Chemical pneumonitis

Alternative names:

acute chemical pneumonitis; chronic chemical pneumonitis

Symptoms:

Acute:

• unusual sensation (possibly burning sensation) in the chest
• difficulty breathing
• air hunger
• cough
• possibly wet or gurgly sounding breathing (abnormal lung sounds)

Chronic:

• shortness of breath with only mild exercise
• rapid breathing (tachypnea)
• cough may or may not occur
• progressive disability (related to shortness of breath)

Signs and tests:

Tests used to determine the severity of lung involvement include:

• X-ray of the chest to look at the lungs
• blood gasses
• pulmonary function studies