Sinus Problems from Woodworking

[SteveA]

The more woodworking I do the more issues I have with sinus infections.  I notice that you wear a respirator now in most of your videos.  Do you have a similar sinus problem?

Other than a respirator, what can be done short of giving up my favorite hobby of woodworking?

 

 

[Beechwood Chip]

Dust collection is a serious matter.  I believe most people skimp on protection, but "best practice" is to handle dust in three ways:

1. At the tool, with a dust extractor or a dust collector
2. In the environment, with a whole shop air filter
3. At your face, with a respirator.

Not just for people with sinus problems - for people who don't want sinus problems down the road.

[Von]

Seconding Chip, I skimped on dust collection and a good respirator for far too long in my youth and I feel fortunate not to have any apparent ill effects. The three types he mentions are a good strategy. The only thing I would add would be to use not just a particulate filter but also a organic vapor respirator if you do finishing or otherwise work with anything noxious (I follow my nose, if it smells strongly I reach for the vapor filter).

[Mark J]

+1 

Each of the above is expensive, but important.  Unless you van work in the open air.

Also, if you have developed an allergy, it may be to a particular wood, which you could try to avoid.

[Tom King]

I'm 75 with completely clear lungs after making sawdust for over 50 years.  Respirators worked okay when I was younger and didn't have a beard.  Soon after I met the girl who has been my Wife for 45 years, she said she preferred it if I had a beard, since my shave stubble was very coarse.   I found out really quickly that a respirator doesn't work too good with a beard and started using supplied air any time there was dust.  I was lucky early back then that I found out I was allergic to red wood dust, even wearing a respirator while makes some handrailing out of Mahogany which gave me Asthma symptoms.  Supplied air solved the problem.

If you're showing any signs of irritation by sawdust, don't delay at doing something about it.  I've heard of more than a few who have COPD from working in sawdust environments.

Sanding dust is particularly bad.  I wear supplied air even though I do as much as possible sanding outside.  Most say it's too expensive.  Keeping your health in tip top shape offsets any cost.  At 75 I don't need and don't take any medications.  My Doctor said I was his only patient that didn't require some medication and he has a lot of them younger than me.  Everyone I know my age is on statins.  Nothing is more important than your health.  

[BillyJack]

On 11/17/2025 at 6:51 AM, SteveA said:

The more woodworking I do the more issues I have with sinus infections.  I notice that you wear a respirator now in most of your videos.  Do you have a similar sinus problem?

Other than a respirator, what can be done short of giving up my favorite hobby of woodworking?

 

 

Yes I have sinus problems. Still don’t wear anything 

[Beechwood Chip]

On 11/17/2025 at 9:27 AM, Tom King said:

Supplied air solved the problem.

What powered respirator do you use?  I also have a beard, and I tried a PAPR with a full face mask and the motor and battery on top of my head.  The weight on top of my head was a pain every time I moved my head, and I had to crank the head band really tight to keep the whole mess from shifting.  I'm ready to spring for a solution like yours.

I often work with an assistant (friend, shop buddy) and I find it's difficult to communicate while wearing a respirator.  I'm guessing the hood type like your might help with that, too.

[Tom King]

It's not a powered respirator.  That's not the same thing as supplied air.  No weight on head.  The air is supplied from a hose with the air pump somewhere upwind in clear air. 

Someone gave me two of those battery powered things from a closing school.  After the first afternoon, I just threw them away. Too uncomfortable on my neck.

It's loud in the hood.  I wear the earplugs that I always carry in a pocket.  I have a Bullard air pump and have used a small 120V air conditioner as the air source in hot weather.  In cold weather I have to wear a cap on my bald head under the hood.

https://www.grainger.com/product/3AM92?

There are smaller hoods and even face masks like a respirator but I prefer the lightweight Tyvek "disposable" (maybe every two years for me) hoods that the air pressure keeps completely up off my head.

I wear it when making any sawdust or spraying paint.  I don't do a lot of running around when making sawdust so the hose was pretty easy to get used to.  It's attached to a clip on belt that pulls the hose around so there is no pressure on your head.

It's blown off with compressed air when a job is finished and kept in a big plastic bin with a snap on lid when not in use.

I use a DC too, but have you ever been in a woodworking shop with a commercial DC system that didn't have sawdust all over everything?  They help and I wouldn't want to be without one, but don't trust my health to them.

Prices have gone nuts.  I think I bought this setup for $35 years ago, and the hoods alone went for less than 20 bucks.  You can probably still find them cheaper somewhere.  One of these hoods lasts me at least a couple of years. You only need to buy the rig with the belt once.  I add tear away face shields when I'm painting.  Paint spray buildup is usually the reason I replace one.

https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/9910-tyvek-supplied-air-respirator-hood-with-obac-fitting-belt-clip-suspension?

I used to always work with a couple of helpers but I never talk much anyway and am especially quiet when I'm working.  The guys got used to that quickly.  I mainly use hand signals when we are in the middle of running a batch of something.

[gee-dub]

People have differing sensitivities.  Like Von I did not take dust collection seriously enough early on.  I developed recurring ear and sinus infections.  I now take medications twice a day whether I am woodworking or not and probably will have to for the rest of my life.  Good collection at the source, good ambient scrubbers, and a respirator for when source collection is inadequate or unreasonable.

I use a Dylos DC1100 Pro.  When the numbers get too high I take a break and run the scrubbers, open doors, whatever.  I also have a gated DC duct port near the center of the ceiling.  If I get over-involved and let the air get too dirty I will open that, open a door, and kick on the cyclone.  That cycles the shop air pretty quickly. 

Lots of activities and hobbies have safety requirements.  Dust collection, chemical controls, and the associated PPE are part of the game.

[Ron Swanson Jr.]

@SteveA lots of great advice and perspective above. 

I can only add this much- one easy way to protect yourself from dust is not to create it in the first place. 

By which, I'm talking about hand tools of course. I started down the hand tool path a few years ago and while i do still use my machines, i don't use them nearly as much, and the volume of dust created is a fraction of what it once was. 

 

Good luck!

[SteveA]

Thanks for the many great suggestions !