Pneumoconiosis is a degenerative lung condition that creates inflammation and scar tissue in your lungs. It may also lead to other severe complications, such as respiratory failure, cancer or even heart failure since your blood receives less oxygen.
Pneumoconiosis is commonly referred to as black lung or brown lung since it is caused by inhalation of foreign agents like dust, asbestos or smoke. People who work in poorly ventilated environments with lots of dust, smoke and other harmful agents are at risk for pneumoconiosis.
What are the symptoms of pneumoconiosis?
Pneumoconiosis can develop slowly, so it may take a while for symptoms to appear. Symptoms associated with pneumoconiosis include:
- Coughing and wheezing
- Coughing up phlegm
- Tightness in the chest
These symptoms are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they continue to persist. Plus, if you know you’ve been exposed to breathing dust and other foreign agents, you should be aware that these symptoms may be for pneumoconiosis and not a cold.
How do you prevent pneumoconiosis?
First of all, if you’re a smoker, you should quit. Smoke inhalation leads to pneumoconiosis just as dust or other foreign agents do.
If you work around a lot of dust and particles, you should wear proper safety masks and clothing. After you’re finished working, you should wash your clothes and skin that came into contact with the dust, so you don’t accidentally inhale it later.
If you regularly come in contact with asbestos and work in dusty environments, you should schedule frequent chest x-rays and physical examinations with your doctor to monitor your health.
How do you treat pneumoconiosis?
Unfortunately, like many severe lung conditions, there is no cure for pneumoconiosis, This is why prevention is so important. However, if you are diagnosed with pneumoconiosis, you can take measures to manage your symptoms and help prevent it from worsening.
The Lung Health Institute offers options for helping manage your inflammation to improve your quality of life. Our anti-inflammatory initiative assists with the reduction of inflammation in your lungs. To discover how the Lung Health Institute can help manage your pneumoconiosis symptoms, contact our patient coordinators today.