Dust and your health fact sheet | SA Health (2024)

FAQs

How does dust affect your health? ›

Health Impacts

Exposure to dust inside homes can have adverse health outcomes, such as respiratory problems, asthma, allergic reactions, and lead poisoning (if the dust contains lead). Dust comes from two sources. First, dirt and dust can be carried in from outside on shoes or blown in through windows and doors.

One of the most common forms is black lung disease, also known as miner's lung. It's caused by breathing in coal dust. Another is brown lung, which comes from working around dust from cotton or other fibers. Other types of dusts that can cause pneumoconiosis include silica and asbestos.

For example, respirable crystalline silica dust causes scarring of the lungs, and inhalable lead dust can damage the central nervous system. Many occupational diseases are the result of many years of exposure to dust and it may take years or decades before the disease becomes noticeable.

These tubes are called bronchi and bronchioles. All of these airways are lined by cells. The mucus they produce catches most of the dust particles. Tiny hairs called cilia, covering the walls of the air tubes, move the mucus upward and out into the throat, where it is either coughed up and spat out, or swallowed.

Exposure to the chemicals in dust can lead to respiratory and skin irritation and increase the risk of developmental problems and other health harms. Lowering the amount of dust where you live is one of the best ways to limit your exposure to these toxic chemicals.

Dust allergies can cause wheezing, asthma attacks, bronchial infections, dermatitis and other allergy-related problems. Dust also contains chemical particles, including pesticides and other dangerous substances found in and around your home. Exposure to these may cause long-term health problems.

Be aware of the health effects of breathing organic dust. Symptoms of ODTS occur 4 to 12 hours after exposure and may include fever, weakness, headache, chills, body aches, cough, and shortness of breath. Inform your doctor about recent dust exposures when seeking treatment for respiratory illness.

Drinking plenty of fluids, particularly water, aids in the thinned mucus in your lungs. This allows your body to evacuate the mucus and any trapped dust particles, allowing for cleaner breathing. Hydration also promotes general immune system function, which is vital in preventing diseases caused by dust inhalation.

Can dust enter the bloodstream? ›

Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into your lungs, and some may even get into your bloodstream. Exposure to such particles can affect both your lungs and your heart.

Overexposure to dust will cause breathing problems that could lead to life-threatening respiratory diseases. Fine dust particles, called respirable dust, are easily inhaled into the nose and pharynx. These can then build up and take up air space in the lungs, causing blockages in the chest.

However dust particles themselves are well known for their potential to cause respiratory and cardiovascular health problems. They can also irritate eyes, throat and skin. Human health effects of dust relate mainly to the size of dust particles.

In some studies, sneezing, coughing, eye irritation, lung tissue swelling, asthma and throat infections were found to be more prevalent among individuals exposed to occupational dust. Moreover, the symptoms associated with impaired lung function may lead to occupational lung diseases (6, 7).

Inhaling dust, particularly concrete dust, can lead to lung disorders like pneumoconiosis, requiring long-term therapy. Symptoms of inhaling concrete dust include shortness of breath, chest tightness, fevers, and fatigue. Dust particles weaken the immune system over time, making people vulnerable to other illnesses.

Be aware of the health effects of breathing organic dust. Symptoms of ODTS occur 4 to 12 hours after exposure and may include fever, weakness, headache, chills, body aches, cough, and shortness of breath. Inform your doctor about recent dust exposures when seeking treatment for respiratory illness.

Sometimes breathing dust can make you sick. If it triggers an allergic reaction you might experience symptoms such as sneezing or coughing. If you inhale some types of dust allergens over months or years it could cause a disease called hypersensitivity pneumonitis.