Occupational lung disease (patient information)

Occupational lung disease is a lung disease that results from breathing in dust from coal, graphite, or man-made carbon over a long period of time.

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath

Your risk of developing the occupational lung disease depends on how long you have been exposed to a specific agent. Most people with this occupational lung disease are older than 50. Smoking increases your risk of developing this occupational lung disease.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if you develop symptoms of occupational lung disease.

The doctor will perform a physical exam and listen to your lungs with a stethoscope. A chest x-ray will be taken.

There is no specific treatment for this disorder. You should avoid further exposure to the agent.

The outcome for the simple form is usually good. It rarely causes disability or death. The complicated form may cause shortness of breath that gets progressively worse.

Complications may include:

• Cor pulmonale (failure of the right side of the heart)
• Lung Cancer
• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Respiratory failure

Wear a protective mask when working around coal, graphite, or man-made carbon. Companies should enforce the maximum permitted dust levels.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000130.htm

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