Illnesses Associated With Silica Dust Exposure

Illnesses Associated With Silica Dust Exposure

There are a range of illnesses that are associated with the inhalation of silica dust. These include:

Asthma

Asthma is a disorder of the bronchial tubes that makes breathing difficult. It can arise as a result of an infection of the nose, sinuses and bronchi (the tubes leading to the lungs), or more commonly is an allergic reaction to particles within the air. When the silica dust enters the lungs the body’s  immune system can overreact to it, releasing histamine which causes the membranes lining the bronchial tubes to swell, making breathing difficult. Allergic asthma can be treated, but once someone has become sensitised to the dust, they will always remain so.

Silicosis

Silicosis occurs when the dust particles attach themselves to the lining of the lungs and cause hardening or scarring of the lung tissue. There are three types of silicosis:

• Chronic Silicosis usually occurs after several years of exposure to low concentrations of silica dust
• Accelerated Silicosis commonly occurs when people are exposed to higher levels of the dust
• Acute Silicosis is often the result of a large exposure to silica dust over a shorter period of time – symptoms for this type can present themselves within a few weeks of the exposure.

Once someone has developed silicosis it is irreversible, with most sufferers having to give up work and often dying prematurely.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

This is a term that covers several different lung conditions that involve the narrowing of the airways and difficulty with breathing including bronchitis, emphysema, and bronchiectasis.

Lung and other cancers

According to research, around 800 people in the UK die each year from lung cancer caused by exposure to silica dust, and there are around 900 new cases reported each year. While the precise role that silica dust plays in the development of cancer is still being studied, silica-related lung cancer is a UK government-recognised prescribed industrial disease. As well as the lungs, exposure to silica dust is known to have links with cancer of the larynx, the stomach and the oesophagus.

Other illnesses that have links to exposure to silica dust include a range of kidney disorders, arthritis and even tuberculosis itself, but when making any diagnosis, a doctor should enquire about any exposure to silica dust through the patient’s employment. They are more likely to be able to accurately diagnose the issue if they have all of the relevant facts, and failing to link silica dust to illness can in some cases be seen as misdiagnosis, for which compensation can be sought.

Contact us today for free, no obligation advice regarding your Silica Dust Exposure claim – either by calling us free on 0800 028 2060, or by requesting a free call back, whereby one of our team will contact you at a time of your choice, to discuss your situation.

We’re here to help – contact us today.