Can construction dust cause coughing?

An otherwise healthy person may experience a cough, shortness of breath, and mucus. Dust could also exacerbate underlying health problems, such as allergies, asthma, or cardiovascular disease, requiring treatment that could last longer than the work of targeting. You may not think it's a problem when you breathe in dust, but for some people, it could cause a lung disease called hypersensitivity pneumonitis. It is an allergic reaction to dust particles and can cause symptoms such as coughing and shortness of breath.

You can get things back to normal if you're treated early and avoid breathing things you're allergic to. If you experience chronic sneezing, coughing, or wheezing, these could be signs of mold disease. The most dangerous conditions include aspergillosis, a disease that ranges from mild to severe, and hypersensitivity pneumonitis, which can cause pulmonary fibrosis if left untreated. Irritation, coughing, or sneezing is caused by the dust itself.

Exposure to excessive amounts of wood dust can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat. Workers may also experience shortness of breath, dry and sore throat, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membranes of the eye), and rhinitis (runny nose). When dust, fumes and gases are inhaled by workers, the lungs are damaged. Some of the most common symptoms of asthma include wheezing, shortness of breath, and a painful cough.

In addition to that, workers struggling with asthma also experience chest heaviness and tightness. Some types of lung disease caused by inhaling dust are called pneumoconiosis.