Oak allergy

[fireview2788]

Anyone have an allergy to certain woods that comes out when cutting/splitting/stacking? I've never had a reaction until I started working on an oak tree. I get a rash on my forearms to the point I wear a long sleeve shirt when I cut it. I didn't think I'd have a problem with stacking it but I have a rash today from stacking last night. It never happens with other trees.


fv

 

[Lake Girl]

Can get allergy tested ... but yes, you can have allergy specific to one species of tree. Do you also have issues in the spring when pollen is airborne? Issues with red wine (tannins from being aged in oak barrels)?

But... not a doctor Just experience with a messed up immune system...

 

[fireview2788]

I know allergies, trust me. I was diagnosed as being allergic to myself when I was 2... Now it seems like everyone else is allergic to me when I start talking about firewood.

fv

 

[BrotherBart]

There didn't happen to be poison ivy or sumac growing on that tree was there?

 

[Lake Girl]

Good point BB!

 

[fireview2788]

Nope, perfectly clean tree. I meant to mention that in my original post.


fv

 

[MaintenanceMan]

You allergic to nuts out of curiosity?

 

[Montanalocal]

My wife is definitely allergic to consuming walnuts. It turn out that walnuts are one of the more common allergens. We do not have walnut wood here, so do not know if the wood is likewise allergenic.

 

[fireview2788]

You allergic to nuts out of curiosity?

Oddly enough, that's one thing I've never been allergic too. I just found it odd that after five years of c/s/s splitting I've found a tree I have a reaction too. It's also not the first time I've c/s/s oak but it is the first time for red oak.

fv

 

[beatlefan]

Pine trees do that to me. All I have to brush up against the bark or a branch and I'll get a rash.

 

[BlueRidgeMark]

I got a splinter from some locust one year, right on the inside of my knuckle. It wasn't a huge splinter, but good sized. I pulled it out with no difficulty, but it swelled up like a walnut, and stayed that way for weeks. That thing took a full year to heal completely!

I think that was an allergy kind of thing.

 

[EG GREV NED MIN ELD]

I got a bad rash while cutting red oak last year. So bad it left a scar on my wrists. It was probably some furry ivy vines that did it, those things are nasty

 

[Wood Duck]

I'd try several more oaks from various locations to make sure it is really the oak and not something that was on the oak. Even though you say the oak was clean, I'd still bet there was some poison ivy nearby and some oil got on the trunk or something like that. I think an allergy to oak wood would be very unusual.