Symptoms:

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

Other symptoms of this disease, especially in acute silicosis:

• Fever
• Cough
• Weight loss
• Severe breathing difficulty

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will take a medical history that includes many questions about your jobs (past and present), hobbies, and other activities that may have exposed you to silica. The health care provider will also do a physical exam.

Tests to confirm the diagnosis and rule out similar diseases include:

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