Take a look at the material safety data sheet here. It sounds pretty serious.

[*:1b51383761]Avoid breathing vapors, or dusts. Use with adequate ventilation.
[*:1b51383761]First Aid measures: INHALATION: Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen.

-Jay

I have bad allergies and have had to take allergy medicine before I go to the gym or I will be hacking the stuff up all night.

"Avoid contact with eyes, skin, and clothes. Wash thoroughly after handling. Keep container closed."

As a climber and a pulmonologist I have looked into the issue of chalk dust and lung disease fiarly extensively.

Chalk dust (calcium carbonate) is considered to be a relatively inert when compared to very bioactive dusts such as asbestose and silica. It has been used in controlled experiments to assess the effect of inert dusts on the sinuses. This is appropriate since the particles are typically of larger size, very few of which make it past the naso/oropharynx. Chalk dust significantly impairs the ability of the nasal passages to clear secretions and results in increased congestion and discomfort. With regards to the effect of chalk on the lungs, there have been a few case reports (particularly in Japan) that have linked a few school teachers with interstitial lung disease to chalk exposure. They did this by measuring the amount of chalk in the teachers lungs on autopsy and comparing them to others with interstitial lung disease without chalk exposure. It's not surprising that there have been very few cases reported of chalk causing ILD (interstitial lung disease) due to its inertness. This makes it very similar to coal dust, where relatively large and constant exposures are needed to result in lung disease. This is very different from dusts like silica and asbestose where single large exposures have caused acute respiratory failure and death. Of course it's bad to make too many assumptions concerning the cimilarity of coal to chalk, however it's probably safe to say that ILD from chalk exposure would likely occur only after very prolonged and heavy exposure.

The issue with asthma is somewhat different. Upper/large airway exposure even to completely inert dusts has been shown to trigger asthma and COPD exacerbations. Every time SLC gets a big ugly inversion, I get multiple calls from many patients with exacerbations of their obstructive lung disease. This type of reaction can lead to chronic airway inflammation with potentially dire consequences if left unchecked, however the progression will not be asymptomatic.

With regards to wood dusts, the particles are relatively large and almost never get past the upper airways. Studies have shown an increase in the frequency of nasal/sinus adenocarcinomas, however the increased rate of laryngeal, tracheal and lung cancers is very small and orders of magnitude less than the risk due to smoking. It's odd how so many of the people I've diagnosed with lung cancer refuse to believe the effect of smoking cigarettes for 30 years is the cause rather than [insert conspiracy theory here].

My advise:
-use a chalk fan indoors
-climb outdoors more
-don't smoke

An evening at the gym with bad allergies turned into a funny story. I had taken my allergy meds but for some reason couldn't stop scratching my face, nose, etc. I walk into the bathroom and see my face beat red with rashes (from everywhere I had scratched w. chalk on my hands); I'm allergic to the chalk or something in it. :lol:

I also have bad allergies. Is there anything you do other than dose up on meds religiously before outdoor climbs? I have used Claritin for years, but was curious about the tablets you can take without water. I figure these might be a life saver if I get somewhere to climb and my allergies are just awful, pop one and I'm on my way (I get migranes that sneak up on me like that, ugh). I imagine they don't taste so hot but if they get the job done.

I'm sorry you've got bad allergies too :?

Claritin seems to work pretty well for me. That and a lot of liquids. I also try my best to stay out of small bouldering caves at the gym with lots of people and chalk floating around for long periods of time. I get up and move around as much as possible and get as much fresh air in between climbs as possible. I'm a boulderer but I've noticed rope climbing is much easier on my allergies.

Take a look at the material safety data sheet here. It sounds pretty serious.

[*:212dbe53d9]Avoid breathing vapors, or dusts. Use with adequate ventilation.
[*:212dbe53d9]First Aid measures: INHALATION: Remove to fresh air. If not breathing, give artificial respiration. If breathing is difficult, give oxygen.

-Jay