Table of contents:
- What are lungs popcorn?
- What are the causes of the lungs popcorn?
- What symptoms are indicated popcorn lung?
- How to diagnose this condition?
- Is there a way to treat it?
Bronchitis, pneumonia, lung cancer, and pneumonia are some of the lung diseases that may be familiar to your ears. Well, have you ever heard of lung disease popcorn (popcorn lung) before? With this unique name, you may wonder if this disease has something to do with food popcorn aka snack from corn? Read on for the full review.
What are lungs popcorn?
Bronchiolitis obliterans or more familiarly known as the lungs popcorn is a condition when the smallest airways in the lungs (bronchioles) are narrowed due to injury.
Normally, the bronchioles, which are the smallest branches of the bronchi, are responsible for controlling the amount of air that passes in and out during the breathing process.
That's why, disease popcorn lung including emergency situations that can lead to difficulty breathing, due to the absence of exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the lungs.
What are the causes of the lungs popcorn?
As strange as it may sound, it's actually the name lung popcorn does come from chemicals diacetyl which is commonly used in food production such as popcorn, caramel, and butter. Workers at the factory popcorn-it was the first known to inhale the chemical diacetyl.
Not only that, the use of e-cigarettes, aka e-cigarettes, is another reason that is said to be the cause of the lungs popcorn, as stated in the American Lung Association. Again, this is due to the chemical content diacetyl which serves to add aroma in e-cigarettes.
Besides diaceytil, industrial chemicals such as ammonia and chlorine; nitrogen oxides or laughter gas to sedate the patient; metal fumes from construction activities; and industrial air particles that are inhaled too often can also cause the lungs popcorn.
In rare cases, this disease can also occur after there is a disruption in the lungs or other conditions that preceded it, such as pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, to rheumatism. People with lung transplants are also at risk popcorn lung, especially when the body rejects the entry of new organs.
What symptoms are indicated popcorn lung?
Lung disease popcorn characterized by several symptoms, such as:
- Wheezing (breath sounds soft like giggle)
- Dry cough
- Severe fatigue
- Shortness of breath and difficulty breathing deeply, especially after doing physical activity
- Irregular breathing
- Experiencing skin, eye, mouth, or nose problems (if the cause is a chemical)
These signs and symptoms look similar to those of other lung diseases so they are often ignored or even misinterpreted as indications of other diseases.
Symptoms of the disease popcorn lung generally begin to appear within 2-8 weeks after exposure to chemicals, and will get worse slowly within weeks or months.
Immediately consult a doctor if you experience one or more of the symptoms above. Especially if the symptoms don't get better over time.
How to diagnose this condition?
If you experience some symptoms that suspect lung popcorn, the doctor may suggest doing a CT scan to get a detailed picture of the condition of your lungs.
In addition, bronchoscopy can be another effective option to find out if there are problems in the lungs. Chest X-rays or X-rays can also be done to complement the results of the examination.
Is there a way to treat it?
As previously explained, disease popcorn lung is an emergency condition that can cause permanent damage if not treated promptly. Therefore, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms as early as possible so that you can get treatment earlier, in order to slow the progression of the disease.
Treatment for this condition will later be adjusted to the cause and severity of the disease. If it is caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals in an environment, the first step that must be taken is to keep away from that exposure or environment.
In addition, the doctor may prescribe steroid medication or antibiotics to help fight inflammation and respiratory infections caused by bacteria.
The administration of immunosuppressive drugs is tasked with slowing down the immune system so that it protects the bronchioles from further damage.
If necessary, your doctor may also recommend that you use a breathing device for extra oxygen to make it easier for you to breathe.
