Occupational lung diseases are diseases affecting one's lungs, triggered by certainfactors which are connected with one's everyday job. Thus, the commontheory that coal miners are likely to develop lung problems makesthem occupational lung diseases. However, these miners arenot the only endangered group since those who work in garages, scrapyards, textile industry and many other places, all get exposed toharmful chemicals which are likely to cause them lung problems.Besides chemicals, there is harmful dust and particles or fibers whichcan all cause certain occupational lung diseases through prolongedexposure. Luckily, most occupational lung diseases are treatable andpreventable. However, activities like smoking only make one moreprone to developing an occupational lung disease in the first place.
Manifestations of Occupational LungDiseases
Once one starts suffering from anoccupational lung disease, he/she may experience chest pain, alongwith breathing difficulties. Coughing is present as well, accompaniedwith tightness in chest and respiratory abnormalities. Thus, uponnoticing these, seek medical attention.
Once paying your doctor a visit, he/shewill perform an X-ray scan and many different tests, diagnosing yourcondition correctly. These tests involve examining the physicalcapabilities of your lungs, testing the fluids and tissue involved inthe process, as well as the proper breathing capabilities.
What Causes Occupational Lung Diseases?
People develop these kinds of diseasesby inhaling harmful particles from the air. These dust particles maybe organic or inorganic. Organic are those particles which containcarbon while, naturally, those without carbon are called inorganic.
One of the most common occupationallung diseases caused by inhaling inorganic dust is asbestosis. Itscars the lungs, getting worse in time, affecting those who work onconstruction fields and heavy industry. However, before this particlewas discovered to be harmful, asbestos was used in tiles, insulationblankets, cement roofing and other items found in almost every home.
Lung damage is caused by coal dust aswell, even though less than 3% of coal miners develop thisoccupational disease. However, all miners can inhale silica, which isanother harmful particle triggering respiratory problems of thistype.
Textile workers, as mentioned above,may develop byssinosis, also known as the brown lung disease. On theother hand, people who work with bird droppings, moldy organicmaterials like hay and spend their time in a similar environment mayexperience hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which causes lunginflammation, scarring the lungs. Finally occupational asthma is alsoa possible occupational lung disease for those who work in textile, food,manufacturing or animal care spheres.
Finally, if you work in a dangerousenvironment, protect yourself adequately, do not smoke, and examineyour health often.
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