Huffing Dust Spray: Bone Disease Adds Up To Its Adverse Effects

It is a common knowledge that inhaling dust spray can be addictive. During the past years, there have been numerous cases of such act. But not known to many, being "high" is not the lone effect of huffing dust spray. Bone disease can be one of its harmful consequences as well. Just recently, a man in New England developed a condition rarely seen in U.S.A.

According to Live Science, the man's case began in 2010. He sought medical help after experiencing hip pain, trouble moving, and enlargement of bones in his hands. He had been healthy before all these, and the problem went on for about two years.

It turned out that the man had skeletal fluorosis, a disorder caused by too much fluoride. The man's torso was tilted to the left as he walked and there was a limited mobility in his hip joint. Likewise, his bones expanded a lot and became deformed. These are symptoms of the said disease and a test showed that his blood has high levels of fluoride.

The man's case rarely occurs in Europe and America, for the condition is only rampant in countries where the drinking water has naturally high levels of fluoride. The man's drinking water had normal fluoride levels; hence the doctors could not identify the cause of his illness.

Meanwhile, Dr. Joseph Tucci found a report about a similar case in 2008. It was about a man who crashed his car due to being high from inhaling dust spray. Instead of healing properly, he experienced rapid formation of bones around some of his bones and even in soft tissue.

Tucci was the endocrinologist who treated the man with the rare bone disease. Upon asking his patient, he found out that the man had the habit of huffing dust spray for about three to four years. The dust spray has difluoroethane, which is a compound made of hydrogen, carbon, and fluorine. Scientific studies have shown that the breakdown of difluoroethane in the body may lead to fluoride production. This explains why the man developed the bone disease while living in a country where it is not widespread.

Meawhile, as mentioned earlier, there are numerous cases of skeletal fluorosis in countries where there are high levels of fluoride in the drinking water. Among those countries are China and India; and just recently, NDTV reported that 36 sufferers have already died in Jharkhand. It was 1998 when the first signs of the illness emerged in the village. But as of writing, the deaths do not end.

The aforementioned data may serve as a reminder to all regarding huffing dust spray. Bone disease development is among its harmful consequences that can make numerous people suffer and even die.