A lot of diseases out there can cause a lot of damage to a person, physically and mentally. However, this unique disease not only affects a person’s health, but it has 45 letters! This disease is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis (new-mo-no-ul-tra-my-cro-skop-ik-sil-ih-co-vol-kay-no-ko-nee-oh-sis). Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is a chronic lung disease that is caused by inhaling silica dust. It usually affects people who work in mining and construction. Silica dust is a fine powder composed of silicon dioxide.
Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis isn’t fatal in most cases, but it requires life-long management. This includes oxygen treatment, antibiotics, avoiding silica dust and smoking, and in some severe cases, lung transplants. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is diagnosed by doctors by using chest x-rays or CT scans which can reveal lung scarring. Doctors will also run pulmonary function (lung function) tests to diagnose the patient.
Related Stories:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26586390/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555902/
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/pneumoconiosis
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https://action.lung.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31271&mfc_pref=T&31271.donation=form1
