. Some of the symptoms of this chronic lung disease begin very mildly before getting gradually worse over time. Symptoms usually occur after fifteen to twenty years have gone by since the initial exposure to asbestos. Shortness of breath is often the most common symptom at first.
At first the shortness of breath may only occur as a result of physical activity but as time goes by it will begin to occur during periods of rest too.
Often a cough is present and the cough will gradually get worse as years go on. It os easy to ignore a cough at first but asbestosis related coughs become more troublesome over time.
Chest pain is another symptom associated with asbestosis. It is a good idea to get chest pain checked out by a doctor in order to discover the cause.
One symptom which occurs slightly less than the others is finger clubbing. This is where the fingers become red and swollen due to a build up of fluid.
Your GP will ask you about the symptoms you are experiencing and probably listen to your chest using a stethoscope. If you are suffering from asbestosis then the doctor will hear a distinctive crackling noise as you exhale.
A medical history will be taken and your GP will want to know whether you have been exposed to asbestos and if so how long you were exposed for. Questions will also be asked surrounding the safety precautions (if any) that were taken.
If Asbestosis is suspected then the following three tests will be conducted - a spirometer test which measures how much oxygen you can inhale in relation to how much carbon dioxide you exhale. X-rays may be taken of your lungs and chest. If asbestos is expected to be in its early stages then a CT scan may be carried out in order to get a detailed picture of what is happening.