If you’ve started feeling unwell after digging out your winter duvet, you could be suffering from “feather duvet lung”, doctors have cautioned.
The warning comes after a 43-year-old man was treated with severe lung inflammation that developed soon after he bought feather-filled bedding.
Martin Taylor, now 45, experienced increased fatigue and breathlessness after purchasing the bedding in 2016. His symptoms impacted everyday activities, such as walking up the stairs at home.
“I started getting dizzy spells on exertion,” Taylor commented in the BMJ case report. “There was a rapid decline in my health and the lack of a diagnosis after four appointments at the GP surgery was extremely distressing at the time.” Related... My YuYu Long Hot Water Bottle Is Literally Like A Warm Hug After three months of ill health, a doctor referred Taylor to specialists at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. There, he was quickly diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) – an inflammation of the air-sacks, which can be caused by an allergy to breathing in dust from duck or goose feathers found in duvets and pillows.Symptoms of HP include a cough, shortness of breath and sometimes fever and joint pains, according to the
British Lung Foundation.
Sufferers may need to take anti-inflammatory medication for a few weeks or months. If they need to control the condition for longer, a doctor may recommend more drugs to reduce the risk of side effects associated with steroids.
The BMJ authors say it’s unknown how common HP caused by feather duvets is, because doctors rarely ask patients about feather bedding. Related... How Often Should You Wash Your Bedding? A Guide To Dirty Duvet Covers “Healthcare professionals are typically taught to ask patients with respiratory symptoms whether they have pets at home, such as birds, but [...] history taking does not usually extend to asking about feather exposure in duvets and pillows,” the authors said. “This is an important omission since the use of feather, rather than synthetic, bedding is common.”
Taylor was given steroids to ease the inflammation and told to revert to synthetic bedding. After 12 months, his symptoms cleared up completely.
Researchers are now using his story to raise awareness of bedding allergies and so-called “feather duvet lung”.
If you’ve experienced an unexplained change of health, it’s important to chat to your GP about your symptoms and any lifestyle changes you’ve made. READ MORE: Is Wine Making You Wheeze? How To Tell If You Have Sulphite Sensitivity What Is Anaphylactic Shock? Former 'This Morning' Producer Left With Brain Damage Due To Nut Allergy 'It’s Like Playing
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