The number of years you can live with pneumoconiosis cannot be generalized. It is possible to live for ten or twenty years with well controlled pneumoconiosis, or only a few years without effective treatment. Pneumoconiosis is usually caused by inhaling too much dust. When this disease occurs, first of all, it is necessary to get out of the dusty environment, and secondly, it is necessary to carry out symptomatic treatments such as relieving cough and resolving phlegm, so as to prevent complications. If the patient’s condition is relatively mild, get out of the environment that causes pneumoconiosis, and promptly use medicines under the guidance of doctors to carry out treatment, some can live for 20 to 30 years, or even a longer period of time. If the patient’s condition is more serious and discovered later, with symptoms of breathing difficulty, coughing and hemoptysis, or if the pneumoconiosis is found not to have been detached from the environment leading to the pneumoconiosis, and not effectively treated, the survival time will be reduced, and he or she may only be able to live for a few years. The lung function of pneumoconiosis patients is generally very poor. Once lung infection occurs, it is very likely to cause the emergence of respiratory failure, which can be life-threatening at any time. For pneumoconiotics, it is recommended to seek prompt medical attention if any discomfort occurs.