How quickly does silicosis progress?

Silicosis usually develops after being exposed to silica for 10-20 years, although it can sometimes develop after 5-10 years of exposure. Occasionally, it can occur after only a few months of very heavy exposure.


Does silicosis always progress?

Initially, people with silicosis may not notice any symptoms, except in acute silicosis. Over time, as the disease progresses, symptoms slowly develop, even if exposure to silica dust has ceased. Progression of the disease can vary considerably among individuals, for reasons that are not yet understood.

What does early silicosis feel like?

Symptoms of silicosis usually appear after many years of exposure. In early stages, symptoms are mild and include cough, sputum and progressive shortness of breath. As the scarring continues to worsen, the first real signs of a problem may be an abnormal chest X-ray and a slowly developing cough.


Can you live a long life with silicosis?

The survival times of silicosis stage I , II and III, from the year of diagnosis to death, were 21.5, 15.8 and 6.8 years, respectively. There was 25 % of the silicosis patients whose survival time was beyond 33 y. The mean death age of all silicosis cases was 56.0 y.

How much dust do you need to inhale to get silicosis?

Because silicosis is caused by cumulative or repeated exposure to respirable crystalline silica, it makes sense that we would want to limit exposure as much as possible! OSHA has set the Personal Exposure Limit (PEL) at 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8 hour shift.


Case Study: Terry the former stoneworker suffering with silicosis



Can I get silicosis from one exposure?

Silicosis usually develops after being exposed to silica for 10-20 years, although it can sometimes develop after 5-10 years of exposure. Occasionally, it can occur after only a few months of very heavy exposure.

Does everyone exposed to silica get silicosis?

The silica content of the dust to which workers developing simple silicosis are exposed is often less than 30%. Accelerated and acute silicosis develop after shorter exposures to respirable silica dust at high concentrations.

Is silicosis always fatal?

Silicosis results in permanent lung damage and is a progressive, debilitating, and sometimes fatal disease. Chronic silicosis typically occurs after 10 or more years of exposure to respirable crystalline silica. However, the disease can occur much more quickly after heavy exposures.


Which form of silicosis is almost always fatal?

Acute silicosis. Silicosis that develops a few weeks to 5 years after exposure to high concentrations of respirable silica dust. This is also known as silicoproteinosis. Symptoms of acute silicosis include more rapid onset of severe disabling shortness of breath, cough, weakness, and weight loss, often leading to death ...

Does silica stay in your lungs forever?

Crystalline silica is a designated known human carcinogen meaning it is a definite cause of cancer in humans. Once you breathe it in it can go deep into your lungs and stay there - permanently scarring and damaging the lung tissue.

How long can you live with acute silicosis?

3. Acute silicosis: Can occur after only weeks or months of exposure to very high levels of crystalline silica. Death occurs within months.


How do you test for silica dust in your lungs?

What are the possible tests to diagnose silicosis?
  1. Biopsy of the lungs – to study a small sample of lung tissue.
  2. Bronchoscopy – to look at the inside of the lungs.
  3. Chest CT scan – to look for signs of silicosis.
  4. Chest X-ray – to diagnose the type of silicosis and look for signs of scarring.


What are the chances of getting silicosis?

A recent study of pottery workers found high rates of silicosis, up to 20%, among workers with an average exposure of 0.2 mg/m3 over many years.

What type of silicosis occurs most quickly?

Accelerated silicosis, which occurs after exposure to larger amounts of silica over a shorter period of time (5 to 15 years). Swelling in the lungs and symptoms occur faster than in simple silicosis. Acute silicosis, which results from short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica.


What happens if you inhale concrete dust once?

Crystalline silica is found in materials. such as concrete, masonry and rock. When these mate- rials are made into a fine dust and suspended in the air, breathing in these fine particles can produce lung damage. Silicosis can be totally disabling and may lead to death.

Is silicosis a death sentence?

Silicosis cannot be cured or treated, and it's often fatal. Hundreds to thousands of stonemasons are at risk of this deadly disease. Since last year, over 100 have been diagnosed in Queensland alone. In March, one man died from silicosis, aged just 36.

What is accelerated silicosis?

Accelerated silicosis is a type of lung disease which may develop after a worker has been exposed to large amounts of silica dust. Crystalline silica is a natural substance found in concrete, bricks, rocks, sand, clay and stone.


Does silicosis hurt?

The main symptoms of silicosis are shortness of breath after exercising, chest pain, a harsh, dry cough and tiredness. But in the early stages of silicosis, there may be no symptoms. The symptoms become severe as the condition gets worse.

Will there ever be a cure for silicosis?

There is no cure for silicosis and once the damage is done it cannot be reversed. Treatment is focused on slowing down the progression of the disease and relieving symptoms. Avoiding further exposure to silica and other irritants such as cigarette smoke is crucial.

Is there a test for silicosis?

Imaging tests: These include chest X-rays and high-resolution computed tomography (CT) scans. There are certain things that a provider can see on these types of tests that will lead to a diagnosis of silicosis. Pulmonary function tests: These tests evaluate how well your lungs are working.


Is small amounts of silica dust harmful?

Breathing in very small ("respirable") crystalline silica particles, causes multiple diseases, including silicosis, an incurable lung disease that leads to disability and death. Respirable crystalline silica also causes lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and kidney disease.

When can silica be hazardous to me?

Silica dust and cancer

Silica dust is harmful when inhaled into your lungs. As it is 100 times smaller than a grain of sand, you can be breathing it in without knowing.

Does N95 protect against silica dust?

The following describes the NIOSH policy for respiratory protection against airborne exposures to crystalline silica. NIOSH recommends the use of half-facepiece particulate respirators with N95 or better filters for airborne exposures to crystalline silica at concentrations less than or equal to 0.5 mg/m3.


Can silicosis happen suddenly?

Symptoms of Silicosis

In acute silicosis, fever, sharp chest pain, and difficulty breathing can come on suddenly.

Do I have acute silicosis?

Signs and symptoms of acute silicosis include shortness of breath, weakness, fever, cough, and weight loss. Generally, people with acute silicosis have stable health; however, for some it may lead quickly to death. Chronic Silicosis is the most common, and occurs after 15–20 years of moderate to low exposures.