Why do the lungs turn black?

Healthy lungs are light pink in color, providing oxygen to the body and removing carbon dioxide (CO2) or filtering toxins in the blood. This organ is also affected by environmental factors, susceptible to dangerous diseases, and changes color.

Smoking

Cigarette smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals, of which nearly 70 can cause cancer. When inhaling cigarette smoke, these toxins go deep into the lungs, the airways create a lot of mucus, leading to coughs, bronchitis and pneumonia. Toxins can cause chest tightness and wheezing. If smoking continues for a long time, inflammation can build up into scar tissue. Tar (tobacco tar) accumulates inside the lungs, causing the organ to turn black.

Nicotine in cigarette smoke temporarily paralyzes the cilia, meaning the airways cannot filter out dust and dirt in the air the body breathes. It also makes you susceptible to colds and other respiratory infections. Smoking also damages the lung alveoli (tiny air sacs that carry oxygen into the body) increasing the risk of emphysema.

As soon as you stop smoking, your lungs begin to repair themselves. Specifically, after 12 hours of quitting smoking, the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood returns to normal, increasing the body’s oxygen level. More oxygen reaches the organs, clearing the airways. At this time, the cilia work better to help remove excess mucus from the lungs.

Inhaling coal dust for long periods of time

Black lung disease occurs in people who inhale coal mine dust and people who work in mining environments. Coal dust consists of carbon-containing particles that are harmful to the lungs. Additionally, coal workers in coal mines can also inhale silica-containing particles.

When coal dust is inhaled, the particles settle into the alveoli in the lungs. At first, most patients have no obvious symptoms. About 10 years later, they develop dry cough, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and coughing up black mucus. At this time, the disease becomes more severe and difficult to treat.

Currently, medicine has no way to cure this disease. Your doctor may prescribe medication to reduce lung inflammation and support breathing. Patients perform exercises to improve lung strength and breathing ability. Patients can supplement oxygen through the device to provide more oxygen to the lungs.

To protect health, each person should maintain a clean living environment, eliminating dust and mold. Families can use an air purifier to clean the living space. If you have pets, you should use a vacuum cleaner. Maintaining a nutritious diet contributes to improving overall health and protecting the lungs.