How to Get Drywall Dust Out of Lungs
If you inhale drywall dust, it can cause several respiratory problems. In this article, we’ll explore the causes and symptoms of drywall dust inhalation as well as how to get drywall dust out of lungs. Inhaling silica from drywall panels causes various lung conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
These particles are smaller than cigarette smoke, and they settle in your airways and bronchial tubes, causing inflammation and tissue damage. Symptoms include shortness of breath, coughing up blood-tinged mucus or phlegm, wheezing or whistling when breathing out, chest tightness or pain on deep breaths, fatigue after exercise due to poor oxygen supply to muscles, and a loss of appetite.
What Causes Drywall Dust Inhalation?
Drywall is made up of gypsum and other materials like glue. When drywall gets broken down, it releases dust made up of these substances. If drywall dust enters the lungs without protection, breathing this substance can cause people to become sick.
It can cause coughing, wheezing, chest pain, and irritation. The worst part of this is that drywall dust can lead to the development of severe respiratory conditions. For example, when people inhale drywall dust, they develop a condition called hypersensitivity pneumonitis.
If you have been exposed to drywall dust through your work in construction or any other industry, then you should take some precautions when it comes to how you clean up this dust. It is straightforward to get drywall dust in your lungs. However, if you can keep the dust contained while cleaning it up, you will significantly reduce your chances of becoming sick from its inhalation. In this article, we’ll discuss some tips on how to get drywall dust out of lungs.
10 Reasons Why You Should Get Drywall Dust Out of Lungs:
1. Saves your life:
Drywall dust can be harmful. It might not be directly toxic, but it contains over 100 irritants, including silica and crystalline silicic acid. If you have asthma or allergies, this can cause long-term problems.
2. Fixes the problem permanently:
This method removes the drywall dust from the lungs safely, straightforward, and permanently.
3. No more expiration dates:
Trying to get rid of drywall dust that has settled in your lungs can be challenging. Other methods like water, vinegar, soda, or creams might temporarily remove the surface layer of particles but will not do anything about the dust settling underneath.
4. No more allergies:
After the drywall dust has been removed from your lungs, you will be able to work and live in a much healthier environment free of irritants that caused your allergies or asthma attacks in the past.
5. No more trips to the ER:
You won’t have to go to the hospital with breathing problems or cough up blood anymore.
6. No more useless inhalers:
These days, there are many types of inhaled medication for people with asthma, but unlike putting drywall dust out of your lungs, these drugs do not cure your condition. They only attempt to control it! Not having to buy your inhalers every month means extra cash in your pocket, too.
7. No more sleepless nights:
You will be able to sleep peacefully and not suffer from chronic coughing during the night anymore.
8. No more discomfort:
Your chest pain caused by drywall dust will magically disappear one day after you remove it from your lungs.
9. No more limitations:
You can do anything you want after removing drywall dust from the lungs. There’s no limit to your freedom! Whether it’s going on a holiday, having fun with friends, or pursuing a career in sports. It doesn’t matter, because you won’t have breathing problems anymore.
10. No more panic attacks:
Having drywall dust out of your lungs is the only way to avoid suffering from severe anxiety and fear caused by not being able to breathe properly. This can eventually lead to depression or agoraphobia.
Seven Effective Methods on How to Get Drywall Dust Out of Lungs:
1. Take a deep breath and cough:
This method is very useful when the drywall dust in your lungs is loose. If it’s already stuck, skip this one as it won’t work. To remove the dust from the airway, you need to take a deep breath and hold it followed by strong coughs, until all of the dust moves from your throat down into your stomach, where it can be quickly taken out by vomiting. Then, don’t forget to breathe and cough again to get rid of what was initially stuck in your throat.
2. Vomit:
If you don’t have a strong gag reflex, this is the easiest way to get drywall dust out of your lungs. All you have to do is open your mouth and let the dust fall out. Try not to breathe through your nose as you vomit, as it might increase the chances of getting it into your lungs again. Don’t forget to drink at least half a liter of water after vomiting, as drywall dust can cause dehydration!
3. Gargle with salt water:
Saltwater works as an irritant and breaks the mucus lining. Doing this helps in carrying drywall dust particles out of the throat. A perfect way to do it is by mixing one teaspoon of salt with half a liter of water. Swish around your mouth for half a minute and spit it out. This should be repeated at least three times daily before spitting the solution out in the sink or toilet.
4. Use a humidifier:
This is great for loosening up drywall dust, allowing you to get it out of your lungs by coughing or vomiting (read methods 1 and 2). Ensure that the air coming from the humidifier isn’t too warm, as that might irritate your throat. An excellent way to achieve the perfect humidity is 70%.
5. Take a shower or bath:
Hot water and steam do a great job at loosening up drywall dust and making it easier to get out of your lungs. If you can, stay under the shower for about 20 minutes, as that should be enough to loosen even the most stubborn pieces of drywall particles.
You should also avoid using hot water if you have asthma, as it might trigger an attack. Make sure that the water isn’t too hot as well to prevent damaging your skin.
6. Drink warm herbal tea:
Hot liquids can help loosen up drywall dust stuck in your throat, making it easier to get out by any methods mentioned above. A great choice of tea is chamomile as it’s effective and tastes great. Steep two teaspoons of dried chamomile, leave in hot water for 5-10 minutes, and drink it slowly while breathing through your nose.
7. Rinse your mouth:
This method helps in loosening up drywall dust stuck in your throat. It can also prevent you from inhaling the dust again by rinsing it down to your stomach. A great way to do this is by gargling with salt water, as mentioned above. If you don’t have any salt at hand, either use baking soda or a homemade salt rinsing solution, found online.
All of the methods mentioned above are great at removing drywall dust from your lungs and throat. However, if you don’t have any of these things around the house, it is good to talk with a professional about these problems. Also, if you have asthma, it might be harder for you to check if the air is clean before going back into that room.
Conclusion:
The best way to get drywall dust out of your lungs is by using a vacuum. However, since vacuums are not always available or practical in all situations, you should also try washing the entire body with soap and water at least once per day until you can remove the particles from your home. If possible, do this while taking deep breaths through an open window.
The article concludes by stating that cleaning up drywall dust is essential to reducing respiratory problems. However, it’s also essential to have a plan in place for how you’ll clean up after any future remodeling projects since not all dust masks work well with drywall particles. If you want more information about how to get drywall dust out of lungs then reach out to us!
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