Info wanted on lung problems from wood dust

[Pembine]

I am an amateur bowyer and have developed a serious lung problem that my doctors can't explain. My symptoms include reoccuring pneumonia, wheezing, coughing up excess mucus, fevers, and some weight loss. I'm currently working with ebony, purpleheart, osage orange, and redheart. If anyone else has had similar problems, or has any info to share I would really appreciate it. I'm desperate!

[Don Stokes]

Pembine, you've got to stop breathing that dust! My brother got very sick from breathing wood dust, and it can be very bad. Some species are particularly toxic to our lungs. My unprofessional opinion is that you should take a break until it clears up, and then be very careful. Always wear a dust mask.

[Apex Predator]

Did you tell your doctor about your exotic wood snorting habit?     Some of them are no joke!

[Jeremy]

Osage irritates my lungs almost as bad as cocobolo dust!

The more oil the wood has, the more common allergic reactions are to it. Even if the wood doesn't have toxins that will effect you directly (and many do), they ALL have substances that you can become sensitized too.

You working with fiberglass too?  Fiberglass dust will do some serious damage as well!

Buy a good respirator!`

[Joshua Lee]

Hey Pembine
Sorry your sick.  Couple questions. How long has this been going on, how often, how much weight loss, what color are you coughing up, any night sweats, Do you smoke, How old are you, Are you a packers fan (can make some people sick), any exposure to other sick people (ie tuberculosis) or has anyone around you had similar illness. Are you having any shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and any other medical history.
That's all for now, hope you get better, you could always become a Steeler fan if it turns out to be packeritis
Josh

[Joshua Lee]

Hey Pembine
Sorry your sick.  Couple questions. How long has this been going on, how often, how much weight loss, what color are you coughing up, any night sweats, Do you smoke, How old are you, Are you a packers fan (can make some people sick), any exposure to other sick people (ie tuberculosis) or has anyone around you had similar illness. Are you having any shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and any other medical history.
That's all for now, hope you get better, you could always become a Steeler fan if it turns out to be packeritis
Josh

[Pembine]

Thanks for your responses. Don, how did they treat your brother and is he better now? Yes, I had mentioned it to my doctor, but I don't think he has ever had anyone with this type of exposure to exotic wood dust. I called him this morning and he is going to do some research on it. I personally didn't realize wood dust could be the cause of all this until I started searching on the net. I am working with fiberglass as well, and one web site also mentioned epoxy dust as an irritant.
Joshua, I've been having problems since August, but the symptoms have been really bad since November. I've had pneumonia type infections 5 times since November. I've lost about 7 pounds, mucus is mostly tan, night sweats when the infections come back, antibiotics have worked to get rid of the infections but as soon as I'm off them the coughing and mucus slowly returns. 33 years old, non-smoker, have had asthma since I was 7, no exposure to sick people, and yes shortness of breath. My asthma medicine has been increased and changed with no affect on this problem. I appreciate the responses and will take any more imput. Thanks

[Brian Halbleib]

Pembine, Best of luck and I pray you find relief.

I hope every bowyer here reads this and takes dust collection and dust masks more seriously.

[Don Stokes]

Pembine, my brother's symptoms weren't as bad as yours. He never went to doctors for anything, but he had to stay out of the plant and rest up for about a week. He wasn't breathing the dust from exotics, either, just fine dry yellow poplar dust. ALL dry wood dust is bad! He wore a mask after that, and still occasionally had problems.

About not going to doctors- he developed colon cancer (unrelated to the dust), and ended up colostomized and catheterized before he died because he didn't go to a doctor when his symptoms developed. By the time we dragged him in he was too far gone for surgery. Not a good plan!

[Mike Mecredy]

Lay off bowyering for a while until the symtoms clear, if they clear.  If you're using smooth - on I've heared to not clean the wood with acetone prior to glue - up, use denatured alcohol instead.  When I switched from acetone smooth on dust was non irritating. (I guess it's a chemical thing between the smooth - on and acetone that won't occure with denatured alcohol)

After you get better, if you still want to make bows, invest in some PPE. (personal protective equipment)  

-A good half face respiratory mask with replaceable filter cartridges. (about $60)
 
-Dust collection system, (Harbor frieght; you can get them for uner $300)

- Nitril gloves (not latex some are allergic to it)

Keep your area clean and use your mask when sweeping up.  

If you find certain types of wood irritaing don't use them. (I refuse to use ebony, and ipe, no matter how much the customers offers to pay)  extra)

The thing that baffles me (I'm not a Dr. but I think alot, too much sometimes) why would the Dr. proscribe antibiotics to clear up problems if it's from chemicals?  Antibiodics are for bacteria from what I've been taught.  Again I've never been to med school and I may be out of my league, but..... HMMMMM.

[Joshua Lee]

So basically I agree with about everything said so far.  You gotta stop for a bit, then get the gear maddog said.  A lot of hard woods (or veneers) have silica (glass) in them, So when you inhale them in the dust they cause injury which leads to infection (and the need for antibiotics) also the injury then causes scar tissue in your lungs witch leads to obstruction which leads to infection (and more antibiotics). Furthermore, the asthma is already causing obstruction..and infection. So, what then happens,,(or happened) is that you needed more asthma medication to open up the lungs because they are basically swollen from the combination of infection, asthma and scar tissue.  From what I read there is not a lot of treatment for silicosis other than staying away from it.  In severe cases they do a bronchiolar lavage (wash out your lungs with water).  So this is my best guess of what's going on, but there are so many possible things in a shop that could cause this. The ebony is definitely bad, as well as the glue.  Hopefully your doc is getting you a chest x-ray.  And definitely avoid people with colds and especially Tuberculosis.  With all those tiny wounds in your lungs  you are very susceptible to TB. But the best thing to do other than strong antibiotics, is to keep those airways open with your bronchodialators, get a chest x-ray, avoid the shop, and give the lungs time to heal.  Like I said this is my best guess and by no means absolutely what is going on.
Hope some of this is helpful.
Josh

[Pembine]

Thanks again guys, I am actually getting a chest CT Scan today in case it's not wood dust causing this and they have already taken X-rays which just showed some infected areas. However this turns out I will definately be taking a break for a while and investing in some good dust collection equipment and a top of the line dust mask for when I can get back at bow building. The doctor said it's probably not an issue with the green and gold blood so I think I'll stick with the Packers for now. Sorry Josh

[scottq]

Wood dust allergies are quite common. Many of the exotics have high silica content. This is evident by the wear they put on tools. This same silica when in dust form can be dangerous to the lungs

Walnut is another common allergy wood. It contains an herbicide which it uses to push other plants away. Same stuff not so great for lungs.

Look up Bill Pentz and his cyclone dust collector page. He has a large amount of information posted about wood dust allergies and strategies for dealing with them in the shop.

[Roy from Pa]

I have went through this with IPE. Did not affect my lungs, thank God, but it sure did affect my face. It's been 6 weeks now and I still have problems. My eye lids feel like they are on fire, my face is so itchy and burnt, a rash on both sides of my neck. Watery eyes, stuffy nose. I went to the doctors today for the second time. He gave me a steroid shot and other meds. I'm half afraid to even go back into the bow shop. I'll need to have some friends come over to clean it up really well to get all the IPE dust out of it.

[Ragnarok Forge]

Alway wear a respirator.  No dusk masks.  A micron filter respirator!  Blacksmithing includes a lot of wood work for handles, etc... I wear a respirator whenever I am grinding or sanding anything.

[Steve B.]

I just set up a vice outside to do most bow making.  Don't you guys think that working upwind of the stave would help alot in alleviating the breathing of dust...or just having the breeze to keep the dust from laying in the air around one's head?

[Ragnarok Forge]

Working upwind helps but not enough.  Some woods can actually kill you and a lot of them really irritate the lungs.  This can lead to lung cancer far quicker than smoking along with a  lot of other problems. Always wear a respirator no matter what.

[Roy from Pa]

I was wearing a respirator when I was around the IPE. The dust that settles on your skin, in your hair, on your cloths, can cause lot's of problems also. And my latest bout was with smooth on dust that blew into my eyes. That caused problems like right now. You need to wear all the protection you can when around wood or glue dust. The human body was not made to be exposed to most of this stuff..

[greyhawk39]

I had to quit building for 2 yrs the dust was getting to me. I had a 750cfm dust collector and I started to build again I bought a 1375cfm along with respirator,and I dont have anymore flair ups. Paulo ferro is a bad wood I have to wear rubber gloves when sanding with it or I get water blisters any place that the dust gets in contact with sweat this is a good practice for indoors building...but the cost of the 2 was 500 canadian,so 250 american...lol.

[Pembine]

Thanks for the respirator suggestion. That's what I'll go with.