What are the Diseases Caused by Smog?

Smog, derived from the words ‘smoke’ and ‘fog’, refers to a mixture of smoke particles and solid and liquid fog. It is usually visible as a blackish or yellowish fog that stays suspended in the atmosphere. It is a kind of air pollution and poses serious environmental and health issues in many areas across the globe.

Given below is a detailed illustration of the various aspects related to diseases caused by smog.

Scroll through to know more!

Team Digit

What are Smog Diseases?
Causes of Smog Diseases
List of Diseases
Signs and Symptoms
Types of Diseases
Damages Caused
Associated Risk Factors
Diagnostic Tests
Treatment Methods
Preventive Measures
Does Health Insurance Cover?
Frequently Asked Questions

What are Smog Diseases?

Smog diseases occur when people breathe in smog for a long time. Smog is a harmful mix of air pollutants, including ground-level ozone, particulate matter, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide. These pollutants can cause serious health problems for the lungs and heart.

Some common diseases linked to smog are asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung cancer. Smog can also make existing health issues worse. This leads to more trips to the hospital, more breathing infections, and, in bad cases, early death.

What are the Causes of Smog Diseases?

Smog-related illnesses result from long-term contact with dirty air. This air contains harmful substances like ground-level ozone, tiny particles, sulphur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides. Cars, factories, and burning fossil fuels often release these pollutants. When these chemicals mix in the air, they create smog.

People breathe in this smog, which can irritate and harm their airways. This exposure makes people more likely to get breathing and heart problems as time passes. This is true for kids, older adults, and those with health issues.

6 Diseases Caused by Smog in Humans

Smog exposure can lead to several serious health conditions. Here are six common diseases caused by smog in humans. Illustrated below are the different diseases due to smog -

1. Aggravation of Asthma

Smog triggers asthma attacks and severely worsens asthma conditions.

An aggravated form of asthma can, in turn, worsen the symptoms and lead to the following health effects -

Wheezing attacks
Chest tightness
Shortness of breath

The risk factors of this disease caused by smog or its aggravation include the following -

Smoking
Frequent exposure to pollutants
Obesity
Allergies

2. Allergies, Coughing and Irritation in Chest, Eyes, Throat and Nose

High levels of ozone irritate the respiratory system, leading to wheezing and coughing. After exposure, the affected individuals generally suffer from these effects for a few days. But the particles present in smog keep damaging the lungs even after the irritations go away.

Plus, a significant level of smog and air pollution may also raise the probability of allergies. As per researchers, cases of allergies are higher in areas having high smog concentrations.

All these health issues can lead to several effects in individuals, including -

Chronic cough that can lead to heartburn or a sour taste in an individual’s mouth
Sore throat
Formation of postnasal drip
Eye pain
Nasal drainage

The various risk factors associated with these health issues are -

Air pollution
Smoking or exposure to secondhand smoke
Common cold

3. Premature Deaths Due to Cancer and Respiratory Ailments

Continuous smog exposure increases the chances of premature death from respiratory ailments and cancers. Smog particles contain formaldehyde, butadiene, and benzene - all composed of carcinogens. Inhalation of smog particles is responsible for several premature deaths in Asian countries, the United States, and Europe.

Cancer and respiratory ailments can lead to many complications such as -

Difficulty in breathing
Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
Stroke
Respiratory arrest
Loss of weight
Chemical imbalances in the body

The various risk factors of these diseases caused by smog are listed below -

Family history
Chronic health conditions like ulcerative colitis
Age of an individual
Tobacco smoking (includes secondhand smoke)
Air pollution

4. Lung Damage and Breathing Difficulties

Individuals wondering what type of disease is caused by smog, must note that there are various lung conditions that occur due to the harmful effects of smog. These include emphysema, bronchitis, and pneumonia. This is because smog causes damage to the lining of the lungs and also makes it difficult for individuals to breathe properly.

Lung damage can further lead to several complicated health conditions like -

Tuberculosis
Pulmonary embolism (PE)
Pulmonary oedema
ARDS (Acute respiratory distress syndrome)
Interstitial lung disease (ILD)
Pneumoconiosis

The various risk factors for lung damage and breathing problems include the following -

Smoking (includes exposure to secondhand smoke)
Exposure to asbestos
Air pollution
Allergies

5. Risk of Developing Rickets

Heavy smog lasting for a prolonged period blocks ultraviolet rays from reaching the surface of the earth. This leads to low vitamin D production in humans, thereby resulting in rickets owing to impaired metabolism of phosphorus and calcium in the bone marrow.

Rickets softens the regions of growing tissue at the ends of growth plates or bones of a child. It can lead to several skeletal deformities like -

Knock knees or bowed legs
Breastbone projection
Thickened ankles and wrists

The various factors that increase the risk of rickets in children include the following -

Certain types of antiretroviral and anti-seizure medications
Dark skin
Exclusive breastfeeding
Premature birth
Children living in some specific geographical locations (northern latitudes)
Deficiency of vitamin D in the mother during pregnancy

6. Low Birth Weights and Birth Defects

Searching “what are the diseases caused by smog in newborn babies”?

Read through to get your answers!

Due to smog exposure, pregnant women can give birth to babies with birth defects and low birth weight.

Even exposure to smog particulate matter measuring as low as 5 μg can pose risks of extremely low birth weights at the time of delivery.

Smog exposure leads to some severe birth defects in newborns. These include spina bifida, which is a condition depicting spinal column malfunctions. It also results in anencephaly that refers to a formation defect of a baby's neural tube during development. The baby is born with an incomplete skull and an underdeveloped brain in this condition.

Newborn babies with low birth weights can have several problems like -

Trouble gaining weight
Difficulty to eat
Breathing problems, such as respiratory distress syndrome
Difficulty to fight off infections
Low levels of oxygen at birth
Gastrointestinal issues like necrotising enterocolitis

Several conditions can pose as a risk factor for having a baby with low birth weight -

Certain medications to treat health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, problems of the heart, kidney and lungs
Some specific infections like chickenpox, rubella, toxoplasmosis, cytomegalovirus
Preterm labour
Problems with the placenta
Exposure to lead or air pollution

Signs and Symptoms of Diseases Caused by Smog

Smog is a dangerous mixture of chemicals that can damage the human body and cause sicknesses with different indications and symptoms, such as:

Persistent cough and throat irritation caused by breathing in smog.
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing in areas with polluted air.
Watering eyes, redness, and irritation caused by prolonged contact with smog.
High risk of bronchial spasms initiated by air-borne pollutants.
A hurting chest and a feeling of discomfort resulting from inhalation of smog
Exacerbation of existing respiratory diseases in a foggy area
Fatigue and general tiredness due to constant exposure to pollutants
Headache dizziness after inhaling poisonous mist particles
Irritated skin, including rashes coming into contact with smog-causing substances
Increased chance of heart issues due to pollution in the atmosphere.

Recognising these signs early on is essential for smog-related disease detection and prevention. Taking precautions minimises health problems from smog exposure.

Types of Smog that Causes Diseases

Based on its characteristics and origins, smog is classified into two categories -

Photochemical Smog, Also Known as Los Angeles Smog

This is the most commonly occurring smog. Photochemical smog forms when sunlight reacts with at least one volatile organic compound (VOC) and nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere.

Los Angeles smog requires neither fog nor smoke and is mainly found in urban regions having a large number of automobiles. Automobiles, factories and power plants emit nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Besides these, gasoline, cleaning solvents and paints release volatile organic compounds into the atmosphere.

The harmful compound in this smog causes diseases and leads to conditions like difficulty in breathing, irreversible damage to the heart and the lungs.

Sulphurous Smog, Also Known as London Smog

Sulphurous smog usually forms due to burning of fossil fuels like coal, a temperature drop, and the accumulation of particulate matter from industrial activity. London smog contains a high concentration of dust, nitrogen dioxides and sulphur oxides in the atmosphere. This smog usually forms during the colder months.

London smog can lead to irritation in the lungs, nose and human eyes.

Damages Caused by Smog

⁤Smog has a primary effect on human health and the environment. ⁤⁤Exposure to smog for a long time can cause critical respiratory issues, heart illnesses, and environmental damage. ⁤

⁤Respiratory Issues: Smog hurts the airways. ⁤⁤This ends in allergies, bronchitis, and persistent obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). ⁤⁤People discover it hard to respire and come to be in hospitals extra frequently. ⁤
⁤Cardiovascular Problems: Long-term exposure to smog can make your coronary heart sick. ⁤⁤It can cause coronary heart assaults, strokes, and high blood stress. ⁤⁤Smog makes your heart and blood vessels swell. ⁤
⁤Lung Damage: Tiny bits of smog can get deep into your lungs. ⁤⁤This makes your lungs swell up and no longer paint as nicely. ⁤⁤If this keeps happening, you will possibly get lung cancer. ⁤
⁤Premature Ageing: Smog makes your skin look older and faster. ⁤⁤It breaks down the stuff that keeps your skin organised and bouncy, resulting in wrinkles, dark spots, and stupid-looking pores and skin. ⁤⁤It can also cause other skin issues. ⁤
⁤Cognitive Decline: Breathing grimy air for a long time can hurt your mind. ⁤⁤It would possibly make you neglect things extra and lift your probability of getting brain illnesses like Alzheimer's and dementia. ⁤

Risk Factors Associated With Diseases Caused by Smog

Various ailments can arise from breathing polluted air, which results from smog, a dangerous air pollutant. Prolonged exposure to smog could worsen respiratory and cardiovascular problems among vulnerable communities.

Long-term exposure to smog causes chronic respiratory diseases.
Polluted air inhaled increases the risk of cardiovascular complications.
Smog particles trigger asthma attacks.
Continuous exposure to smog reduces lung function.
Smog inhalation increases the risk of lung cancer
Persistent smog exposure weakens immunity.
Air pollution during pregnancy enhances complications.
Smog makes pre-existing health issues worse.
Childhood lung development is impaired by smog.
Smog causes high rates of hospitalisation for respiratory conditions annually.

How is Smog Disease Diagnosed?

Smog-related diseases are typically diagnosed through medical history, physical examinations, and specific diagnostic tests. These tests help identify the impact of smog on respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

Diagnostic Test	Description
Pulmonary Function Test (PFT)	Measures lung capacity and airflow, helping detect breathing difficulties and reduced lung function caused by smog exposure. It’s a key test for respiratory issues.
Chest X-ray	Provides images of the lungs and airways, revealing inflammation, fluid buildup, or other lung conditions worsened by smog exposure.
Spirometry	Assesses lung function by measuring the amount and speed of air a person can inhale and exhale, helping diagnose conditions like asthma or COPD.
Blood Gas Analysis	Measures oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood, indicating how well the lungs function and if smog exposure affects oxygen exchange.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)	Records the heart's electrical activity, detecting any abnormal rhythms or heart strain that could result from smog-induced cardiovascular stress.

Treatment Methods for Smog Disease

The illness caused by smog, mainly due to air pollution, can result in life-threatening respiratory problems and other related conditions. Treatment methods are concerned with easing symptoms and minimising contact with dangerous pollutants.

Medications: Opening up the airways and reducing inflammation using inhalers and corticosteroids can alleviate breathing difficulties after exposure to smog.
Air Purifiers: Installing air purifiers in homes and workplaces can considerably reduce indoor pollutant levels, reducing the amount of smog particles breathed in.
Avoid Outdoor Activities: To prevent the worsening symptoms, outdoor activities must be kept to a minimum during periods of high smog, especially among the vulnerable.
Stay Hydrated: Drinking a lot of fluids will help thin out mucus, making it easier for the body to get rid of impurities trapped within the respiratory system.
Use Masks: Wearing N95 masks outside during heavy smog helps keep off most harmful particles, offering crucial protection against inhaling pollutants.
Regular Steam Inhalation: Inhaling steam often clears nasal passages and cools down the throat by helping unclog it from phlegm caused by smogging
Plant Indoors: Indoor plants such as spider plants or peace lilies can naturally clean the air, reducing indoor pollution levels and enhancing good air around you.
Consult Healthcare Providers: Regular check-ups with healthcare providers ensure early detection and management of any complications arising from prolonged smog.

Effectively managing smog disease requires a combination of protective measures and medical interventions. By adopting these methods, individuals can safeguard their health and minimise the adverse effects of smog exposure.

Preventive Measures to Control Diseases Caused by Smog

To control the diseases caused by smog, it is imperative to find solutions to smog pollution in the first place. Illustrated below are some noteworthy solutions to the same -

1. Using Environment-friendly Consumer Products

Using household products containing high amounts of volatile organic compounds must be avoided altogether. These products emit particulate matter and hazardous substances into the atmosphere. These in turn form ground-level ozone by reacting in the presence of sunlight.

The usage of environment-friendly consumer products like eco-friendly sprays, paper, paints, plastics and solvents will help address smog pollution. Individuals can replace energy-intensive devices with energy-efficient ones to reduce energy demand and thus lower the problem of smog. They must also refrain from discarding packages of products as it exacerbates potential air and smog pollution.

2. Lowering and Managing Industrial and Vehicular Emissions

Industries and vehicles are the biggest contributors to smog-forming pollutants. Therefore, the best method of reducing smog is to manage gaseous emissions from industries and cars. It is fundamental for industries to use renewable energy sources and manufacture environment-friendly consumer products.

3. 3Rs - Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Looking for ways to keep diseases caused by smog at bay?

Scroll through!

Following the 3R policy will go a long way in lowering the smog issue. Reducing consumption indicates reduced production of material things and usage of resources and fossil fuels. This, in turn, means lesser smog and air pollution.

Similarly, reusing and recycling will help check wasteful consumption of material and excessive waste production. This will again contribute towards reducing smog.

4. Conserving Energy and Increasing Energy Efficiency

Conserving energy and increasing its efficiency simultaneously reduces gaseous emissions into the atmosphere. These emissions are, in fact, responsible for smog. A productive and efficient system for energy management will help reduce smog, thereby lowering pollutants like sulphur and nitrogen oxides in the air.

5. Systems for Smog Detection and Monitoring

The usage of efficient systems to detect and monitor smog will help provide early warning signs. The meteorological departments can also assist with this by installing monitoring equipment that consistently records the amounts of particulate matter and emission in the air.

The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an example of an index that is used to report and monitor the relative concentrations of ground-level ozone and common air pollutants. This measure helps monitor the levels of smog-causing pollutants in the air, thereby helping employ strategies to cut down emissions and air pollution.

6. Choosing Renewable Energy

Opting for renewable energy will help reduce emissions from power generating plants. These plants are heavily dependent on fossil fuels. In simpler terms, using renewable energy will lower environmental impacts and cut down on smog and pollutants in the air.

7. Personal Protection

Last but not least, personal protection is imperative when it comes to dealing with high smog levels present in the air and keeping diseases caused by smog at bay. In order to personally protect themselves, individuals can consider wearing masks while going outside. This will protect from getting contaminated with harmful particles.

Does Health Insurance Cover Smog Diseases?

Health insurance coverage for smog-related diseases varies depending on the policy and provider. Generally, respiratory illnesses like asthma or bronchitis, which can be aggravated by smog, are covered under most health insurance plans.

However, coverage specifics, including the extent of treatment and medication coverage, may differ. Some policies require additional riders for comprehensive coverage of pollution-related health issues.

It is crucial to review the terms and conditions of your health insurance policy or consult with your provider to understand the coverage details for smog-related diseases.

Individuals can reduce the impact of smog on their well-being by keeping themselves updated and adopting healthy practices. They must consider all the vital aspects discussed in this article related to diseases caused by smog to protect themselves against it. Additionally, they must adopt different measures to control smog and, hence, keep these diseases at bay. Doing so not only improves personal health but also contributes to standard safety.

FAQs on the Diseases Caused by Smog

All

What concentration of surface-level ozone is unhealthy?

Surface-level ozone can be termed as unhealthy if its concentrations exceed 70 parts per billion for eight hours or more.

What are some treatment options for cancer caused due to smog pollution?

Some of the treatment options for cancer include surgery, bone marrow transplant, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, among others.

What are the primary diseases caused by smog?

Smog can lead to various health issues, including asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, heart disease, and emphysema.

How does smog affect respiratory health?

Smog irritates the airways, leading to inflammation and exacerbation of conditions like asthma and bronchitis. It can also contribute to the development of chronic respiratory diseases.

Can smog cause cardiovascular problems?

Yes, smog can enter the bloodstream through the lungs, leading to an increased risk of heart disease, hypertension, and heart attacks.

How can I protect myself from smog-related diseases?

To help protect yourself from the harmful effects of smog, use air purifiers, wear masks, limit outdoor activities during high smog days, and stay hydrated.

What role does hydration play in managing smog-related health issues?

Staying hydrated helps maintain mucus production in the respiratory system, which can protect against irritation and inflammation caused by smog.

Can children be more affected by smog?

Yes, children are particularly vulnerable to the effects of smog due to their higher respiratory rates and developing immune systems, making them more susceptible to respiratory illnesses.

How does smog contribute to the development of lung cancer?

Smog contains carcinogenic particles that, when inhaled over time, can damage lung tissues and increase the risk of lung cancer.

Are there long-term health effects of smog exposure?

Chronic exposure to smog can lead to persistent respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, reduced lung function, and a higher risk of developing serious conditions like heart disease and cancer.

What should I do if I experience symptoms related to smog exposure?

Consult a healthcare provider for proper diagnosis and treatment. They can recommend medications, lifestyle changes, or other interventions to manage your symptoms effectively.

Can indoor air quality affect smog-related health issues?

Yes, poor indoor air quality can exacerbate smog-related health issues. Using air purifiers and keeping indoor air clean can help mitigate these effects.

What preventive measures can communities take to reduce smog-related health risks?

Communities can implement policies to reduce emissions, promote cleaner energy sources, and encourage public transportation to decrease smog levels and associated health risks.