What is the Baritosis ?

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Baritosis is an extremely rare condition in which the lungs are affected. This benign condition results from inhaling barium sulfate that contains compounds and dust that contains barium. Barium deposit in the lungs is the cause of Baritosis.

Baritosis is a benign form of pneumoconiosis that causes little or no scarring, hardening and over overgrowth of tissue in the lung. Inhaled particles accumulate in the lungs causing pneumoconiosis involving a tissue reaction in the lungs.

Potential symptoms and signs of Baritosis include irritation in the nose and asymptomatic, cough and wheezing. Except irritation, there are no symptoms. Barium particles are seen as opaque shadow on chest X-rays. If contact with barium dust stops then gradually abnormalities seen on chest X-rays disappear.

Barium sulphate is found in drilling in gas and oil exploration, electronic components, paints, rubber, glass, ceramics and paper. Workers who grind and crush barium containing compounds are more likely to get affected by Baritosis disease.

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Adequate diagnostic testing is done by the doctor by conducting lung and respiratory health tests, testing for intolerances and food allergy and poison related home testing.

After 1-2 years of exposure to the disease, the disease appears generally. Characteristic of Baritosis is slightly larger nodular lesions or a mixture of ring like annular and very fine punctate lesions in the lung. Functioning of the lung does not get affected by the condition and after the exposure stops, the lesions generally go away without taking any treatment.

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