How does silica dust affect the lungs?

How does silica dust affect the lungs?

Roy Artal (Pulmonologist and Critical Care Physician) gives expert video advice on: Am I at risk for breathing silica dust?; What are the symptoms of silicosis?; If I work with silica dust, can I expose family or friends? and more...

Silica dust affects the lungs when it is inhaled in very small particles, and is able to travel to the terminal portions of the lungs, or alveoli of the lungs, which is actually the gas exchange portion of the lungs. When it reaches that area, there is an inflammatory reaction or a immunoreactions, and a scar, or a type of a scar, actually develops around the silica particle to try to block it off and wall it off. If enough of the scarring actually develops, then individuals can develop silicosis, which is this type of a scarring in a nodular formation within the lung. Now, silica, actually, when it gets into the body can actually migrate to other organs as well. There are silica-related kidney diseases, silica has been described also as traveling to the liver and spleen as well, so it can actually affect other organs.