Pollution & Health: How to Overcome the Odds?

15 Apr 2022 Health Care

India was recently ranked as the 5th country in terms of its contribution to pollution by IQAir. These rankings clearly show that you cannot ignore the impacts of air pollution on health and quality of life. Pollution seems to contribute to an assortment of health conditions. Pollution can affect your health in many ways, from stroke, heart disease, severe cardiovascular disorders, to mild breathing difficulties, among others. Harmful particles and gases present in the air can come from many different sources like tobacco smoke, smoke emerging from burning gas or coal, and exhaust fumes coming from vehicles.

While India stands 5th in the list of most polluted countries in the world, the Tricity area faces a lethal threat as the most polluted Indian cities are in or around Punjab and Haryana. Tricity must gear up for the climate threats and repercussions that follow. Here is a comprehensive guide on how air pollution affects your health:

Types of Pollution that Target your Health

Pollution is made up of tiny particles that could either be artificial or natural. The spectrum of potential pollutants includes both that can affect your health both indoors and outdoors.

Outdoor pollution can be made up of:

  • particles coming from burning gas and coal
  • harmful gases, like sulfur dioxide or nitrogen oxides
  • ground-level ozone
  • tobacco smoke

Indoor pollution can be made up of:

  • tobacco smoke
  • mould
  • pollen
  • building materials like asbestos or lead
  • harmful gases like radon or carbon monoxide
  • household chemicals

As per the guidelines issued by World Health Organization, the possible pollutants that can pose the greatest risk to your health are:

  • particulate matter
  • pollutants that comprise liquid droplets and suspended solids
  • ozone
  • sulfur dioxide
  • nitrogen dioxide

Short-term exposure

Short-term exposure to any kind of pollution could affect your internal organs and inhibit their natural function. For example, air pollution can greatly affect your respiratory system since the pollutants first enter the body via the airways.

Short-term vulnerability to pollution can lead to many disorders, including reduced lung function and respiratory infection. It can even aggravate asthma for people who are suffering from the condition.

Exposure to other pollutants such as sulfur dioxide can cause damage to your skin, respiratory tract, and eyes.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Exposure to minute pollutants can also induce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As per the WHO, pollution is the main source of 43% of all COPD-related deaths and cases throughout the world. COPD is a set of diseases that forces breathing-related problems, such as chronic bronchitis and emphysema. These conditions have the potential to block your airways and can make breathing challenging. To detect signs and symptoms of COPD early, you should get tested in Helix Pathlabs Mohali regularly as COPD is not treatable, but with timely treatment, you can quickly reduce the symptoms. 

Lung cancer

As per the stats released by WHO, air pollution causes up to 29% of all lung cancer-related deaths and cases. Particle pollutants are probable to significantly contribute to these numbers as due to their small sizes, they can easily get to the lower respiratory tract and pose a health hazard. 

Summary

Punjab reported up to 41,090 deaths due to exposure to air pollution in 2019. Recent research shows that if you live in an area that witnesses a higher level of pollution, you may find yourself at an increased health risk. Prolonged exposure to pollutants can result in a myriad of health concerns, from strokes and heart attacks to inducing asthma.

Pollution can be extremely harmful to you and your family’s health. You should ensure that you visit your doctor regularly for health checkups and get regular tests done in Helix Path Labs Mohali. With regular tests and checkups, you can reduce the chances of suffering from any health problems. You need to also check the quality of water, air, and noise levels in your local areas and stay updated on any current health conditions.

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