Asbestosis
Asbestosis is a disease of the lungs in which the lungs are exposed to chronic inflammation in the tissue of the lungs.  It is due to a long-term extreme exposure to the chemical asbestos, which is common in the mining and construction industries.  Asbestosis is known as an occupational lung disease because many of the victims got the disease during the course of their employment.  Those with asbestosis are at a greater risk for certain types of lung cancer. 
Signs and Symptoms
Most people who develop asbestosis begin to suffer from shortness of breath when they exert themselves.  As the disease advances, the patient develops a cough and ongoing respiratory failure. These are people who have extensive occupational exposure to asbestos, a needle-like building substance that gets lodged in the lungs and cannot be coughed out again.  As a part of asbestosis, patients can develop lung cancer or mesothelioma, a type of cancer that is almost always associated with exposure to asbestos. It takes about 5-10 years post exposure to begin to feel the effects of exposure to asbestos.
Asbestosis represents the scar tissue of the lungs that forms after the inhalation of fibers of asbestos.  There are two types of asbestos fibers: 1)amphibole (thin and straight fibers) and 2) serpentine (curved fibers).  The straight fibers are primarily responsible for the disease of asbestosis.  They cause a localized immune response as foreign bodies stuck in the lungs.  The inflammatory reaction is considered more chronic than acute with a slow progression of the disease.   Macrophages try to ingest the fibers and stimulate connective tissue. But because the asbestos fibers can’t be eaten, the macrophages die off, worsening scar tissue and reducing the elasticity of the lungs.
Asbestosis is considered a restrictive lung disease because the lung elasticity reduces.  The lung capacity will be reduced and the alveolar wall will thicken, worsening air exchange.  The lung function can become drastically reduced, resulting in extremely stiff lungs and right sided heart failure. 
Greater than 50% of those with asbestosis develop plaques on the lining of the lung, where the chest wall and the lungs meet. The patients show dry crackles in the lungs and many show clubbing of the fingers.  XRAYS often show fibrous tissue in the lower lungs where asbestosis is more prominent. 
Treatment
There is no cure for asbestosis.  Patients often go on home oxygen to relieve the feeling of shortness of breath.  Other therapy includes respiratory therapy like postural drainage, percussion of the chest and vibration of the chest.  Nebulizers containing medications for the lungs is also often used.  
One method of treatment is to use the antioxidant glutathione, which is diminished in many forms of lung disease. The dose is given by means of bronchioalveolar lavage. 

Asbestos
Asbestos is a chemical mineral that consists of long, thin fibrous crystals.  At one point, asbestos was found to be toxic to people who breathe it in their lungs.  Inhalation of these crystals has been known to cause serious lung disease, called asbestosis, mesothelioma (a form of cancer) and regular lung cancer.  Asbestosis came on the rise in the late 19th century as asbestos was increasingly used for its heat resistance, electrical resistance and chemical resistance.  It was often mixed with fabric and mats were created that were wrapped or laid flat in ceilings and walls for insulation. 
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