Pulmonary silicosis is a disease that occurs as a result of professional activity. It is usually found in people whose activities are associated with the metallurgical, porcelain industry, machine-building, and mining industries. The disease occurs if the worker breathes air for a long time with dust containing silicon dioxide. The most dangerous is fine dust, in this case, inhaled particles begin to inhibit the alveoli and bronchioles, causing pathology and fibrosis. The severity of symptoms and further complications is directly related to the amount of silicon trapped in the lungs of a person. If the worker did not use protective equipment and at that time the norm of inhaled dust was exceeded, such a person after three years will have to find out what lung silicosis is in acute form.
Course of the disease
In many cases, this occupational disease has a hidden course, although complications in the form of tuberculosis or pathologies in the respiratory system are not excluded. If the patient has an acute form of silicosis, he develops fibrosis (scarring) of lung tissue . The disease continues even if a person leaves his activity and no longer inhales harmful dust.
Disease Description
Siliconosis of the lung refers to a variety of pneumoconiosis. After an excess of dust containing silica enters the respiratory organs, the lung tissue grows excessively and small nodules form. The patient begins to feel a lack of oxygen and, as a result, his condition worsens.
Symptoms of the disease
One of the insidious diseases is lung silicosis. Symptoms in this case may not appear for a long period, and at this time the disease continues to develop and as a result goes into the chronic stage. After a while, a sick person begins to feel chest pain. Over time, severe pain is supplemented by shortness of breath, which intensifies during physical activity. Other signs of lung silicosis are a dry cough with periodic sputum production.
After the pathology has developed in the lungs, the symptomatology becomes more obvious. Now shortness of breath can occur even without stress, in a calm state of a person. Against the background of chronic bronchitis and bronchial asthma, and pain at this stage can become stronger. If the disease is accompanied by a dry cough and sputum is only sometimes visible, then complications such as bronchiectasis have occurred. Outwardly sick person does not change.
Doctors sometimes make a diagnosis, judging by the symptoms. Dry wheezing and hard breathing can tell them about the disease . But more often the patient is sent for an X-ray and the diagnosis is confirmed by what fluorography shows. For the doctor, the emphysema opens in the picture , it is clear that the mobility of the lung is reduced, from which the respiratory function is significantly impaired.
A pronounced form of the disease manifests itself in a constant cough, in which a lot of sputum is released. A strong compressive pain is felt in the chest, and in some people cyanosis is noticeable.
Other patients have hemoptysis, as well as problems in the functioning of blood vessels and the heart. If, in the presence of symptoms, the patient continues to inhale harmful dust, he may begin a hypertrophic process, which will lead to changes in the mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract.
Stages of silicosis
The entire process of the development of the disease can be divided into three stages:
- The first stage is accompanied by the appearance of shortness of breath, immediately with a significant load. At the same time, a strong dry type cough opens, and noticeable pain or discomfort occurs near the chest. An x-ray can already show small nodules and scars that are just beginning to form.
- At this stage, chest pain practically does not go away, and the cough becomes even stronger. Rigid, dry rales are already beginning to be noticed, and breathing becomes heavier. Doctors notice a significant deformation of the lungs, this is what fluorography shows at this stage of the disease.
- With the onset of the third stage, the patient often experiences shortness of breath. In a person, coughing becomes regular. More sputum secretions appear, sometimes with blood.
Why is it necessary to respond to symptoms?
Once a disease has been identified, it is important to immediately begin treatment. If you start the situation and do not respond to the slightest signs, the person develops concomitant respiratory diseases, as well as complications of silicosis. So, against the background of an occupational disease, a lung fungus, pulmonary hypertension, tuberculosis, emphysema, pneumothorax and others may appear.
When is a hospital visit necessary?
There are circumstances that force a person to turn to a specialist, and they include:
- Routine inspection. Workers who have to be in a dusty room should be examined twice a year by a pulmonologist. If a person does not notice the presence of symptoms, he still needs to do fluorography.
- In case of chronic cough, no matter what nature it is (wet, dry).
- Acute pain in the chest area (see a doctor immediately).
- Severe cough, loss of appetite and frequent fatigue.
Pulmonary silicosis : treatment and necessary measures
Once the disease is detected, the first important measure is to stop contacting with silicon. Then the patient learns to do breathing exercises. The attending doctor prescribes a visit to the patient with oxygen inhalation. For treatment, specific drugs are prescribed. Some additionally apply folk recipes.
If an acute form is diagnosed, a person is prescribed bronchodilators inside. Samples for tuberculin are also taken. If the answer is yes, the patient is additionally prescribed anti-TB drugs, such as Isoniazid. Tuberculosis, developed against the background of silicosis, is treated with several drugs, usually at least four. Among them, Rifampicin must be present.
With a complicated course of the disease and developed fibrosis, the patient can not do without surgery for lung transplantation.
Patients who have stage 1 and 2 may be prescribed spa treatment.
Treatment prognosis
After the therapy has been carried out, the patient hopes for a full recovery, but the further condition depends on at what stage the treatment was started. Mild silicosis of a chronic nature that accompanies a person for a long time after treatment can completely recede. But if an acute form is diagnosed, complications appear in the body, more often it is fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension. In this case, the patient will have to fight with these concomitant diseases.
Prophylaxis
If a person has to work in extreme conditions in order to reduce the risk of a disease such as pulmonary silicosis, it is important for him to take measures to protect his health. To do this, he should not neglect protective equipment and clothing during operation. In dusty conditions, the working day should be shortened, and a person has the right to work half-heartedly. You also need a decent, good nutrition with the addition of milk to the diet, as well as observing the correct regime of the day.
If you have to spend time in dusty conditions, you should not neglect regular medical examinations and x-rays, because it is easier to prevent the disease than to not know how to recover.