Silicosis, Acute Silicosis, Chronic Silicosis, Accelerated Silicosis, Progressive Massive Fibrosis, Conglomerate Silicosis Home Remedies, Treatments and Cures

Also called: Acute Silicosis, Chronic Silicosis, Accelerated Silicosis, Progressive Massive Fibrosis, Conglomerate Silicosis

It is a respiratory disease seen in persons in the cement industry or in mines and is precipitated by inhaling silica dust. The dust is produced during quarrying, mining, tunneling, and working with metallic ores. Silica is a main component of sand, hence workers in glass factories and sand blasting are also at risk to contract silicosis.

Silicosis is also known as Acute Silicosis, Chronic Silicosis, Accelerated Silicosis, Progressive Massive Fibrosis and Conglomerate Silicosis.

Silicosis is classified into three categories depending upon the duration of exposure-

Chronic silicosis – Long term exposure (more than 20 years) to low amounts of silica dust. Edema caused by the silica dust is seen in the lungs and chest lymph nodes. Symptoms include "trouble in breathing, recurrent cough mimicking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)".
Accelerated silicosis -- Exposure to large amounts of silica over a short period of time (5 - 15 years). Symptoms like swelling in the lungs and symptoms are observed faster than in simple silicosis.
Acute silicosis - Short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica. The lungs become inflamed and can fill with fluid. The symptoms are very severe; include shortness of breath due to low blood oxygen levels.

Massive fibrosis can be seen in both simple or accelerated silicosis, but is seen more commonly in the accelerated form. Progressive massive fibrosis results in severe scarring and destroys normal lung structures.

Symptoms:

It includes shortness of breath aggravating during exercise or hard physical labor. Other symptoms include "fever, weight loss, and severe breathing difficulty cough with or without blood in sputum".