Allergic alveolitis is an inflammatory process in the lungs, as a result of which the alveoli and respiratory tissues are affected. This process occurs due to the ingestion of various kinds of allergens into the respiratory tract. Tellingly, the signs of the initial phase of the disease are quite difficult to recognize, what is all its insidiousness.
At the same time, if you see a doctor in time, you can save a person's life. For this reason, it is worth immediately visiting the hospital when you find the first unpleasant symptoms. It is also highly recommended not to self-medicate, which some people sin. Otherwise, it not only threatens with phimosis of the lungs - everything can end in death.
Symptomatics
If we consider the clinical picture of the disease, it may resemble the signs of a well-known cold or flu. As a result, doctors are not always able to establish an accurate diagnosis, which is why the patient's well-being worsens. Characteristic signs largely depend on the form of the course of allergic alveolitis of the lungs:
- subacute;
- spicy;
- chronic.
Thanks to modern equipment, specialists can identify a specific type of allergen in a matter of minutes and stop allergy symptoms in a short time.
Subacute disease
Here we are talking about contact with a small amount of an allergen against the background of an allergic cough, shortness of breath after exercise. In extremely rare cases, fever may occur. The overall clinical picture appears mild and resolves within a day without the use of any remedy.
Acute alveolitis
Symptoms begin to make themselves felt a few hours after contact with a large amount of the allergen. In this case, the patient develops a headache, fever is observed, body temperature rises. Also, a person may experience breathing problems, in some cases a small amount of sputum is secreted and pulmonary rales can be heard.
After a few days (usually 2-3 days), these signs of allergic lung alveolitis go away on their own. But at the same time, with a rather prolonged contact with the allergen, the acute form of the disease passes into the chronic stage, which causes a lot of discomfort to a person.
Chronic stage
Chronic alveolitis develops as a result of constant exposure to the allergen, and in large quantities. Often this is accompanied by a decrease in appetite against the background of constant shortness of breath in the presence of a wet cough. This form of the pathological condition is characterized by a progressive character. The result may be pulmonary hypertension or heart failure.
As a rule, after ten years, the patient can be diagnosed with emphysema or bronchitis in the chronic stage.
Varieties of alveolitis
Due to the fact that the professional activities of some people are associated with constant contact with certain allergens, many types of ailments have a name depending on the type of this activity. Given this, several types of such allergic alveolitis can be distinguished:
- Bagassoz. The source is moldy overheated sugar cane.
- Suberosis. Here, the bark of the cork tree acts as the pathogen.
- Farmer's Lung Syndrome. Caused by contact with rotten hay containing thermophilic actinomycetes.
- The M alt Lung Syndrome. Caused by constant exposure to barley dust.
- "Sickness of Cheesemakers". Here, the antigens are some varieties of cheese loved by many people.
- Syndrome "Mushroom picker's lung". Often this condition is common among those people whose activities are related to the cultivation of mushrooms.
Also, the development of alveolitis can contribute to the constant and too frequent use of air conditioning, humidifierair or heater. There are also syndromes that are associated with the production of household chemicals, medicines and harmful substances.
Currently, about 350 types of allergens are known, which lead to the appearance of symptoms of allergic alveolitis. These include:
- microorganisms (spores, fungi),
- biologically active substances (enzymes, proteins),
- heavy metals.
What could be the cause
As it is now clear, the cause of alveolitis lies in the interaction of different types of allergens. Even the smallest particle in the immune system can cause a violent reaction. At the same time, environmental pollution also plays an important role.
Those people whose professional activities are related to production (including agriculture) are more susceptible to this disease. And according to experts, there is a close relationship between alveolitis and the ecological and domestic environment. This aspect leaves much to be desired in many areas.
Adults suffer from allergic manifestations due to work in hazardous industries. Where, if not here, a person is forced to inhale a huge amount of dust particles and other dangerous allergens? In children, allergic alveolitis usually develops as a result of bronchial asthma.
Diagnosing an illness
Due to the fact that the symptoms of alveolitis are similar to other diseases, it is rather difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis. In the same timewhile nothing is impossible, and for this, the entire procedure for detecting an ailment can be divided into several stages:
- Study by a doctor of the patient's clinical picture, taking into account the place of his work. A physical examination is carried out, complaints are studied, and a complete history of the patient is compiled.
- Biological material is being collected for further research (urine, sputum, blood).
- The patient's breathing is being examined. During this procedure, the doctor will be able to assess the general condition of the lungs and whether wheezing is present, which is typical for alveolitis.
- Chest x-ray taken.
- If the case is severe, a biopsy may be required.
Note: One out of every 10 patients diagnosed with fibrous allergic alveolitis is diagnosed with lung cancer. If you seek medical help in a timely manner and start the appropriate course of treatment, then the further prognosis is favorable.
You should not ignore the presence of such an ailment in an acute or chronic form, as well as self-medicate. Failure to do so may result in death.
Healing Therapy
As with any other disease of allergic origin, an effective method of treatment is to completely eliminate contact with the allergen that causes a negative reaction from the body's immunity. Sometimes, when following such a simple and effective recommendation, the disease goes away on its own, without the use of any means or medications.
Based on the specific type of allergen, the methods of treating allergic alveolitis are different in each case. In some cases, medical professionals recommend that patients change jobs to avoid prolonged exposure to harmful particles on the body. The same goes for pets. If they lead to the development of allergic reactions, then you should not start them.
Home dust also causes great harm to the body and therefore it is necessary to regularly carry out wet cleaning. Special air purifiers will also come in handy.
Those people who work in agriculture suffer the most from Farmer's Lung Syndrome. To reduce all possible risks, it is necessary to automate the most labor-intensive stages of work, especially in those cases where professional activities are associated with an increased formation of dust particles.
In addition to the fact that in a particularly hazardous production it is necessary to change working conditions for workers, the treatment of exogenous allergic alveolitis is usually still associated with the need to follow basic safety rules. In this case, we are talking about various means of respiratory protection. Providing workers with dust respirators can significantly reduce the risk of developing alveolitis.
It is also important to remember that preventive measures should first of all provide for the reduction of air pollution from industrial waste.
Medicated treatment
The acute form of the disease is treated withcorticosteroid drugs that help restore impaired functions. The course is based on various kinds of glucocorticoids, which include prednisone. It is necessary to take these funds for 1-2 weeks, 60 mg once a day. Then the dosage is reduced to 20 mg for the next 2-4 weeks. After that, you should gradually lower the dosage of the drug by 2.5 mg per week until the drug is completely discontinued.
Hormonal therapy in this case does not give the desired effect, so its use is a big question.
Children's alveolitis
In children, the development of the disease also provokes regular exposure to the body of various allergens. In most cases, this factor is pet hair, poor environmental conditions in the area of residence, or exposure to toxic chemicals.
For the treatment of an allergic disease in children, prednisolone is also prescribed for a long period (up to 1 month). To facilitate the breathing process, special gymnastics or exercise therapy is used.
The difficulty of treating exogenous allergic alveolitis in children is complicated by the fact that the body's immune system has not yet strengthened. It should be borne in mind that the earlier an allergic pathology is detected in a child, the less the risk of various abnormalities in relation to physical, mental and mental development.
Further forecast
If you start timely treatment of alveolitis, then the prognosis in this case for patientsfavorable. At the same time, neglect of one's own he alth and in the absence of proper treatment leads to the development of serious complications, up to the oncological process and death.
But it is worth panicking when making a diagnosis - allergic alveolitis. With the timely detection of the disease and the fulfillment of all the instructions of the doctor, the pathological condition is reversible. In this case, the acute form can pass on its own, as soon as the effect of the antigen is eliminated. This usually takes several hours.
As for the chronic stage of the disease, here it is already irreversible. True, if you stop contact with the allergen, the general condition will stabilize.
Prevention measures
There is no specific prevention, since there is no way to predict which allergen the body's immunity will react violently to. Therefore, as an effective recommendation - to lead a he althy lifestyle and give up bad habits. For the latter, they should at least be kept to a minimum.
A useful clinical recommendation regarding allergic alveolitis is to harden the body, which will only benefit it. Thus, this will increase the strength of the immune system to resist the harmful effects of external factors.
If the disease can be caused by drug allergens, it is necessary to choose medicines more carefully, which is usually the responsibility of doctors, taking into account the anamnesispatient. Patients are advised not to take multiple drugs unless absolutely necessary.
With regard to exogenous allergic alveolitis, clinical recommendations also apply to the place of work - it is necessary to carry out hygienic and clinical and epidemiological measures in industries with harmful working conditions.
