Black Lung Disease is a Workplace Hazard for Miners

Black Lung Disease, also generally referred to as silicosis, coal workers' pneumoconiosis, or black lung, is a hazard effecting coal miners' health. It is caused by repeated inhalation of coal mine dust and turns the lungs black instead of their usual, healthier pink color. If exposure to the coal mines is repeated over a long period of time, the disease progresses into an incurable status. Black Lung Disease can become serious over an amount of time without being noticed until it reaches the end stages where shortness of breath occurs along with coughing up blood or sputum. These later stage symptoms [1] may force the miner to seek treatment. Unfortunately, there is yet no cure for Black Lung Disease.

Black Lung Disease correlates with many other breathing diseases such as emphysema, respiratory and heart failure, and progressive massive fibrosis lungs.

Black Lung Disease is confined to only miners and people who work around the mines. It is an occupational hazard caused by prolonged inhalation of dust and coal particles from coal mines. Silica, carbon, and coal particles, when inhaled, make the lungs fibrous so that expansion of the lungs as well as breathing becomes difficult.

The early stage of Black Lung Disease is called simple pneumoconiosis. It is not fatal at this stage, nor extremely debilitating. The miner will still be able to work with minimum impairment. At this point, scar tissue on the lungs forms where patches of the disease have settled in the lungs. The dangerous side of this illness is its late onset. Symptoms [1] may not be experienced to 10 or 25 years after the disease begins to build up in the lungs.

The common symptoms [1] of are shortness of breath experienced by exertion, coughing without producing sputum or blood, inflammation of the lungs, a sense of being sick or ill, loss of sleep, chest pain, developing a hoarse voice, and nails and lips appearing pale or blue in color.

Progressive massive fibrosis, or PMF, is the final stage of Black It is highly disabling. This stage of Black Lung Disease occurs when the dust particles spread from the lower lunges to the upper portions, massively affecting the lungs and creating more scar tissue to make the lungs fibrous. According to a BMJ Occupational and Environmental Medicine experiment, it was found that people with this stage of Black lung Disease weigh less than the average person. People in the last phase will also cough and produce sputum or blood. At this late state there is absolutely no cure and the patient may have to have oxygen administered to help him breathe a little easier.

It is also possible to develop emphysema as a complication to Black Lung Disease. In this state the lungs' air sacs become damaged. The symptoms [1] of emphysema are severe shortness of breath and respiratory and heart failure. It is not uncommon for those with emphysema to have to have a constant supply of air to the lungs by means of a portable oxygen tank and to stop all vigorous activities that causes increased respiration.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment for Black Lung Disease at this time. However, miners and other employees exposed to mine dust particles can learn the early symptoms, visit their doctor and stop the disease by progressing by removing further contact with dust and mine particles.

Myelectronic MD

http://www.myelectronicmd.com/get_reference.php?Id=478 [2]

BMJ Occupational and Environmental Medicine

http://oem.bmj.com/cgi/content/abstract/46/9/597 [3]

From: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/1884998/black_lung_disease.html?cat=70 [4]