08/18/2020 / By Divina Ramirez
The term “air pollution” often conjures up images of industrial factories, smoke-belching cars and roaring bush fires. But the air inside our homes can also become just as polluted, albeit in a deadlier sense.
Experts from the Global Healing Center maintain that indoor air pollution poses a much bigger problem because of its silent and often undetectable nature. In fact, indoor air pollution has been found to cause a range of health problems, from headaches to cancer.
Indoor air pollution can have both short-term and long-term effects on human health, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In fact, indoor air pollution is one of the leading causes of disease and premature death in developing countries.
For the most part, this can be attributed to the simple fact that indoor air pollutants are a lot more difficult to detect prior to them causing significant and adverse health problems and issues.
Here is a run-through of the reported health risks of both acute and prolonged exposure to indoor air pollutants:
Immediate effects
Long-term effects
Take note that although immediate effects are treatable, acute exposure to indoor air pollution can still heighten the risk of chronic conditions, such as heart disease later on.
The effects of exposure might also be amplified in people with preexisting lung conditions like bronchitis and asthma.
For these reasons, it is important to identify sources of indoor air pollution and eliminate these pollutants as soon as possible.
Certain items or substances in the home can emit gases or release particles that contribute to indoor air pollution. Get rid of them as soon as possible to minimize the risk of exposure to indoor air pollution and its related health risks.
Using the right strategies, it’s possible to curb the problem of indoor air pollution and minimize the risk of health issues connected to it. Here are five doable measures that people can take to reduce or eliminate indoor air pollution and avoid its adverse effects on health:
It might be impossible to avoid exposure to indoor air pollutants 100 percent, but people can take certain steps to minimize their risk of exposure. (Related: The 4 best plants that clean your indoor air.)
Read more articles about the health risks and potential consequences of exposure to indoor air pollution at Pollution.news.
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Tagged Under: asthma, Bronchitis, chemicals, environment, heart disease, prevention, respiratory diseases, tips, toxins