Silicosis history and symptoms
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Symptoms
Because silicosis is progressive, signs of it may not appear until years after exposure. Symptoms include:
- Tachypnea or shortness of breath after physical exertion
- Dry or severe cough, often persistent and accompanied by hoarseness of the throat
- Fatigue or tiredness
- Changes in breathing pattern (rapid breathing or shallow breathing)
- Loss of appetite
- Chest pain
- Fever
- Gradual dark shallow rifts in nails eventually leading to cracks
In advanced cases, the following may also occur:
- Cyanosis
- Cor pulmonale
- Respiratory insufficiency
Patients with silicosis are particularly susceptible to tuberculosis (TB) infection - known as silicotuberculosis. The reason for the increased risk - 10-30 fold increased incidence - is not well understood. It is thought that silica damages pulmonary macrophages, inhibiting their ability to kill mycobacteria.