black lung
Coal dust illness
Black lung is a chronic respiratory disease caused by prolonged inhalation of coal dust, which scars and blackens lung tissue.
The condition afflicts coal miners who spend years working underground.
Formally called coal workers' pneumoconiosis, black lung is the term used in everyday speech and labor advocacy: His grandfather died of black lung after forty years in the mines.
Lung scarring from inhaled particles
- fibrosisPathological connective tissue buildup
- emphysemaDamaged lung air sacs
- silicosisLung disease from dust
- asbestosisLung scarring from fibers
bronchitis · tuberculosis · coughing · wheezing · shortness of breath · hypoxia · cyanosis · dyspnea
Underground fuel extractor
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
- shaftNarrow vertical passage
- excavationAct of unearthing
- tunnelEnclosed underground route
dust · ventilation · face mask · canary · coal dust · pithead · colliery · anthracite
Physician treating breathing organs
- spirometryLung airflow assessment
- chest x-rayRadiographic image of torso
- lung biopsyExtracting respiratory tissue for analysis
- bronchoscopyInternal lung inspection via tube
oxygen therapy · inhaler · nebulizer · bronchodilator · lung transplant · expectorant · CT scan · diagnosis
Danger specific to one's profession
- workers compensationEmployer-funded injury benefits
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- unionJoining into one
- labor rightsEmployees' legal workplace entitlements
workplace safety · industrial disease · negligence · litigation · class action · federal regulations · health screening · advocacy
pneumoconiosis
Lung scarring from inhaled particles
- fibrosisPathological connective tissue buildup
- emphysemaDamaged lung air sacs
- silicosisLung disease from dust
asbestosis · bronchitis · tuberculosis · coughing · wheezing · shortness of breath · hypoxia · cyanosis · dyspnea · scarring
coal miner
Underground fuel extractor
- undergroundBelow ground or countercultural
- shaftNarrow vertical passage
- excavationAct of unearthing
tunnel · dust · ventilation · face mask · canary · coal dust · pithead · colliery · anthracite · bituminous
pulmonologist
Physician treating breathing organs
- spirometryLung airflow assessment
- chest x-rayRadiographic image of torso
- lung biopsyExtracting respiratory tissue for analysis
bronchoscopy · oxygen therapy · inhaler · nebulizer · bronchodilator · lung transplant · expectorant · CT scan · diagnosis · prognosis
occupational hazard
Danger specific to one's profession
- workers compensationEmployer-funded injury benefits
- disability benefitsPayments for those unable to work
- unionJoining into one
labor rights · workplace safety · industrial disease · negligence · litigation · class action · federal regulations · health screening · advocacy · strike
- Coal Countryanthracite, coal mines, coal miner, coal mine, coal dust
- diseasescancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, influenza, measles
- Respiratory Problemsasthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, COPD, emphysema
- coalanthracite, bituminous, lignite, coal seam, hard coal
- US Mininggold mining, silver mining, copper mining, coal miner, iron mining
- AppalachiaAppalachian culture, Blue Ridge, Appalachian Trail, Cumberland, Great Smoky Mountains
blackness, blacks, black lung disease, blackish, blackened, blackens, blackening, blackly, blacking