The Importance of Indoor Air Quality to Pulmonary Health

There are airborne causes behind the many diseases that affect the respiratory tract, such as the common cold and life-threatening diseases such as adverse forms of pneumonia.  Improving the air quality of a home or workplace is one of the many ways to guarantee long-term pulmonary health. 

Poor interior air quality, especially where household molds are involved, aggravates allergies and asthma symptoms.  Worse, poorly cleaned ventilation systems can contribute to the growth of airborne pathogens that lead to conditions like legionnaire's disease, which can be contagious enough to infect an entire building.  In extreme cases, buildings with abysmal air quality will develop sick building syndrome, where occupants would experience a sharp and usually poorly understood decline in health merely by being in the building.

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Improving indoor air quality relies on accomplishing three things: inhibiting the growth of bacteria and other pathogens, removing airborne pollutants and contaminants, and providing adequate ventilation.  Measures often involve keeping the HVAC system clean and free from mold and sources of contaminants.  Proper maintenance can also prevent the spread of pathogens by preventing the conditions that foster their growth. 

Other means of maintaining good air quality is inhibiting the growth of mold by maintaining  low humidity and regularly cleaning surfaces prone to mold infestation.  Yet another is placing indoor plants;  not only do houseplants contribute to the aesthetic quality of a home or office, some of them actively absorb significant amounts of atmospheric pollutants from the air.

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Dr. Lisa Marie Cannon is a pulmonologist who specializes in diagnosing, treating, and managing respiratory conditions like pneumonia.  Visit this Facebook page for more updates.