What is Popcorn Lung?
Announcement posted by Vape Street Australia 02 Dec 2019
Today we are looking into bronchitis obliterans and how it relates to vaping.
Popcorn lung also known as, bronchitis obliterans is caused by a chemical called diacetyl. The name "popcorn lung” actually comes from diacetyl's butter flavoring which in the past was used to make popcorn hence where the name originates. But, when the chemical started to make microwave popcorn, factory workers sick by breathing it in, the chemical was removed from products made by major popcorn manufacturers. In fact diacetyl (and ultimately, popcorn lung) has been responsible for deaths as well as "hundreds of cases of bronchitis obliterans, a serious and irreversible lung disease." Your body when you develop popcorn lung definitely does not sound fun. When diacteyl is inhaled it can cause popcorn lung which is a scarring of tiny air sacs in the lungs reulting in the thickening and narrowing of the airways.
According to the Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), a division of the NIH, symptoms of popcorn lung include shortness of breath, a dry cough, fatigue, and wheezing that isn’t caused by asthma or a cold—all of which can occur two to eight weeks following exposure to fumes (ammonia, nitrogen oxides, food flavouring fumes, welding fumes) or respiratory infections that can cause the condition.
According to GARD, there's no treatment for popcorn lung. But some medications, including antibiotics and immunosuppressive medicine, might be able to help patients manage the condition. A lung transplant might be recommended in very severe cases. Cough suppressors and supplemental oxygen might also be suggested to help someone manage their symptoms.
From a 2016 report published in Enviromental Health Prespectives, diacetyl is a substance that can be used in some vaping juices. The authors of the report tested 51 flavoured e-cigarette liquids for the chemical and found that 39 of the 51 tested juices contained diacetyl.
The report also points out that while most people focus on the danger of nicotine that other substances can also cause damage and harm.
We always recommend that you purchase all electronic cigarettes and e-liquids from a reputable seller.
These are our recommendations at VapeStreet Australia.