Asbestosis is a chronic (long-term) lung condition caused by prolonged exposure to asbestos.
Asbestos is a general term for a group of minerals made of microscopic fibres. In the past, it was widely used in construction.
Asbestos can be very dangerous. It does not present a health risk if it is undisturbed, but if material containing asbestos is chipped, drilled, broken or allowed to deteriorate, it can release a fine dust that contains asbestos fibres.
When the dust is breathed in, the asbestos fibres enter the lungs and can gradually damage them over time. For asbestosis to develop, prolonged exposure to relatively high numbers of the fibres is necessary. However, it is not the only factor, as many people avoid getting asbestosis, despite heavy exposure.
Read more about the causes of asbestosis.
Breathing in asbestos fibres may eventually scar the lungs of some people, which can lead to a number of symptoms, including:
shortness of breath – this may only occur after physical activity at first, but it can eventually become a more constant problem
a persistent cough
wheezing
fatigue (extreme tiredness)
chest pain
in more advanced cases, clubbed (swollen) fingertips
Nowadays, most people who are diagnosed with asbestosis were exposed many years ago, before there were effective controls on exposure to asbestos fibres in the workplace.
See your GP if you have the above symptoms and you think you may have been exposed to asbestos in the past.
Read more about diagnosing asbestosis.