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Asbestosis is a permanent lung disease with no cure. However, treatments like pulmonary rehab, oxygen therapy, inhalers and medications can ease symptoms and slow progression. In severe cases, surgery may be suggested for pain relief.
The most common asbestosis treatments include breathing exercises and inhalers to improve breathing and a combination of general exercise, nutrition counseling and vaccines to improve overall health. Your care team will likely include experts in different fields such as a pulmonologist, respiratory therapist, exercise physiologist and licensed dietitian.
While there is no cure for asbestosis, a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation plan can help you breathe better and feel better. Registered Nurse Sean Marchese tells us, “We can’t reverse lung scarring. But with effective treatment we can improve quality of life dramatically.”
How Doctors Treat Asbestosis
If you’ve been diagnosed with asbestosis, you’ll likely benefit from a combination of these treatments. If you smoke, quitting is essential. Asbestosis treatment aims to relieve your symptoms like pain, ease breathing and slow disease progression.
Because asbestosis occurs when microscopic asbestos fibers are inhaled, which leads to progressive lung scarring, it’s critical to stop any ongoing asbestos exposure. Regular doctor visits are vital and it’s important to report any new symptoms, such as weight loss or coughing up blood, to your doctor as soon as possible.
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Pulmonary rehabilitation is an essential part of your asbestosis treatment. It’s designed to enhance your lung function and overall quality of life. Programs typically combine breathing techniques, education and ways to improve overall physical health with diet and exercise.
Core Elements of Pulmonary Rehab
Studies on lung diseases like asbestosis show rehab programs help people walk farther, about 30 to 40 meters more in 6 minutes. These programs also improve their quality of life based on surveys.
Medications used in asbestosis treatment focus on symptom relief. Antibiotics treat respiratory infections promptly, while steroids and bronchodilators, such as Accu-Hale, Maxair, Primatene, Proventil, Serevent and Ventolin help reduce inflammation and open airways.
Drugs Used for Asbestos Treatment
No medications can reverse the lung scarring asbestos causes. But certain drugs can help people with asbestosis improve breathing and feel better.
Clinical trials are exploring new medication options. For example, pirfenidone, used to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, is being studied to see if it helps people with asbestosis. People often ask about biologics and immunotherapies, but there currently aren’t active clinical trials investigating these treatments for asbestosis.
Navy veteran Jerry Cochran was told 50 years ago that he had only five years to live. But he said his faith in God and his work advocating for others has kept him going for the past half a century.
Surgery isn’t usually used to treat asbestosis. It’s only an option for the most severe cases when fluid buildup, called pleural effusion, can’t be resolved. It’s important to review each option carefully with your doctor before deciding.
Possible surgeries in these cases are pleurodesis and pleurectomy. Pleurodesis seals the pleural layers together to prevent fluid buildup. Pleurectomy removes a part of the lining around the lungs called the pleura.
In very severe cases, a lung transplant may be recommended. A lung transplant can help you breathe better. But it’s major surgery with significant risks. Not everyone can get a transplant. Recent studies show survival rates differ.
Lifestyle changes can support asbestosis treatment and symptom management well. Making these changes can slow disease progression and improve your daily life.
Tips for Managing Asbestosis
Quitting smoking is very important because smoking makes lung scars worse and increases the risk of infections and cancer. Gentle exercise suited to each person can boost energy and help with breathing. These habits can lead to fewer flare-ups and better health over time.
These changes won’t fix the damage to the lungs, but they can help manage asbestosis and possibly reduce the risk of developing other asbestos-related diseases. For example, asbestosis doesn’t cause mesothelioma, but it’s possible that making changes that help relieve asbestosis symptoms, like avoiding asbestos, quitting smoking and improving overall health, may help reduce the risk of further irritation that can become cancerous.
Filled with thoughtful items to bring comfort and encouragement while undergoing treatment.
Get Your Free KitAlternative treatments like acupuncture and herbal supplements can help with asbestosis symptoms. They’re sometimes used alongside regular care to manage side effects and improve well-being. However, it’s typically not recommended to use them in place of standard care.
Common Alternative Asbestosis Treatments
Current studies, including a clinical trial at Yeditepe University in Turkey, are looking at how well complementary therapies work. Talk to your doctor before trying other treatments to make sure they’re safe, don’t interfere with your other medications and will help. These therapies might help with symptoms, but they’re not a substitute for regular medicine.
Asbestosis treatment depends on symptoms, how severe the disease is and overall health. Your doctor will recommend a treatment after tests and diagnosis. Options may include pain medicine, inhalers, oxygen, rehab for the lungs or surgery. In very serious cases, a lung transplant might be needed as a last choice.
The life expectancy of an asbestosis patient is about 10 years after diagnosis. How long you may live after your diagnosis depends on your overall health, how well you respond to treatment to manage it, the severity of your disease and its progression.
Survival for people in stage 1 is about 14 years; stage 2 is about 4 years; and stage 3 is between 1 and 2 years. Those who experienced high asbestos exposure levels typically progress more quickly into later disease stages. Those with lesser exposure may have a slow progression.
There is no cure for asbestosis. Once the damage to the lungs occurs, it’s not reversible. Treatments can help ease symptoms and slow the disease’s progression.
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Selby, K. (2025, July 9). Asbestosis Treatment Options. Asbestos.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025, from https://www.asbestos.com/asbestosis/treatment/
Selby, Karen. "Asbestosis Treatment Options." Asbestos.com, 9 Jul 2025, https://www.asbestos.com/asbestosis/treatment/.
Selby, Karen. "Asbestosis Treatment Options." Asbestos.com. Last modified July 9, 2025. https://www.asbestos.com/asbestosis/treatment/.
An occupational scientist or another expert who specializes in occupational hazards reviewed the content on this page to ensure it meets current scientific standards and accuracy.
Arti Shukla, Ph.D., is an internationally renowned asbestos researcher known for her achievements in identifying biomarkers that cause mesothelioma. She is the director of the Shukla Research Lab, as well as a professor of pathology at The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine.
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