Reasons why patients with lung diseases (COPD) need good indoor air quality

According to the World Health Organization, over 3.8 million people die a premature death resulting from illnesses that are linked to household air pollution.

Among these people, 20% suffers from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases (COPD).

COPD is a lung disease characterized as a chronic inflammatory response in the airways and the lung to noxious particles or gases.

Patients with COPD are susceptible to getting infected by any of viruses to the respiratory mucus cells and resistance of the immune system to combat the effects of pollutants when exposed to particle pollution.

Generally, the adverse effects on the health of air contaminants and toxic pollution greatly depend on the concentration of the pollutants as well as the amount of time the patient with COPD is exposed.

There are a lot of ways on how to prevent exacerbation of COPD, such as maintaining a good healthy habit by exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet, reduction of exposure to both indoor and outdoor pollution, and ensuring good indoor air quality.

To combat indoor pollution many people resort to indoor air purifying plants as well as air purifiers itself which to some extend helps in cleaning out the air.

Poor indoor air quality is linked to how it can impact a person’s health, ability to work, and comfort. It relates to the temperature, humidity, poor ventilation mold growth, or exposure to harmful chemicals.

Thus, a patient suffering from COPD should never be exposed to poor indoor air quality to prevent the disease from worsening. 

It prevents the disease from developing.

According to research, COPD or other chronic lung diseases are mainly caused by smoking or exposure to a high concentration of air pollution.

Therefore, ensuring that your surroundings are free from any harmful substances, especially at home where you usually spend most of your time, could prevent your disease from worsening, of course, if partnered with treatments.

It improves their overall well-being.

May it is a person with COPD or just mild lung disease, a good indoor air quality creates a positive impact on the patient by improving their overall mood.

If you are surrounded with good indoor air quality, you can breathe well because you feel refreshed and relaxed. Thus, it introduces a positive outlook in life rather than being stressed all day.

Once you have a positive mood, you will feel great and optimistic which helps with faster recovery.

You are able to breathe well.

A person suffering from COPD is expected to have long-term breathing problems. This is because of the obstructed airflow from the lungs.

If a patient is exposed to surrounding with poor air quality, his/her condition may worsen over time. The good indoor air quality will help ease this difficulty, thus providing the person relief.

It prevents the disease from triggering the symptoms.

Inhaling toxins from the air normally triggers a patient’s lung disease, especially COPD.

Thus, to prevent this from happening, you need to make sure that indoor air is free from contaminants such as dust, pollens, allergens, and smoke, which is the primary cause of developing or worsening COPD.

Allergens and certain air irritants can worsen sensitive lungs and trigger COPD symptoms.

It has a positive impact on a patient’s comfort.

Usually, a person suffering from a lung disease, such as COPD, feels uncomfortable.

But, with good indoor air quality in the environment, he/she will experience the utmost comfort – whatever he/she is doing. Trouble in breathing may affect his/her activities, such as studying or doing some work.

The case is different if he/she is in an environment that is free from any pollution. Therefore, it improves the patient’s productivity rather than feeling sad about their present condition.

People normally spend most of their time indoors, either at work, study or at home. Indoor air quality is particularly important in maintaining good health, especially for sensitive and more susceptible to pollution such as the children, the elderly ones, and those that are suffering from lung diseases such as COPD.

Keeping them safe and healthy means, you also need to secure and make their surroundings clean by ensuring good indoor air quality.

In achieving this, you need to have basic knowledge of the nature of indoor air quality – what improves them and what does not.

Through this, you will be able to understand what necessary steps you will take in keeping an ideal indoor air quality.

Although maintaining good indoor air quality cannot cure Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), it can provide you with great relief.