Every time you breathe, you unknowingly inhale tiny microparticles that may harm your lungs. Air pollution has been one of the growing health challenges in all developing cities. From fogs and vehicle fumes to industrial emissions, air pollution can pose a significant threat to your lungs without your notice.

Air pollution can lead to issues such as respiratory and cardiovascular disorders, especially affecting the function of lungs. Therefore, the number of people who experience lung problems due to air pollution has significantly increased. But are you aware of the common lung problems people are facing today? In this blog, let’s see the common lung issues, symptoms, and how air pollution affects the lungs.

What Are The Common Lung Problems People Are Facing Today?

Having a cold for a long period of time might be an underlying lung condition. People who live in cities or areas with high air pollution exposure might have the following common lung problems:

Continuous, dry cough that persists for a long period of time.
Shortness of breath after just walking or climbing stairs.
Frequent tiredness even after doing minimal physical activity.
A feeling of heaviness in your chest after visiting polluted areas.
Improper sleep because of a blocked nose or breathing issues.

What Are The Warning Symptoms You Should Never Ignore?

Symptoms are usually your body’s call for help. Finding them at the early stage can help prevent any conditions from worsening, especially lungs infection.

Frequently coughing for over three weeks.
Hard to breathe even while resting or doing light physical activities.
Chest pressure or tightness.
Whistling or wheezing sound while breathing.
Difficulty sleeping because of shortness of breath.
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded without any physical activity.

If you notice any of the above symptoms, it is important that you act smart. If these persist, give a quick visit to the best lungs specialist in Coimbatore for detecting these issues at an early stage and preventing future complications.

How Are Lungs Affected By Air Pollution?

Whenever you breathe in, you inhale not only oxygen but also other substances. Because the air carries tiny, invisible particles like dust, smoke, chemicals, and more. These are usually very small to even notice, but they could go deeper into your lungs when you breathe in. Based on the study by the World Health Organization (WHO), exposure to high levels of tiny pollutants from air pollution can result in reduced lung function.

Difficulty Breathing: It will become challenging to breathe, specifically for people who have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), asthma, and other lung disorders.
Airways Irritation: Pollution causing substances may lead to irritation and dryness in your nasal passage, lungs, and throat. You might experience a burning sensation or frequent coughing.
Prolonged Lungs Damage: Frequent exposure to air pollution might reduce the function of lungs and might cause conditions like COPD.
Lung Infection: Affected lungs have a higher chance of getting infections like pneumonia or bronchitis.
Provoking Existing Conditions: Individuals who have heart issues, asthma, or allergies might notice their symptoms worsen at places that have poor air quality.

When Should You Consult A Specialist?

Whenever you are continuously exposed to polluted air, consulting a specialist can help avoid any serious complications. You should seek a specialist if:

You have low stamina and less exercise tolerance for a long time.
You feel short of breath even after mild household activities.
You have frequent throat infections.
You feel more pressure in your chest without doing any heavy work.
Seasonal infections stay longer than usual.
You feel respiratory discomfort during early mornings and nights.

If any of these occur, consult a specialist without any second thoughts so that they can assess your lung function at the early stage and provide appropriate care.

How To Protect Your Lungs From Air Pollution?

You may not be able to ignore air pollution entirely, but there are ways you can reduce your exposure. You can:

Wear a mask to filter out the harmful particles in the air.
Make sure to check the quality of the air in your city before going out. If the air quality is worse, avoid going out.
Prevent the outdoor air pollutants from entering your house or vehicle.
Avoid busy roads and take quieter roads to avoid inhaling excessive polluted air.
Avoid burning plastic related substances, as they might emit toxic gas.

How To Improve Air Quality In Your Home?

You might not be able to control the air pollution in your city. But you can keep the air quality of your home clean to avoid any lung related issues. Utilize exhaust fans in your bathrooms and kitchens, clean regularly instead of using chemical room sprays, grow air purifying plants, and utilize an air purifier. Doing so can help you improve the air quality in your home.

Who Should Be More Careful Of Air Pollution?

Almost everyone should be careful of air pollution. But the most vulnerable people to air pollution are

Elderly people, because the function of lungs declines with age.
Kids, as their lungs are very sensitive and still developing.
Women who are pregnant, because poor air quality may affect both the mother’s and the baby’s lungs.
Pollution may trigger attacks on people who have conditions like COPD or asthma and already existing lung conditions.
Delivery agents, traffic police, and other outdoor workers are highly prone to air pollution.

Conclusion

Air pollution has always been a bigger concern across the world. With increasing construction, traffic, and industrial activities, the air we breathe is getting polluted every passing day. Although in our busy lives, we might not see it, those tiny harmful particles in the polluted air can enter our lungs with every single breath.

Over time, this might result in serious lungs damage. In case you have frequent coughing or breathing problems, you can consult a specialist at the best pulmonology hospital in Coimbatore for expert diagnosis and treatment.