Archive · 23 Aug 2026
Black Lung Disease Surges Among West Virginia Coal Miners
Black lung disease is a serious illness that can affect coal miners.
It happens when people breathe in tiny bits of coal dust again and again.
The dust can hurt the lungs over time.
It may cause swelling and scars inside the lungs.
These changes can make breathing harder.
The disease is also called coal workers’ pneumoconiosis.
Doctors cannot currently undo the lung damage it causes.
Treatment helps control symptoms and prevent more exposure to coal dust.
It can also help manage health problems caused by the disease.
Black lung disease, also called coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, affects miners who repeatedly inhale fine coal-mine dust.
Accumulated dust can cause inflammation and scarring in the lungs over time.
The disease makes breathing increasingly difficult as lung damage progresses.
There is currently no cure that can reverse damage caused by black lung disease.
Treatment focuses on managing symptoms, limiting further exposure, and addressing complications.
- Who
- Coal miners who repeatedly inhale fine coal-mine dust.
- What
- Black lung disease, or coal workers’ pneumoconiosis, is surging in West Virginia and can cause progressive breathing problems.
- When
- The articles do not specify a date or time period for the reported surge.
- Where
- West Virginia.
- Why
- Repeated exposure to fine coal-mine dust can trigger lung inflammation and scarring.
- Medical name
- Coal workers’ pneumoconiosis (CWP)
- Common name
- Black lung disease
- Cause
- Repeated inhalation of fine coal-mine dust
- Lung effects
- Inflammation and scarring
- Main symptom described
- Increasing difficulty breathing
- Cure
- No current cure can reverse the lung damage
- Treatment focus
- Managing symptoms, limiting further exposure, and addressing complications