"Hay fever" from saw dust?

[rsser]

Well, I hope he stays well.

But the wrinkle with small particles - whether wood dust or asbestos - is that the effects can take 25 years to show (that's the average; I worked with asbestos 35 years ago and sure as h*ll I'm hoping I'm average!).

[tea lady]

Looks like you're above average being still here to tell the tale.

[rsser]

Yeah, well, as they say, 50% of the population is above average ;-}

BTW, should have said in the previous post that 'the carcinogenic effects ...'.

[Cliff Rogers]

Just to add a bit more to this thread ....

I have known for years that I suffer hay fever & that various things make it worse, wood dust is one of them.

Over the last couple of years I have been developing an annoying cough that comes & goes, various things seem to trigger it.

Long story short, I took the cough to the doc & he ordered various tests & Xrays & tried a couple of things & it turns out that I have Adult Onset Asthma.

Wood dust is one of the triggers.

[rsser]

What a b*gger Cliff.

So what are the options?

[Cliff Rogers]

Like it says on the page I linked to.....
"...taking preventive medication on a daily basis to protect their lung function at all times."

I have a powder inhaler that I use every 12 hours & I can temporarily double the daily dose if I'm having trouble breathing.

[rsser]

Sorry, didn't follow the link.

So there's no effective preventive measure?

[jow104]

I had a look at the link, and then it reminded me that every person I have spoken to nearly always says the doctor told them they had got asthma.

[Claw Hama]

Hi Tea Lady
I too have had the Blackwood woes, I wear dust masks but if I am sweating and rubbing my face I get the "burny hurty skin", suck the dust away wear your mask and don't rub your face or othe bits with your dusty hands.

www.solidwoodfurniture.com.au

[tea lady]

Good to see I'm not the only one that gets hurty skin. Well.... I mean not good..... I mean ..well you know...

Seems "better safe than sorry" is the best ploy, and having sawdust in you nostrils and every other place is not a natural state.

[Cliff Rogers]

.....So there's no effective preventive measure?

Either stay away from the triggers or take a treatment to stop or lessen the reaction.
There are far too many things that trigger a reaction for me to avoid them all so I use a twice daily powder inhaler.
I have only been on it for 3 days but it seems to be working,

.....nearly always says the doctor told them they had got asthma.

I don't mind what it is really just as long as it isn't lung cancer, aspestosis, silicosis or cystic fibrosis 'cos they are much harder to treat than Asthma.
The stuff I am taking is making a difference, I don't cough anywhere near as much & I can breath easier.

[jow104]

Nothing as serious as that Cliff, I would suspect the Queensland climate, I recall my wife new the effects you describe when we were in that state.

[Cliff Rogers]

Yeap, and nope, too general......
Queensland doesn't have one climate, it is too big.
Queensland covers roughly 7.5 times the area of the whole UK.
The state is broken up into 15 different regional weather areas for reporting & the weather can vary greatly across those 15 regions.
Some of the climates that Queensland has give me more problems than others.
The dryer the air, the more problems I have.

[rsser]

Yeah, when I moved from the East to the North of Melbourne I acquired hay fever for the first time.

Best guess was increased exposure to pollens - from the remnant patches of native grasses in the neighbouring creek reserves.

[soundman]

Dust controol and dust avoidance would have to be number 1.

I've always had sensitive sunuses, so I'm pretty fussy about dust.

One thing I have found realy good for those alergies that regularly come by is nasal steroids...the doc put me on to them and they work well for some things.
There were times of the year I would have a blocked nose at night for months at a time......a squirt of this stuff up the hootter everyday fro a week or so and problem over.
chat to your quack if its a continuing problem.

cheers