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Ask The Expert Question: Am I allergic to chemicals at work?
I have been having a lot of problems at work with the chemicals they use for cleaning and for stripping the floor. When I am around these chemicals I get a numbing feeling in my throat and my chest gets very tight. Should I see a doctor about this? Dr. Martha Vetter White responds:
Your symptoms are not unusual. Cleaning chemicals, like cigarette smoke, often act as pulmonary irritants. If you have a lung condition, such as asthma, exposure to ammonia or other strong or irritating smells could trigger symptoms. Chest tightness is characteristic of asthma, and this can be diagnosed with a simple, painless test in which you are asked to blow into a machine that measures how open your airways are. Your best bet, if your internist or family practitioner isn't able to help you, is to ask for a referral to a lung specialist, such as an allergist or a pulmonologist. If you live in a rural area, you may need to drive to a larger city to find a lung specialist, but it will be well worth your while. Good luck, Dr. White -- Dr. Martha Vetter White, MD, is cofounder and director of research at the Institute for Asthma &Allergy in the Washington, DC metropolitan area, one of the nation's most active clinical research centers devoted to allergy, asthma, and sinusitis.
Our reviewers are members of Consumer Health Interactive's medical advisory board.
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First published March 30, 2004
Last updated July 23, 2008
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