Contents
In line with its mission, the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony makes every effort to provide reliable medical content supported by the latest scientific knowledge. The additional flag “Checked Content” indicates that the article has been reviewed by or written directly by a physician. This two-step verification: a medical journalist and a doctor allows us to provide the highest quality content in line with current medical knowledge.
Our commitment in this area has been appreciated, among others, by by the Association of Journalists for Health, which awarded the Editorial Board of MedTvoiLokony with the honorary title of the Great Educator.
Pneumoconiosis is a disease characterized by interstitial storage of various dust particles and diffuse or nodular growth of fibrous tissue. The latter appears due to the chronic irritating effects of various stimulants of this growth. As a result, the elastic, clear (“clean”) lobular lungs of a newborn or child gradually become a “stiff”, inflexible organ with an increasing dust deposit.
What are the causes of pneumoconiosis?
The fibrous tissue growing in the inter-alveolar spaces compresses and at the same time limits the pulmonary parenchyma and the possibility of gas exchange. As a result of this process, mobility and professional suitability are reduced due to respiratory failure with subsequent, or secondary, right ventricular failure.
Taking into account the type of dust acting and accumulating in the stroma of the pulmonary tissue, we can distinguish, among others, the following:
- lung silicosis (silica pollen),
- cotton dust (cotton dust),
- asbestosis (asbestos dust),
- carbonaceous disease (carbon pollen).
This means that a certain type of pneumoconiosis can sometimes be considered an occupational disease of a certain group of people exposed to inhaling this or that type of dust.
Read also: Proper breathing – how does it affect our body?
Pneumoconiosis – symptoms
In the initial stage of pneumoconiosis, the symptoms may go unnoticed, but as the disease develops, the formation of changes in the pneumoconiosis may cause symptoms such as exercise dyspnea, cough, mucus discharge, or in the case of secondary infections with mucopurulent sputum (e.g. black colored in the case of carbonil ). Therefore, there may also be chronic low-grade fever.
How to recognize pneumoconiosis?
Diagnosis of pneumoconiosis is possible only by a doctor based on:
- carefully collected interview with the patient,
- chest radiography,
- physical examination.
Pneumoconiosis – Treatment
Treating pneumoconiosis is difficult and does not always bring the expected benefits.
- Appropriate management of the respiratory changes occurring in the respiratory tract may alleviate the unpleasant consequences of pneumoconiosis.
- Troublesome or worsening respiratory failure can be mitigated by reducing the need for oxygen by reducing unnecessary physical effort.
- Gas exchange in the lungs and their ventilation can be improved thanks to the restoration of the bronchial tree with the use of pharmacological preparations that have a dilating effect on its lumen.
- It is also important to effectively eliminate the factors and ailments that reduce the free flow of air in the respiratory tract (bronchitis, infected bronchiectasis) or supporting them (quitting smoking).
- The co-occurring circulatory failure can be removed simultaneously with pharmacological preparations that improve its activity.
- A necessary condition to reduce morbidities and their consequences is the elimination of dust in the place of everyday stay (e.g. home, work, surrounding environment), and if it is impossible, then transferring people to another environment.
It should also be noted that changes to the pylice in the lungs increase the risk of tuberculosis development. So it is imperative to control the disease in this direction.
Pneumoconiosis – how to prevent it?
In the prophylaxis of pneumoconiosis, conscious and rational prevention is very important, taking into account the above-mentioned mechanisms of emphysema and pneumoconiosis, the effectiveness of which is greater than the effects of treatment of developing (usually irreversible) changes.