There is generally no treatment for pleural fibrosis or pulmonary fibrosis. There is no evidence that any medications can help the condition’s since the scarring once it has developed is permanent.
A medical specialist may prescribe oxygen to assist with breathing or corticosteroids.
Pulmonary fibrosis causes decreased oxygen levels in the blood. A decrease in blood oxygen level can lead to elevated pressure in the pulmonary artery, a condition known as pulmonary hypertension which can in turn lead to failure of the right ventricle of the heart. Therefore patients with pulmonary fibrosis are frequently treated with supplemental oxygen to prevent pulmonary hypertension. Another form of treatment often used to provide relief from the symptoms and aid breathing is the prescription of inhaler steroids.
In severe cases the entire pleura can thicken becoming very dense and white almost like the pith of an orange causing it to lose the elastic properties which normally allow the tissue to easily expand when the lungs are inflated. As the pleura thickens the lungs have to work harder to inflate and eventually the thickened tissue can impair lung function to the point where a patient cannot breathe or has extreme difficulty breathing. In those situations the damaged pleura must be removed surgically so that the lungs are able to inflate.
Those who have ever been exposed to asbestos and are suffering from any of the symptoms please seek legal advice and we would also recommend that you visit your GP.