Pneumoconiosis

General description of the disease

Pneumoconiosis is a group of occupational pathologies in which, as a result of regular inhalation of air polluted with dust, inflammatory diseases of the lungs develop.

Most often, pneumoconiosis is diagnosed in workers in the asbestos, glass, steel industry, workshops for processing wheat into flour, elevators, miners. Workers in these professions are systematically exposed to dusty air and, depending on working conditions, from 30 to 55% of workers in “dusty professions” are ill with pneumoconiosis.

Pneumoconiosis is characterized by the irreversibility of the course, eventually leading to disability and shortening life expectancy.

Types and causes of occurrence

Depending on the etiology, the following types of pneumoconiosis are distinguished:

• silicosis – a type of pneumoconiosis, which causes silicon dioxide that enters the body through regular inhalation of silica dust;
• pneumoconiosiscaused by organic dust, these include all forms of dusty lung pathologies, the development of which is provoked by agricultural dust (flax and cotton, sugar cane), dust of synthetic substances;
• carboconiosis – develop due to the inhalation of dust, which includes carbon: graphite, soot, coke, coal;
• silicatoses – provoke dust minerals containing silica with minerals such as aluminum, calcium, iron and magnesium;
• pneumoconiosiscaused by inhalation of mixed dust without silica content – pneumoconiosis of welders or grinders;
• metalloconiosis caused by inhalation of dust from metals: tin, manganese, iron, steel, aluminum.

Solid dust particles have sharp corners, when they enter the lungs, they damage tissues, as a result of microtraumas, fibrosis develops.

According to the types of flow, pneumoconiosis is divided into:

1. 1 slowly progressive pneumoconiosis – the pathology develops after 15-20 years of work in a production with an insignificant dust content. It is typical for most cases of pneumoconiosis. The chronic course can be in the form of simple pneumoconiosis with mild symptoms and mild changes in the tissues of the lungs or a complicated form of the disease with respiratory failure and disability;
2. 2 rapidly progressive pneumoconiosis develop after 5 – 10 years of work in a production with a high content of silica dust;
3. 3 late-onset pneumoconiosis – occur after the termination of contact with dust.

Symptoms

Regardless of the type and nature of the pathology, all pneumoconiosis is characterized by the following symptoms, which develop gradually:

• shortness of breath, which increases with physical exertion – one of the first symptoms of pneumoconiosis;
• a dry, unproductive cough is a common symptom;
• pain in the chest, interscapular and subscapular regions;
• wheezing;
• tightness in the chest;
• subfebrile temperature;
• decreased body weight;
• increased sweating;
• increased fatigue.

Complications

Pneumoconiosis is fraught with dangerous consequences. Their development depends on the state of the patient’s immune system and on the effectiveness of treatment. Most often, pneumoconiosis is complicated by the following pathologies:

1. 1 emphysema of the lungs;
2. 2 bronchial asthma;
3. 3 tuberculosis;
4. 4 cardiopulmonary insufficiency;
5. 5 pneumonia;
6. 6 sudden pneumothorax;
7. 7 rheumatoid arthritis;
8. 8 lungs’ cancer;
9. 9 scleroderma.

Prevention of pneumoconiosis

To prevent the development of pneumoconiosis, you should:

• use respiratory masks;
• limit or completely quit smoking;
• be vaccinated against influenza and pneumococcal infection;
• be monitored by a phthisiatrician and regularly take x-rays;
• in hazardous production, carry out a set of measures aimed at improving working conditions;
• rational employment;
• increasing the body’s immune forces;
• avoiding contact with sick respiratory infections;
• preventive examination of personnel.

Treatment in mainstream medicine

Currently, there are no medicines and treatment methods that guarantee complete healing of the patient from pneumoconiosis. Therapy should be aimed at:

1. 1 decrease in the manifestation of the main symptoms – cough, heaviness in the chest, shortness of breath;
2. 2 improvement of the general condition of the patient;
3. 3 prevention of complications;
4. 4 minimizing side effects after medication.

In order for the therapy to be as effective as possible, contact with the agent that triggered the development of the pathology should be completely stopped. Of the physiotherapeutic procedures for pneumoconiosis, massage, salt-alkaline inhalations and physiotherapy exercises are shown. At least 2 times a year, such patients are recommended sanatorium treatment.

Attention!

The administration is not responsible for any attempt to use the information provided, and does not guarantee that it will not harm you personally. The materials cannot be used to prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis. Always consult your specialist doctor!