Silicosis

Injury Disease Nutrition Poison Symptoms Surgery Test Special Topic

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Coal worker's lungs - chest X-ray Coal workers pneumoconiosis - stage II Coal workers pneumoconiosis - stage II #2 Coal workers pneumoconiosis, complicated #2 Respiratory system

Overview Symptoms Treatment Prevention

Silicosis

• Chronic cough
• Shortness of breath with exercise, usually in patients who have progressive massive fibrosis

Additional symptoms that may be associated with this disease, especially in acute silicosis:

• Fever
• Cough
• Weight loss
• Severe breathing difficulty

Your health care provider will take a careful medical history that includes many questions about your occupations (past and present), your hobbies, and other activities that may have exposed you to excessive silica. A physical exam will also be performed. Diagnostic tests to confirm the diagnosis and exclude other diseases that may appear similar include:

• Chest x-ray
• Pulmonary function tests
• Purified protein derivative (PPD) skin test (for tuberculosis)

Murray J, Nadel J. Textbook of Respiratory Medicine. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2000.

Pipavath S.Imaging of Interstitial Lung Disease. Radiol Clin North Am.2005 May; 43(3); 589-599.

Noble J. Textbook of Primary Care Medicine. 3rd ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2001:694-696

Email this page  Printer friendly  Bookmark this page