Hi there, I'm not sure if this is the
appropriate section, but I think it is the
closest. Anyways, I've always had asthma,
and about 2 months ago, I was in my
Mechanics class welding. So in welding,
there are 2 gas containers 1 with oxygen
and one with sedoline gas. Upon igniting,
sedoline is set in a higher ration than
oxygen, and when on fire, at first, it is
a the typical yellow flame but coming out
of it, is what my teacher explained as
carbon, it was in form of black smoke
particles and some were even peices (like
small flakes) of carbon. He warned us that
it can cause cancer, so when seeing all
the carbon in the air, I pretty much tried
to hold my breahte as much as possible
every class. Going back to the process of
welding, after you get the yellow flame
right at the start, you make then flame go
blue by adding oxygen.
Anyways, there are vents in the pretty
much enclosed room (it has a opened door).
But obviously the vent is absolutely not
strong enough, as i can still see quite a
bit of carbon flying around. I was welding
for about 3 classes (exactly an hour each)
or so, in the same carbon filled
environment. After the 3rd or 4th class i
had, not sure, i came home and coughed
quite a bit and my lungs hurted a little
when i coughed. And I had some fleme as
well, just pretty much the same kind of
stuff as it would be when my asthma would
act up.Then after a few days after, i had
tightness of breath (feels sort of tight
in my throat when inhaling. Anyways, as a
few days went by and using the Symbicort
inhaler, all those problems were gone.
However, i began feeling pain in my rib
cage area. It came occasionally, didn't
hurt more if I breathed or move or
anything, just came occasionally. There
were about 10 different spots around the
sides and the front of my rib cage which
were the only spots that hurted. The pain
came ocasionally at one sometimes 2 spots
at a time. for the first month or so, it
rarely came, unless I go near car exhuasts
and what not, then I feel a bit more pain
then usually for that 1 day or so (not
really sure about this, but I sort of
guessing since it has been a while
already. So if you calculated it, it has
been around a little less than 2 months
since the pain began. But more recently,
about 2 weeks I'm thinking, the pain has
begun going to my back rig cage area more
often. And soon, the pain became much more
frequent and obvious as of late. In the
first month, usually if I was doing
something and ignoring it, I usually
didn't feel any pain the entire time. But
now, even if I try to ignore it, I still
feel it. I went to the doctor aobut 2
weeks ago, telling him i had a little bit
of coughing and barely but so fleme adn
that my lungs hurted(wrong word, should
have said rib cage) and he told me to
continue the inhlaer for aout 10 days
along with some antibiotics. I'm almost
done my pills now, so I looked up the
internet cause i was worried. I found that
there was a problem similar to mine
Costochondritis. I looked at a picture of
it and it showed where it afects. Those
areas also affect me. But then I didn't
think it could be my problem, knowing that
I had pain a lot else where in my rib cage
area.
Sorry for such the long read, but
please give me some advise and as to what
you think this may be. I am not sure if
this has to do with the carbon inhalation
in the first place, or it may be a
coincidence that it occured the same time
as me welding.
SOmethings to note: It has been going on
for almost 2 months now and still going.
Also note that: About 50 others of my
grade have also participated in this
welding course, and continuing it (I think
the welding course is about 10- 15 classes
to finish, but I stopped at around 3-4. It
appears no one else has issues in that
same poorly vent room. Also, even with my
new pain areas in my back, it is still the
same few spots that are hurting.
** In all areas where i feel the pain,
when i apply pressure on it, it alwasy
works. Also, sometimes when in do apply
pressue in those areas, I can feel that
area hurting when i touch it.. Think of it
as the same as touching a bruise.
Given the symptoms you describe (chest
pain on touch), you could be experiencing
costochondritis or maybe a slight case of
myositis. Costochondritis or myositis are
usually due to trauma or a viral
infection. Painkillers (NO ASPIRIN because
of the asthma) like acetaminophen can
help. The cough you are experiencing can
be due to your pre-existing condition
(asthma). You should continue taking your
anti-asthma medicines regularly. It
doesn’t seem to me that your symptoms
are due to some poisoning with carbon
dioxide.
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