9/11 illnesses

Aerodigestive disorders—illnesses affecting the respiratory and digestive systems—are increasingly prevalent among 9/11 first responders and others exposed to the debris during rescue and clean-up operations. Many of these conditions did not manifest until years after the attacks. This has made it difficult for a number of those afflicted to prove that their illnesses are related […]

The immune system has many responses to something it identifies as potentially harmful to the body, including inflammatory responses. When inflammatory cells do not disperse, small clumps, called granulomas, can develop in many tissues in the body, but is most prevalent in the lungs. Symptoms of pulmonary sarcoidosis include coughing and shortness of breath. If […]