What are the effects of air pollution on your lungs?

The effect that air pollution has on your lungs depends on the type and mix of pollutants in the air, the concentration of pollutants and how much of the pollutant gets down into your lungs.

If you’re exposed to high pollution levels, for example on a busy road or during a high pollution episode, you may experience immediate symptoms. These include irritated airways, feeling out of breath and coughing.

If you have a lung condition, high levels of pollution can also cause an exacerbation of your symptoms, such as an asthma attack or a COPD flare-up. People with asthma may notice that they need to use their reliever inhaler more than normal when pollution is high.

Does air pollution cause lung conditions?

Yes, research suggests that long-term exposure to air pollution can contribute to the development of some lung conditions. There’s good evidence that outdoor air pollution contributes to lung cancer, and it’s possible that long-term exposure to air pollution is linked to the development of asthma.

Research also shows that if children are exposed to air pollution for a long period of time, it can affect how their lungs develop.

With 2.51 million deaths in 2015, India has been ranked Number 1 in pollution related deaths, according to a report by The Lancet Commission on pollution and health.

What can I do about it?

The World Health Organization states that 92% of people worldwide are exposed to air pollution levels that exceed guideline levels. While it is difficult to substantially reduce your exposure to air pollutants, there are a number of things that may help:

1. AIR PURIFIER — Air purifiers are a staple in many urban homes. Although it might seem counter intuitive, it’s a good idea to turn off your air purifiers regularly to air out your home. Choose a day of low pollution and then open the windows one room at a time for at least 10 minutes, before sealing them shut and switching those purifiers back on. Doing so will allow stale air from the previous day out and allow relatively clean air back in.
   
2. RESPIRATOR — Proper respirator masks make a seal with the face and have a filter to prevent contaminated air entering your mouth or nose.
   
3. MEDICINES — With the use of herbal extracts present in Anti Pollution Lung -KR helps to keep our lungs strong to fight off effects of air pollution.