Pneumoconiosis

The lungs are a vital organ, which is quite resistant and can be regenerated quickly. If there is a permanent influence of damaging factors from the environment, however, the lungs can be so stressed that their function is significantly reduced. One of these lung diseases represents the Pneumoconiosis represent.

What is Pneumoconiosis?

The Pneumoconiosis, which is composed of the Greek term for lungs and dust, is a disease that in the past was also known as Pneumonoconiosis was designated. Pneumoconiosis is a process that is triggered by external factors and leads to the destruction of lung tissue.

The processes that take place in the lungs that lead to pneumoconiosis result from the efforts of the lung tissue to regenerate. For this reason, pneumoconiosis is a natural and reactive behavior of the respiratory organ.

In pneumoconiosis, there are about 7 different forms, depending on the causative agents of the disease. Pneumoconiosis is recognized as an occupational disease.

causes

The causes of the emergence of a Pneumoconiosis or dust lung are clearly clear. In pneumoconiosis, they are based on solid particles that are deposited as inhaled dust in the lung tissue. These substances include quartz dust, powders such as talc, dust from beryllium and iron, aluminum and coal dust, and the finest fibers from carcinogenic asbestos.

Basically the triggers of pneumoconiosis are summarized as inorganic substances. These particles are inhaled in greater or lesser concentration and thus get into the tissue structures of the lungs. Since no removal can take place, the doses of these disease triggers of pneumoconiosis increase and lead to sometimes considerable complaints that can ultimately be fatal.

If organic substances such as fungal spores or components of bird droppings are inhaled, pneumoconiosis results in allergic alveolitis (inflammation of the alveoli).

Symptoms, ailments & signs

The signs of pneumoconiosis can appear suddenly within a few weeks to months or develop gradually over years. The less time passes between exposure to dust and the first symptoms, the more severe the symptoms are usually. Acute pneumoconiosis shows a rapid deterioration.

The patients increasingly suffer from shortness of breath. Due to the lack of oxygen supply, the mucous membranes of the mouth, the lips and also the fingers discolour bluish. In addition, those affected unintentionally lose weight and feel powerless and exhausted. Cough and chest pain are other symptoms of pneumoconiosis.

As the disease progresses, the functional tissue of the lungs increasingly hardens. The lungs can no longer expand and breathing is much more difficult. As with acute pneumoconiosis, the chronic form also shows a cough. This is initially dry, but is later accompanied by a dark sputum.

Since the lungs can no longer expand and develop, the entire body is no longer adequately supplied with oxygen. This is why the skin (cyanosis) of the face and fingers turns blue in chronic pneumoconiosis.

Diagnosis & course

The course of the Pneumoconiosis is characterized by either a malignant or a benign path and depends on the substances ingested and the extent and "depth" of the dust deposits.

Malignant pneumoconiosis is characterized by an eventual loss of function of the lungs and occurs predominantly in silicosis, asbestosis or talcosis. Benign courses of pneumoconiosis only change the lung tissue and reduce the functionality of the respiratory organ.

Most forms of pneumoconiosis represent an occupational disease under certain circumstances and must be reported. Pneumoconiosis can be recorded through an anamnesis, which relates in particular to the professional activity of the person concerned in combination with X-ray and computed tomographic images of the lungs. In addition, the symptoms described in pneumoconiosis also serve as an important basis for a diagnosis.

Complications

The complications that can result from pneumonia depend on the course of the disease and the substances inhaled. In any case, contact with the substances that triggered the pneumoconiosis must be stopped immediately or at least severely restricted. Otherwise there is almost always a risk of a loss of lung function due to the progressive fibrosis.

There is an increased risk of tuberculosis in people with pneumonia. In Europe, the disease usually only occurs when people live together in a confined space in connection with poor hygienic conditions and malnutrition. In pneumonia patients, the pathogens can easily settle in the lung tissue that has already been attacked and multiply well.

The patient then suffers from fever, severe coughing in connection with shortness of breath and mostly bloody sputum. In severe cases, tuberculosis is not restricted to the lungs, but spreads to other organs. Since tuberculosis is contagious, it can infect family members or work colleagues.

If the pneumoconiosis is malignant, the patient can also develop lung cancer. Even if the cancer is not fatal, the therapy is enormously stressful for the person concerned and his family.

When should you go to the doctor?

If symptoms such as pain in the lungs, shortness of breath or throat irritation occur, a doctor's visit is necessary. Pneumoconiosis is a serious condition, but its effects can be reliably alleviated with appropriate treatment. Therefore, the first signs of pneumonia should be examined. People who work in mining or in another industry with high exposure to pollutants should have the symptoms clarified immediately. People who already have lung disease should call their family doctor if the symptoms get worse or other unusual symptoms appear and do not go away within a week.

Pneumoconiosis is treated by an ENT doctor or a pulmonologist. Other contact points are internists or the rheumatologist if Caplan syndrome is suspected. Since pneumoconiosis is an occupational disease, the necessary documents must be submitted to the health insurance company in good time. For this purpose, you should speak to the responsible doctor quickly, who can help with the organizational tasks. In the case of chronic illnesses, accompanying psychological therapy is sometimes useful.

Treatment & Therapy

Treatment of the Pneumoconiosis depends on their type and the complaints that arise. Avoiding the causal triggers is the first central factor in the treatment of pneumoconiosis.

The so-called black lung disease can only be treated poorly. Especially in the later chronic course of pneumoconiosis, ventilation with oxygen is predominantly an option in order to increase the quality of life of those affected. This therapeutic measure is considered to be long-term care.

Since pneumoconiosis is a disease that directly affects the so-called intermediate lung tissue, therapy is not possible, so that the further course of pneumoconiosis cannot be influenced.

Overall, it is typical for the course of pneumoconiosis that pulmonary fibrosis develops and symptoms similar to tuberculosis can occur. In this context, emergency medical treatment for pneumoconiosis cannot be ruled out.

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prevention

To the occupational disease Pneumoconiosis To prevent this, it is essential to comply with the industrial safety measures if contact with the triggering factors cannot be avoided in a hazardous workplace.

In addition, regular health checks are normal in these high-risk professions and should be carried out regularly by every employee. These prophylactic examinations are ideal for detecting the first signs of pneumoconiosis or black lung disease in good time. If this is the case, those affected can no longer work in the correspondingly stressed work areas.

Aftercare

In most cases of pneumoconiosis, the person affected has very few direct follow-up measures available. With this disease, the patient is primarily dependent on a quick and, above all, very early diagnosis. This can prevent further complications, which if left untreated can lead to death of the person affected.

Therefore, with pneumoconiosis, the patient should consult a doctor and initiate treatment at the first signs and symptoms of the disease. As a rule, those affected are dependent on artificial ventilation with oxygen. It should also be noted that most patients with this disease also need the help and support of friends and their own family in order to cope with everyday life.

Loving and intensive discussions are also very important, as this can also prevent depression and other psychological upsets. Regular checkups by a doctor must also be observed in order to permanently monitor the condition of the lungs. Exertion or physical and stressful activities should also be avoided with this disease. In some cases, pneumoconiosis significantly reduces the life expectancy of those affected.

You can do that yourself

The patients affected by pneumoconiosis or pneumoconiosis were exposed to a harmful substance for a long time, which has deposited in their lungs and now causes symptoms. The patient should no longer expose himself to this substance in the future. Under certain circumstances, this can mean that he can no longer continue to practice his profession and has to retrain or retire. This drastic step is necessary to alleviate the course of pneumoconiosis.

Urban pneumoconiosis patients should also consider moving to the countryside. You should make sure that your airways are no longer exposed to substances that could harm you. This includes car exhaust fumes and fine dust emissions, which are often found in high concentrations in cities. It goes without saying that you also refrain from smoking.

Patients with pneumoconiosis can easily develop tuberculosis. The pathogens of this infection nestle particularly well in an attacked lung. Therefore, patients should train their immune system so that it can better fight off the tubercle bacilli. You should pay attention to the needs of your body and eat light and healthy food and drink plenty of water, tea or thin juices. A lot of rest and regular sleeping times are recommended.