Wood Allergy
From BME Encyclopedia
In some cases individuals will be allergic to certain types of (usually tropical) wood. If this occurs there will be some swelling, redness, irritation, and the skin may try and retract away from the jewelry. There's nothing you can generally do to "improve" this so if this happens to you take out the jewelry and try a different kind of wood or metal (note: desensitization does sometimes happen, but as it is simple to swap materials, many feel it's not worth the risk).
Wood allergies can also severely affect people manufacturing wood jewelry since they may breathe in the dust which may be carcinogenic and often causes allergic reactions. If you notice swelling or stiffness in your hands, perhaps associated with a "heavy feeling" in your arms, severe headaches and visual disturbances, a rapid pulse, dysphagia, and diarrhea after working with a certain kind of wood, get away from that wood!
Take large amounts of fluid and you should be fine after a while. See a doctor if symptoms persist, but fatalities are extremely rare with this type of allergy.
