Health News Desk: Due to cold weather and increasing pollution levels, the risk of respiratory infections has increased in the last few weeks. Worsening cases of upper and lower respiratory infections as well as bronchial asthma and COPD have also been observed. Due to the spread of respiratory germs, more people are becoming sick and needing hospital treatment.
Air pollution damages the main organs of our respiratory system: the lungs. Air pollution can trigger asthma attacks and make symptoms worse. Especially in children. Exposure to pollutants like diesel exhaust and tobacco smoke also increases the risk of lung cancer. When we spoke to Dr Hitesh Billa, Pulmonology Respiratory Medicine specialist, Apollo Clinic, Manikonda, he said that it not only affects the lungs but also increases the risk of lung cancer. but also affects our cardiovascular system. Heart diseases are very common due to air pollution. It increases blood pressure which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as: coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, heart failure, stroke and sudden cardiac death.
Other health effects caused by air pollution are:
Neurological issues: Air pollution can increase the risk of diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Cognitive problems: Especially in children, exposure can affect brain development, leading to lower IQ and poor academic performance.
Reproductive health: Pollution can cause problems like infertility, miscarriage and low birth weight.
Cancer: Air pollution is linked to a higher risk of cancers such as bladder and breast cancer.
Our vulnerable populations, i.e. children and the elderly, are more likely to be exposed to diseases caused by air pollution. Children are at greater risk because of developing lungs and immune systems. Older adults, especially those with heart or lung disease, are also more vulnerable. People with health conditions such as asthma, COPD or heart disease may have more severe symptoms due to air pollution.
As air pollution is increasing, it is very important to focus on mitigation strategies. Encourage clean fuels, electric vehicles and public transportation to reduce pollution
Create green space by planting trees to clean the air.
Also read: Brain will become active by exercising only two days a week, diseases will also stay away.
Educate and encourage the population to use renewable energy sources like solar and wind to reduce emissions
Also read: The risk of heart diseases will reduce, just reduce this one thing in your diet.
Educating people about the health risks of air pollution.
We can protect our health and create a clean, healthy environment for future generations.
