What health risks are caused by air pollution?
- Asthma attacks
- Heart conditions
- Lung disease
- Developmental damage
- Lung infection
- Increased COPD risks
- Lung tissue swelling and inflammation
- Wheezing, coughing, and other breathing problems
We know the air that we breathe is important, but have you ever considered the effects of air pollution on your body?
Air pollution is hard to avoid, but it leaves a big imprint on your health. The more we breathe in, the more the microscopic pollutants in the air penetrate our respiratory and circulatory systems, causing significant damage.
To help you understand just how severe these effects can be, we’ve put together a list of what health risks are caused by air pollution:
Asthma attacks
Breathing in all the dirt and tiny debris from polluted air can trigger asthma attacks. This is not only difficult on your lungs but can also result in more visits to the hospital, not to mention missed work or school.
Heart conditions
Particulate matter (PM) — extremely tiny pieces of solids or liquids that are in the air, such as soot and dust — can enter your bloodstream when you breathe them in. When it does, it can negatively affect how your blood vessels work and even speed up a condition called artery calcification.
When this happens, it can lead to a variety of heart conditions, including stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. For older people and pregnant women, this can be fatal, or lead to several other health complications.
Lung disease
Air pollution also greatly impacts your lung health, of course. Breathing in toxic substances, such as VOCs, can develop diseases such as emphysema, asthma, and even chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Certain PMs and gasses, such as nitrogen oxide, are also strongly linked to the development of chronic bronchitis.
Another serious health risk from being exposed to air pollution is lung cancer. The World Health Organization (WHO) stated that consistent exposure was one of the leading causes of lung cancer.
Developmental damage
Air pollution also severely affects children. Young ones who are exposed to air pollution can experience slowed and even stunted lung development. This creates many difficulties for them growing up and will harm their lung health and function later on as adults.
Lung infection
Children are also especially susceptible to lung infection when they are exposed to air pollution.
One of the most recent and prominent examples of this is the pandemic, where we saw a well-established connection between the quality of air and the risk of getting COVID-19.
Increased COPD risks
People with COPD struggle to breathe properly on a good day — so what more when they breathe in polluted air? This problem increases their risks and worsens their symptoms. They may even reach the point of hospitalization, if the air is that heavy with PM and other dangerous substances, such as mold spores and bacteria.
Lung tissue swelling and inflammation
Even people who normally have healthy and strong lungs can experience irritation and swelling when they breathe in polluted air. For those dealing with chronic lung diseases or conditions, such as COPD or asthma, the inflammation that they experience is especially painful and harmful.
Wheezing, coughing, and other breathing problems
Breathing problems such as wheezing, shortness of breath, persistent coughing, and more can be triggered by air pollution. Like the other health risks on this list, this can be the result of either long-term exposure, or short-term exposure to dust, debris, mold, and other particulates and pathogens in the air.
Whom does air pollution affect the most?
Air pollution can affect everyone’s health, but certain groups of people are more at risk:
- Young children and older adults.
- People with pre-existing lung conditions, such as COPD.
- People with pre-existing heart conditions.
How can you protect yourself from air pollution?
So, what is your best defense against air pollution? And how can you avoid having these pollutants enter your home or business?
Controlling the source — such as outdoor pollution from car emissions and smog — is possible if you have a well-ventilated space. This will allow fresh, clean air to cycle through the area.
However, this isn’t always possible. In that case, the right air purifier can help ensure that these dangerous particulates and pathogens in your indoor spaces are filtered out.
UV Care’s air purifiers with HEPA filters from the Philippines are the best possible choice for your home or business. Each air purifier in our line is fitted with either H13 or H14 filters, which are the highest HEPA ratings on the market and medical grade. We also use UV-C sterilization technology, specialized filters, and other devices to effectively clean your air!
Key Takeaway
What health risks are caused by air pollution? As we covered, it has several short- and long-term effects on your health, such as lung disease, asthma, and even cancer.
Breathing clean and safe air is more important than ever. Keep your air clean and your body healthy with UV Care – the top air purifier supplier in the Philippines! Our air purifiers are medical-grade, and come highly recommended by professionals as well as DepEd, DILG, DOT, DOH, and DTI for providing the best indoor air quality! Inquire here today to learn more.