These steps should help to avoid the complications of serious lung infections. Finally, the asbestosis patient should undergo regular chest x-rays to screen for cancers associated with asbestosis. Symptomatic Treatment Shortness of breath is treated with bronchodilators that open up the bronchial tubes and allow passage of air. The patient may also receive supplemental oxygen. Respiratory treatments that remove secretions from the lung through postural drainage may also be used.
Productive cough is treated with humidifiers, breathing therapies and chest percussion.
These therapies loosen and thin out bronchial secretions allowing them to be expelled by the cough. Chest pain can be treated with normal over the counter drugs such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Once asbestosis has been established by findings on chest X-ray, regression of the disease is rare. The disease may remain unchanged, but it is generally slowly progressive due to accumulating damage caused by asbestos fibers in the lung. Rapid progression after the onset of symptoms is rare.