Occupational bronchial asthma is a disease manifested by the development of asthma attacks due to spasm (compression) of the bronchi or edema of their mucous membrane. There are primary asthma that develops due to increased sensitivity (sensitization) of the patient to industrial allergens, and secondary – against the background of a breakdown in immunological equilibrium in patients with long-term occupational toxic or toxic-dust bronchitis.
This disruption can be, in particular, caused by increased sensitivity to the products of microflora activity, which is parasitic in the patient’s bronchial tree. Primary bronchial asthma can be caused by allergens of animal origin – natural silk, wool, skin flakes, feathers; plant origin – wood, flour, tobacco, flax dust; metals – chromium, nickel, cobalt, manganese; polymers – resins, rubber; formalin, epichlorohydrin, antibiotics, sulfonamides.
Therefore, the disease in question can occur in many enterprises among workers of various professions. Work experience until the first manifestations of professional bronchial asthma appears can be from several weeks to tens of years.
It may be preceded by other less formidable manifestations of allergies – allergic rhinitis and dermatitis. The disease begins either directly with asthma attacks, or with a dry cough, wheezing. The choking attack itself does not have any features. But there is a connection between its occurrence and development with the working conditions of the patient.
Depending on the specifics of the allergen, an attack can begin within a few minutes after inhaling it, or maybe a few hours later. However, in both cases, there is a clear relationship between asthma attacks and contact with a manufacturing allergen.
At the beginning of the disease , a symptom of elimination is clearly traced, which consists in the fact that with a temporary cessation of contact with an allergen, for example, during a weekend or vacation, asthma attacks also cease. With progression, hypersensitivity to non-productive allergens usually occurs, other mechanisms of development of asthma attacks appear, for example, as a result of inhaling annoying odors. This, as it were, gradually “ lubricates ” the connection of attacks with working conditions. But at the beginning of the disease, these symptoms manifest themselves quite clearly.
Secondary professional bronchial asthma develops against the background of an unfavorable course of dusty dust or toxic-dust bronchitis that has existed for a long time. Asthmatic attacks usually occur with exacerbation of bronchitis, which may be due to the seasons of the year, weather changes, hypothermia.
This variant of asthma usually does not have any specific flow compared with non-professional forms, unless exacerbations of chronic bronchitis are caused by emissions of toxic or irritating substances in the workplace.