Asbestosis is scarring of the lung tissue. The scarred tissue restricts the contracting and expanding movement necessary to effectively breathe. This is a non-cancerous disease, but still very serious. Heart failure often results from the breathing difficulty that characterizes asbestosis. Treatment is available, but no cure has been found. Treatment of symptoms includes respiratory treatments that help to remove secretions from the lungs. This is accomplished by draining the secretions from the chest and chest percussion or chest vibration to loosen the secretions. Aerosol medications that can thin the secretions are also prescribed. To improve oxygen saturation levels in the blood, oxygen also can be used. Often it becomes necessary for a person with asbestosis to be treated with oxygen continuously.
