Byssinosis
Byssinosis Causes
Byssinosis is a chronic lung condition that presents an asthma-like narrowing of the airways. This medical disorder is largely due to the inhalation and exposure to unprocessed cotton, hemp and flax dusts.
Byssinosis Definition
Byssinosis is more popularly as ?brown lung", which is categorized as an occupational lung disease mainly caused by direct exposure and inhalation of cotton dust in some inadequately ventilated production site and working environment. Byssinosis is more common among factory workers employed in fabric and yarn manufacturing companies. This condition results to the narrowing of the lung's trachea and possible destruction of the lung tissue that can ultimately lead to respiratory failure.
Byssinosis Diagnosis
Diagnosis of this condition involves pulmonary function tests and chest x-rays.
Byssinosis Symptoms and Signs
Byssinosis symptoms usually appear as rapidly in the span of couple of hours right after exposure, and the ill-effects may diminish upon leaving the manufacturing site. Hing owever, prolonged exposure to flax, cotton or hemp dusts can eventually cause some permanent scarring of the lungs. Among the key indicators of brown lungs are wheezing, shortness of breath, tightness of the chest and coughing. Smokers are primary candidate of severe impairment as the fiber dusts significantly aggravate the airways and lungs.
Byssinosis Treatment
Patients displayting early stage condition of brown lungs usually undergo therapy to reverse the narrowing of the airway. Antihistamines are commonly prescribed to effectively reduce the tightness of the chest. People displaying the symptoms of brown lungs should immediately leave the contaminated area to prevent possible aggravation.