Treatment of Stage III Pneumoconiosis

Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
Updated on February 17, 2025
00:00
00:00

In cases of pneumoconiosis reaching stage three, radiological examinations generally reveal a large area of fibrotic changes in the lungs. Clinical symptoms in such patients tend to be relatively severe, typically including notable cough, phlegm, shortness of breath, and respiratory difficulty. Some may even experience fevers, headaches, dizziness, and general weakness due to concurrent bacterial infections.

For the treatment of stage three pneumoconiosis, there are generally no specific effective medications available clinically. Treatment primarily focuses on symptomatic relief and reducing the occurrence of complications. Patients often use medications such as cough suppressants, expectorants, and asthma relief to manage symptoms. Additionally, it's advisable to use anti-fibrotic drugs to slow the progression of pulmonary fibrosis.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
1min 7sec home-news-image

Will pneumoconiosis tuberculosis be contagious?

Pneumoconiosis is a very common type of occupational disease clinically, often caused by long-term inhalation of large amounts of dust in the environment, leading to a chronic lung disease. When pneumoconiosis progresses to a certain extent, it inevitably leads to fibrotic changes in the lungs. At this stage, the disease can potentially cause pulmonary tuberculosis. Therefore, in clinical practice, the diagnosis of tuberculosis is often made by finding Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the sputum, as well as through chest CT or X-ray examinations for a clear diagnosis. Generally, pneumoconiosis tuberculosis is contagious if Mycobacterium tuberculosis can be found in the sputum. If the bacterium is not found in the sputum of pneumoconiosis tuberculosis patients, it is not contagious. Therefore, whether pneumoconiosis tuberculosis is contagious or not can only be determined based on some of the patient's test results.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Jing Jing
Pulmonology
1min 5sec home-news-image

Do people with pneumoconiosis cough at night?

Pneumoconiosis can potentially lead to coughing at night. It is caused by the inhalation of dust, resulting in changes to the lungs. Patients often exhibit symptoms such as coughing, expectoration, chest tightness, and shortness of breath, and these symptoms progressively worsen. In severe cases, complications may include pulmonary heart disease or pulmonary cerebral disease. However, coughing at night is not necessarily indicative of pneumoconiosis. Other conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, pulmonary tuberculosis, and lung tumors, may also result in nighttime coughing. Thus, it is important to visit a hospital for comprehensive diagnostics including chest CT, complete blood count, and sputum tests for tuberculosis to establish a clear diagnosis. Pneumoconiosis is an occupational disease, and visiting a local institute for occupational diseases can aid in diagnosis.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Ying
Pulmonology
1min 47sec home-news-image

How is pneumoconiosis caused?

Pneumoconiosis is a systemic disease characterized by diffuse fibrotic scarring of lung tissue. It is caused by the long-term inhalation of industrial dust and dust during occupational activities, which accumulates in the lungs. Once pneumoconiosis occurs, it is irreversible and incurable for life, with a high mortality rate of up to 22%. So, who is more likely to develop pneumoconiosis? The main occupations include: First, mining activities, including coal mining, metal mining, and non-metal mining. These activities produce a large amount of dust that, when inhaled into the lungs, can cause pneumoconiosis. Second, mechanical manufacturing, specifically during the manufacturing process of metal castings. Activities such as sand mixing for casting and sand molding can lead to pneumoconiosis, particularly among welders who dominate this industry. Third, metal smelting, involving ore loading and unloading, steel casting, and alumina sintering. The primary occupations exposed include sintered pellet raw material workers, sintering workers, and blast furnace operators, all of whom come into contact with large amounts of dust. Fourth, the construction industry, for example, with materials resistant to fire such as quartz sand, glass, stone, and cement production, as well as asbestos mining. Workers in these industries are exposed to large amounts of dust. In China, the top three types of pneumoconiosis are silicosis, coal worker's pneumoconiosis, and graphite pneumoconiosis, along with those working in jade processing and welder's pneumoconiosis, which are relatively common.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
56sec home-news-image

Is pneumoconiosis prone to tuberculosis?

Pneumoconiosis patients and tuberculosis patients have significant differences. In clinical practice, a large portion of pneumoconiosis cases are due to prolonged exposure to harmful dust in the environment. For pneumoconiosis patients, who usually have poor immune function, if Mycobacterium tuberculosis is present in the external air, it can be transmitted through respiratory droplets and cause tuberculosis. However, in clinical practice, it is advised that pneumoconiosis patients wear masks when going out as much as possible to reduce the occurrence of infectious diseases. Additionally, for pneumoconiosis patients, it is generally recommended to keep warm, exercise appropriately to boost the immune system, which can also significantly reduce the risk of developing infectious pulmonary diseases.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
53sec home-news-image

Can lungs be transplanted in the late stage of pneumoconiosis?

Pneumoconiosis can consider lung transplantation in its late stages. Lung transplantation, which is suited for end-stage lung diseases such as pneumoconiosis, pulmonary interstitial fibrosis, pulmonary hypertension, and even certain lung cancer patients can undergo this procedure. Regarding the current requirements for lung transplantation, the primary criteria include the patient’s overall condition meeting the standards for transplantation. Additionally, the function of other organs, apart from the lungs, must be maintained to a certain level to endure a lengthy surgery lasting 6-8 hours. If they cannot withstand this, there could be risks involved. Therefore, screening before lung transplantation is crucial. Moreover, as donor organs are relatively scarce, it is necessary to wait for the right opportunity to proceed with the transplantation.