What is indoor pollution, and how can it worsen your Asthma?

While pollution outdoors poses a significant health risk for people, worsening indoor air quality has also gradually become a pressing issue that needs to be addressed. Annually, almost 4 million deaths are attributed to indoor air pollution worldwide, and in India specifically, approximately 4-6% of the national burden of disease is attributed to indoor air pollution as the major risk factor. It’s quite a startling reality, given that with the current escalations in pollution outdoors, across the country, human instinct would be to stay indoors.

Present in most enclosed spaces like work, school, malls, restaurants and even your home, indoor air pollution can be in the form of particulate matter like soot and dust mites or gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide that are emitted from cooking, heating, or cleaning solutions. And while poor indoor air quality can affect anyone, those with lung conditions like asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) are more vulnerable to its adverse effects.

Dr. Rohit Kumar, Associate Professor & Head - Dept. of Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine shares inputs.

Indoor Air Pollution & Asthmatics

While over- and continuous exposure to air pollutants can cause irreversible lung damage and are a risk factor for chronic inflammatory lung disorders such as COPD, it is not a direct cause of asthma. However, what it does do is irritate the airways and cause exacerbations of asthma symptoms like coughing, wheezing, chest pain and shortness of breath.

For people with asthma, the airways of the lungs are inflamed and swollen, making them a little more sensitive when exposed to allergens, pollutants, and irritants. Therefore, when an already vulnerable respiratory tract is exposed to triggers common in indoor air pollution, it can cause the airway to swell further, increasing the production of mucus and causing the space for air to pass freely to be reduced even more. This leads to further worsening of lung function, where symptoms like shortness of breath and wheezing increase rapidly. In fact, depending on the severity of your condition, extent of exposure, and if not controlled in time, it can exacerbate into an asthma attack where the breathing tubes in your airways narrow to the point that it becomes a life-threatening emergency, which could lead to hospitalisation.

Identifying Potential Indoor Air Pollutant Sources

Using biomass fuels (such as wood, crop waste, charcoal, coal, and dung) and kerosene while cooking is a common source of indoor air pollution in India and poses significant health risks. In addition to these, there are other sources such as smoke from tobacco or e-cigarette smoking in enclosed spaces, fumes from chemical-based household cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners. In fact, common household products such as dhoop, incense sticks, and mosquito coils emit higher levels of respirable particulate matter (PM), which can accumulate over time, causing respiratory illnesses and can be fatal for asthmatics.

In addition to this, biological pollutants such as dust mites, mould, pollen, infectious agents produced in stagnant water, mattresses, and carpets can all contribute to an increase in asthma symptoms.

Managing indoor pollution-related asthma triggers

Prevention and precaution are critical for those suffering from asthma. Therefore, while awareness and avoiding triggers, as well as a continuous effort to minimise pollution levels indoors, are important, consulting a doctor to control and manage your condition is of critical importance. In fact, since asthma triggers can change over time, putting an action plan in place in consultation with the doctor is crucial to make sure that the treatment is relevant and sufficient for your existing condition.

The prescribed treatment plan may vary across patients depending on the severity of their condition and exposure to pollutants. However, the delivery of drugs by inhalation is an integral component in combating asthma triggers and managing the condition. Patients are prescribed different types of inhalers according to their condition, which could include.

Long–term control medications, such as inhaled corticosteroids, which are preventive medications used daily to treat airway inflammation and reduce flare-ups and Quick relief or Rescue inhalers, which, as the name suggests, are meant to rescue you from a sudden attack or flare-up and contain fast-acting medication, used as needed to open airways

Furthermore, below are some additional tips to keep asthma under control in an indoor environment:

1. Wear a mask if there is a high concentration of asthma triggers such as moulds, dust mites, etc.

2. Ensure, as far as possible, that any indoor space is well ventilated, especially your home

3. Ensure leaks and water damage are fixed on time to avoid mould buildup and reduce humidity

4. Keep cooking and heating appliances serviced regularly, while also ensuring all vents and chimneys are open and clear while

Cooking exhaust fans can help, too

5. Avoid enclosed spaces where smoking is allowed and keep your home smoke-free

6. Vacuum regularly

7. Use allergy-free or chemical-free products – these products have lower VOCs (Volatile organic compounds) and are usually

fragrance free

8. Use solid or liquid cleaning products – these products, unlike spray, won’t get into the air, making it less easy to be inhaled

9. Ensure all bedding, draperies and carpets are washed regularly

10. Air purifiers and dehumidifiers can also be used to reduce the presence of possible triggers

Disclaimer

Note: This information is only for general awareness and is not to promote, use, or endorse any product or encourage use of medicines in any way, nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice or for treatment/ cure of any medical condition. Please consult your doctor/ Registered Medical Practitioner before starting any treatment/medicine. Use inhalers only on a physician’s prescription.