Effects of Poor Air Quality on Health and How to Protect Yourself

Poor air quality is a frequent environmental concern. When the air around you contains high levels of pollution, pollen, dust, or other particulates, you breathe those in along with the oxygen your body needs. Different levels of irritants in indoor and outdoor air can cause poor air quality symptoms that affect how you feel.

In Texas, air quality issues can be exacerbated by high levels of traffic exhaust, industrial fumes, weather changes, or wildfire smoke. Indoor air can be compromised by dust, mold, pet dander, or debris from construction or home improvement projects. ?

You can learn to anticipate the effects of air pollution and take steps to protect yourself.

Physical Symptoms of Bad Air Quality

Air pollution is linked to health issues. Breathing poor-quality air can cause irritation in your throat and lungs. You may feel like you’re getting sick, but symptoms improve if you move to an area with cleaner air.

Air quality can affect breathing, causing symptoms such as:

• Coughing and wheezing
• Shortness of breath
• Tight chest
• Headaches
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Allergies
• Skin issues/irritation
• Worsening of existing health conditions like COPD, chronic bronchitis, or heart disease
• Frequent asthma flare-ups

Factors Affecting Your Air Quality Symptoms

There are a number of reasons why you may experience symptoms of low air quality, such as the types of pollution in the air and your general health.

Poor Indoor and Outdoor Air Quality Exposure

Both outdoor and indoor air quality can affect how you feel, and the situation can be exacerbated in spaces with poor ventilation and high humidity.

Indoor air issues can cause headaches and tiredness. Symptoms improve when leaving the building.

Indoor pollutants include:

• Tobacco smoke
• Pet dander
• Mold
• Dust
• Radon
• Pollen
• Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) — chemicals found in paints, air fresheners, and cleaning supplies

Outdoor air quality often causes symptoms like eye irritation and chest discomfort.

Outdoor pollutants include:

• Pollen
• Automobile pollution
• Dust
• Wildfire smoke
• Industrial smoke or fumes

Seasonal and Weather Effects on Air Quality

Air quality can fluctuate. Certain times of year may present worse air quality due to weather, growing seasons of plants, or other environmental influences.

For example, during winter, heating systems that rely on burning wood or coal can emit soot and smoke into both indoor and outdoor air. Cold air traps pollutants, which can make air quality issues linger until temperatures rise.

Warmer temperatures and sunny conditions are associated with allergy season. Trees, weeds, and grasses release pollen throughout the spring, summer, and fall in Texas. The high humidity of Texas summers can lead to mold growth. Indoor mold can be highly allergenic, causing sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, skin rashes, or sore throat. A health care professional can help you get care for mold symptoms.

Windy conditions can spread dust, dirt, and pollen. Wind can even bring smoky conditions from wildfires that are hundreds of miles away, affecting air quality in regions that don’t face their own fire risks.

Length of Exposure to Unhealthy Air Quality

Short-term exposure to poor-quality air can be irritating, but the symptoms usually get better once you move to cleaner air. Over time, however, consistent exposure to pollutants in the air can lead to long-term health issues.

Immediate Effects

If you’re exposed to low-quality air for a few minutes or up to several hours, you may notice symptoms such as:?

• Itchy, reddened eyes
• Irritated nose and throat
• Coughing
• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Difficulty breathing

Short-Term Effects

If you spend 1 to 2 days in an environment with poor air quality, you may develop more serious symptoms, including:

• Asthma attacks
• Increased risk of heart attacks
• Bronchitis
• Reduced lung function

Long-Term Effects

Months or years of exposure to high levels of air pollution can result in severe health problems, such as:

• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
• Cardiovascular disease
• Stroke
• Lung cancer
• Skin cancer

High-Risk Individuals

Some people are more sensitive to the effects of low air quality, including:

• Children: Children breathe faster than adults, which means they inhale more pollutants per pound of body weight
• Older adults: Older people may have reduced lung function, which makes them more susceptible to air quality-related health issues.
• People with respiratory or heart conditions: Exposure to air pollution can exacerbate symptoms of heart and lung disease.
• Outdoor workers: Working outdoors in heat can increase symptoms.
• People with asthma: Breathing particulate matter can irritate the lungs and trigger asthma symptoms.

If your child is showing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, or other signs of exposure to poor air quality, you can seek medical advice from Next Level’s pediatric urgent care providers at a location near you. Our skilled staff can examine your child, perform any necessary x-rays on-site, and rule out other health conditions such as RSV.

How To Protect Yourself From Air Pollution

You can protect yourself from air pollution by limiting outdoor exposure on low-quality days by taking steps when air quality is unhealthy:

• Monitor indoor and outdoor air quality: Air quality is measured on a scale from 0 to 300. Anything below 50 on the Air Quality Index (AQI) is considered good air quality. Many weather apps and websites list outdoor AQI. You can purchase test kits that measure indoor air pollutants such as VOCs, mold, formaldehyde, and CO₂.
• Improve indoor air quality: Minimize the chance of letting outdoor pollutants in by keeping windows closed. Use air purifiers with HEPA filters to reduce indoor pollutants like dust, mold, and pet dander. Allergy-friendly plants can act as natural air filters, as well.
• Tips for protection: If you have to be outdoors during bad AQI days, wear a mask to filter out pollutants. In addition, you can support your respiratory health by staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest, quitting smoking or vaping, and exercising regularly.

Pay attention to symptoms, especially in children, older adults, or people with underlying health conditions. Move to cleaner air if you or your family start to show symptoms.

Find Relief for Symptoms Related to Poor Air Quality

If you or a loved one experiences symptoms such as persistent coughing, tightness in the chest, worsening asthma and allergies, eye and skin irritations, or headaches, you should talk to a health care provider. Next Level Urgent Care has locations in Houston, Austin, and San Antonio where we can help you find relief for symptoms related to poor or unhealthy air quality.

If you or a loved one is experiencing chest pain or difficulty breathing, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital emergency room for immediate care.

All of our locations are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 7 days per week, so you can get care when you need it. Walk-ins are welcome, or check in with the Next Level mobile app.