second hand smoke and car fumes - Asthma Message Board

superattackpea · 08-17-2008, 08:55 PM

I hope i'm just being a hypochondriac but i'll ask anyway.

today i rode in the passenger seat of a car with someone who smokes, he had either five or six cigarrettes total on the trip and i was wondering if this will cause me any permanent damage, im not sure if it makes any difference or not but we both had our windows down. i should also mention i'm asthmatic.

our destination was the praking lot outside a racecar track (settin up a booth for the military). we weren't around for the actual race but im still wondering how bad it was for my health being there for seven hours with exhaust fumes from the carts they use to transport people back and forth along with the many smokers passing by there.

any insight you can offer is greatly appreciated as well as any tips repair whatever might have been harmed. thank you

Titchou · 08-18-2008, 05:38 AM

I'm not sure what you mean by permanent damage other than perhaps wondering if it raises your risk of any diseases. Most likely not. And if you didn't have an attack while all this was going on, then I would think no also.

superattackpea · 08-18-2008, 07:18 AM

i'm most concerned about any permanent damage to my lungs, such as the tar impairing my breathing and what not. I like to run and swim and the thought of not being able to breath as well affecting those activities doesn't sit well with me.

gcsjr · 08-18-2008, 11:20 AM

It sounds like your exposure was minimal - the second hand smoke from someone who smoked 5 cigarettes with the windows down would be negligible and your exposure to exhaust while being outside at the track would also be minimal.

The chances or there being any permanent damage are pretty much zero.

engineer1961 · 08-19-2008, 10:30 PM

Honestly if you didn`t have an attack in the car you`re fine ....possibly a little stressed from the sounds of it. Have you ever been at a party or in an enclosed bar when people where smoking ...same thing as long as it`s not frequent exposure it shouldn`t be lasting .....