# Allergic Reaction to Walnut



## rdnkmedic (Jul 5, 2013)

I green turned several pieces of walnut today and am currently having some kind of reaction to it. My left arm, which takes most of the chips is swollen, red and itchy. My face is also. I've done some research and know that this is due to a chemical in the walnut called juglone. It is more prevalent in the roots and that is what I was turning today, pieces cut from the root ball. Walnut trees produce this to keep other plants from intruding on their space.

My questions are:
1. How serious is this? More irritating than serious right now.
2. Anything that can reverse the effects? How do I treat it?
3. I am seriously allergic to poison ivy, oak, and sumac. Any relation between these things?
4. How long will this last? Gone in a day or two I hope.

I know, I know, long sleeve turning coat and a mask and face shield next time. Live and learn. Any body else ever had this issue?


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## Kevin (Jul 5, 2013)

I wouldn't fool with it. Just a contact reaction isn't usually life threatening just miserable. But if you inhaled it and have a respiratory reaction that can be a serious problem as you know. Get your fanny to the ER is my advice. Horses can have severe and lethal reactions to walnut sawdust. This isn't like a broken thumb or something that you can justify just living with. Allergic reactions do kill people you know. Not likely but possible so my advice is get to the ER.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 5, 2013)

I'm not to the point of an ER visit yet. I am certainly aware that could be a possibility. Didn't do any sanding, just green turned. All of it is 25-30% mc. No real dust today. Just big beautiful ribbons of great walnut. Already took a Benadryl just in case. Just really wondering how long this itchy rash will last. 

Besides, I'm a paramedic and we all think we are bullet proof. Thanks for the advice Kevin. We are going to watch it for now. I also read that about the horses.


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## DKMD (Jul 5, 2013)

I had a similar reaction to silky oak... A medrol dose pack and a bunch of hydrocortisone cream seemed to help me. Mine lasted for over a week... Hopefully yours fades faster.


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 6, 2013)

Seems like this is only a skin irritation. No respiratory problems. Woke up this morning and my left arm is still swollen, red and itchy. Also have found a few blisters on my left hand. More of an irritant than a health hazard. Kinda like poison ivy. It's just a pain in a$$ until you get it dried up.

Been researching on the Internet (everything on the Internet is true, right?) and can't find much about this topic. Juglone is very toxic to certain plants. That is pretty much all I can find. Really nothing about its effects on people. Treating with Benadryl for the itch and hydrocortisone cream topically to calm it down. Probably will call the doc tomorrow to get a scrip for solu-medrol, same stuff I take for poison ivy and what DKMD suggested. Thanks, Doc.

Just a warning to others if you are working with a walnut root ball then make sure you cover up while you are cutting or turning it. Juglone is contained in all parts of the walnut tree, just more so in the roots. Hope this helps somebody. K


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## Mike1950 (Jul 6, 2013)

Sorry to hear Kevin- You can just send your walnut to me for safe keeping-so it does not irritate you again. :rotflmao3:
As far as the plants- I spread my walnut shavings where we have a weed problem- or I should say past weed problem- It works!!!!


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 6, 2013)

What a guy! You are the man Mike. I'm gonna try to save you the trouble of finding a place to store it all. I'm just looking out for you now.


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## BarbS (Jul 6, 2013)

Wipe on Aloa Vera pure gel, or better yet get a plant and open a leaf and smear on your arm. Many skin irritations can be helped by this plant, I swear. If it keeps expanding in irritation, then go see a doctor. I get itchy working walnut, too, and I'm just Waiting on a Cocobolo reaction. It really helps to immediately wash with soap and water (better yet, Shower) after turning toxic woods. The webbing inside the fingers is prime sweaty real estate for dust to accumulate when turning. It's always good to pay attention to it.


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## jimmyjames (Jul 6, 2013)

When I get into something like poison ivy etc I use fells naphtha laundry bar soap to wash the affected area, it removes all of the oils that are on your skin and then benadryl cream on the area and a couple benadryl pills. I had a similar reaction to blue mahoe, just touching it on my arm left a swollen welt, I can't imagine sanding it and breathing in the dust, it would probably kill me....


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 6, 2013)

[attachment=27280]

Here is a picture of what I am dealing with. I'm just trying to let everyone see what this stuff looks like. Just aggravating and annoying but if I can help somebody avoid this, then that is my goal. Long sleeves and gloves for me the next time I work with this walnut.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.


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## Sprung (Jul 6, 2013)

Oh, my! Kevin, I hope it clears up soon. Good that you're taking care of it and keeping an eye on it.


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## woodtickgreg (Jul 6, 2013)

I feel very lucky, I have never had a reaction to a wood yet, not even walnut. When I lived in California as a kid I was highly allergic to poison oak, when it bloomed I could get it just from the pollen, put me in the hospital twice, blisters over my whole body and eyes swelled shut and everything else was swollen and itchy too. :sad: All the stomping around in Michigan's northern woods and I have never had poison ivy. :dunno: The good thing is now they have better stuff to treat these kind of things with now.


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 6, 2013)

I know the feeling about the poison oak and ivy. I can walk by it and it will jump on me. My mom on the other hand can pull the whole vine out of the tree and wad it up and nothing happens. Just one of those things I guess.


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## Mike1950 (Jul 6, 2013)

Wow- that looks ugly Kevin. I am lucky also- at least so far- none of them bother me. You might want to think about avoiding walnut. My understanding is it will be worse next time.


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 6, 2013)

I've turned walnut before with no problem. Everything I turned yesterday came from the roots. Gonna let this clear up and try again with long sleeves, gloves and a mask. I've got a whole walnut tree sitting at the local sawmill. Gonna be careful with it. I know what it can do. Certainly will wear a dust mask when sanding. That would be pretty nasty in my lungs or throat.


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## brown down (Jul 8, 2013)

rdnkmedic said:


> I've turned walnut before with no problem. Everything I turned yesterday came from the roots. Gonna let this clear up and try again with long sleeves, gloves and a mask. I've got a whole walnut tree sitting at the local sawmill. Gonna be careful with it. I know what it can do. Certainly will wear a dust mask when sanding. That would be pretty nasty in my lungs or throat.



this would explain why you broke out in a nasty rash.. walnut is a skin irritant, me it irritates my sinuses.. the root wood could be your problem! 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis30.pdf

this is a good reference for know wood allergies.

Yew must be some bad stuff???

http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-allergies-and-toxicity/


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## robert flynt (Jul 8, 2013)

Dog gone Kevin that looks miserable. Was told that our indian ancestors used green walnut hull beaten into a pulp to harvest fish to eat. After reading this I'm begining to believe it.
Robert


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 9, 2013)

[attachment=27387]

Here is my arm today. Really blistered bad. Have had several large blisters that have popped. Its pretty nasty. Thanks for the info and concern everybody. Definitely gotta take some precautions when working with this wood.

I spread the chips on some old shrubs that I can't get to die. Roundup won't kill them. We'll see if walnut does. Just trying to educate everyone.


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## FloridaQuacker Game Calls (Jul 9, 2013)

That looks_ annoying_..... to say the least.


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## WoodLove (Jul 9, 2013)

Sorry to hear how bad the reaction is. I have asthma and when I turn monkey pod it rips me a new one....... Hope you get well soon.


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## NYWoodturner (Jul 9, 2013)

Damn Kevin - that really sucks. When I have a bad reaction to a wood one time I leave it alone. African Pear and Avocado are on my "never again list". I have never had a skin reaction but had bad respiratory reactions. It's just not worth the misery and aggravation. Be careful if you do decide to re-engage the wood. In my mind if you have a topical reaction it will react the same in your lungs. It's no freakin fun. That may not be true, but worth the consideration. Heal swiftly my friend and proceed cautiously .
Scott


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## rdnkmedic (Jul 10, 2013)

All this came from the root ball. When I do try to work it again I will be dressed in a hazmat suit. Gonna let this heal though. it will be a while before I try it again. the logs are at the sawmill and we are sawing tomorrow. Hopefully the logs are not as bad as the root. thanks for everybody's concern. Will post pics of the sawing process. I agree that I don't want this in my lungs. Anybody want a nice chunk of poison walnut?


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## sbwertz (Jul 10, 2013)

The problem with walnut shavings and horses, it that a chemical in the shavings reacts with the urine and causes laminitis (founder.)


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## HomeBody (Aug 15, 2013)

I'll throw this out just for the heck of it. Poison oak/ivy is one plant that walnut will not effect with the juglone. Poison ivy roots, which are very much an irritant could have been growing around the walnut root ball. What I'm trying to say is you may have poison ivy...the blisters sure look like it. Buy some Tec-Nu poison ivy remover at the Walmart and give it a shot. It might be worth a try. Gary


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## Treecycle Hardwoods (Aug 15, 2013)

HomeBody said:


> I'll throw this out just for the heck of it. Poison oak/ivy is one plant that walnut will not effect with the juglone. Poison ivy roots, which are very much an irritant could have been growing around the walnut root ball. What I'm trying to say is you may have poison ivy...the blisters sure look like it. Buy some Tec-Nu poison ivy remover at the Walmart and give it a shot. It might be worth a try. Gary



very interesting.


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## rdnkmedic (Aug 15, 2013)

I am extremely allergic to all the poisons (Ivy, oak, and sumac) Have been all my life. If this had been poisin ivy I would have had to go to the doctor to get rid of it because of the surface area it was coverung. Actually ran it's course in about a week. Then my arm peeled and now everything is good. Poison ivy on me left untreated or with minimal treatment will last 3 weeks. Been there too many times. I really think it was a reaction to the walnut root ball and the juglone. Just didn't feel like poison ivy. I've been to that rodeo many times.


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## HomeBody (Aug 16, 2013)

Glad it healed. I'm glad to know that the juice in walnut roots is an irritant. I'd heard of juglone and knew it knocked out some plants but didn't know it could knock you out too. You could actually see "black juice" seeping from the lower cracks of the last walnut root ball I messed with. Mother nature can whip up some nasty stuff. Gary


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## Schroedc (Sep 9, 2013)

rdnkmedic said:


> I am extremely allergic to all the poisons (Ivy, oak, and sumac) Have been all my life. If this had been poisin ivy I would have had to go to the doctor to get rid of it because of the surface area it was coverung. Actually ran it's course in about a week. Then my arm peeled and now everything is good. Poison ivy on me left untreated or with minimal treatment will last 3 weeks. Been there too many times. I really think it was a reaction to the walnut root ball and the juglone. Just didn't feel like poison ivy. I've been to that rodeo many times.



Good to know. I react to some of the rosewoods but not all of them. I've got a big walnut tap root waiting to be blocked and roughed out. Guess I'll put on the Tyvek suit that day and keep some Benadryl around


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## rdnkmedic (Sep 9, 2013)

Good idea on the Tyvek. it was not a fun expeience. Also need to wear a mask so you dont breathe it. I was miserable for better than a week.


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