we’ll create a personalized care plan that can help stop your asbestosis from getting worse. We’ll help you breathe easier — and feel better.

Why Choose Cleveland Clinic for Asbestosis Care?

Collaborative care:

Your care team will include experts from different specialties, all carefully chosen to help with your unique symptoms and needs. They’ll also work closely with your primary care provider (PCP), wherever they’re located. Meet our team.

Minimally invasive options:

Thanks to our providers’ extensive experience with all types of interstitial lung disease, including asbestosis, we often don’t need to use invasive procedures to diagnose or treat your asbestosis.

Convenient care:

Pulmonary rehabilitation is often a key part of asbestosis treatment. We offer this specialized education and exercise program at many Cleveland Clinic locations.

Virtual visits:

Sometimes, getting to your provider’s office in person might not be easy. That’s okay. It’s often possible to have a virtual visit for some appointments. You’ll get the same great care but from the comfort and convenience of home. All you need to get started is an internet connection and a smartphone, computer or tablet.

National recognition:

Cleveland Clinic is a trusted healthcare leader. We're recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for our expertise and care.

Diagnosing Asbestosis at Cleveland Clinic

Asbestosis can be a surprising diagnosis, especially if it’s been a long time since you were exposed to asbestos or if you have no idea when that exposure happened. So, when you come to see us for the first time, we’ll start with a conversation. We want to get to know you and to better understand what you’re experiencing.

The symptoms of asbestosis can be similar to those of other lung conditions, so your provider may ask about:

Any known exposure to asbestos.
Jobs you’ve had that might’ve exposed you to asbestos.
What kind of symptoms you have.
When you first noticed these symptoms.
If the symptoms have gotten worse.
How the symptoms affect your daily life.

They’ll also ask about your medical history and give you a brief physical exam, using a stethoscope to listen to your lungs. If they hear a crackling sound when you breathe in, that can be a sign of asbestosis.

They may also order some tests to learn more about your lungs, like:

A chest X-ray and/or a CT scan to check for fibrosis (scarring) on your lungs.
Spirometry, a breathing test that measures how much air goes into and out of your lungs when you inhale.
Bronchoscopy, which lets us look into your lung’s airways using a thin, flexible tube with a camera on it through your nose or mouth.

If you have asbestosis, you may also be at a higher risk for other lung problems that we’ll need to treat and manage, too. To find out if you have any other health conditions related to your asbestosis, we may screen for lung cancer and mesothelioma a rare cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. We may also check to see how well your diaphragm is working. Asbestosis can cause the pleura (covering of your lungs) to stiffen, making it harder to breathe.

Meet Our Asbestosis Team

When you choose Cleveland Clinic, you’ll get a carefully chosen team of skilled providers who are experienced in diagnosing and treating interstitial lung diseases (ILD). Led by our pulmonologists, these experts work together to make sure you get treatment that matches your specific needs.

You team may include:

Pulmonary pathologists.
Thoracic (chest) radiologists.
Thoracic surgeons.
Physical therapists.
Respiratory therapists.
ILD-specific nurse practitioners.
ILD-specific physician assistants.
ILD-specific nurses.

Providers Who Treat Asbestosis

Locations

Our healthcare providers see patients at convenient locations throughout Northeast Ohio and Florida.

Treating Asbestosis at Cleveland Clinic

Your asbestosis treatment plan will depend on how badly scarred your lungs are and what sort of symptoms you’re having. We always keep your goals and lifestyle in mind, and we work closely with you to be sure that the plan we create for your care is one that works for your life. Here are some of the treatments your team might recommend:

Medications

Medications, like antifibrotics, can slow down how fast the asbestosis progresses. Not everyone needs these, but at your first visit with us, we may talk about the possibility of using them.

Oxygen therapy

If you’re having trouble breathing, we may prescribe oxygen therapy, which sends oxygen directly into your nostrils through a mask or tube. This gives your lungs a little bit of extra help so that you can breathe more comfortably.

Pulmonary rehabilitation

Though asbestosis is lifelong, there’s a lot you can do to manage your symptoms and keep them from getting worse. We’ll teach you how in our pulmonary rehabilitation program. You’ll learn about lifestyle habits that’ll help you breathe easier and feel better — like breathing and relaxation techniques, exercise and eating healthy foods. Plus, if you smoke, this program will help you quit for good, which will help your lungs work better and improve your overall health.

Lung transplant surgery

In rare cases, you may be a candidate for a lung transplant. Getting a new, scar-free donor lung can relieve your symptoms so that you can live healthier and longer.

Follow-up Care

Managing your asbestosis is a lifelong commitment — but we’re here to help. At your follow-up visits, we’ll continue to help you stick with healthy habits, and we’ll keep a close eye on your lungs to make sure your symptoms aren’t getting worse. If you start having new symptoms or complications, we’ll work with the right specialists to make sure you get the treatment you need as quickly as possible.

Taking the Next Step

When you learn you have asbestosis, you want experienced, caring healthcare providers on your side. Cleveland Clinic’s expert respiratory team is with you every step of the way, creating an individualized care plan that will keep your condition from getting worse and help you start to feel (and breathe) better again.