Pollution And COPD: Tips To Cope
If you have a respiratory illness like COPD, you have to be more mindful of the air that you breathe. And these days, air quality can be hit or miss. Air pollution is a serious issue, and depending on where you live, can be something that prevents you from going outside at all. Everyone is different, but most people find themselves to be sensitive to air pollutants, and these things can exacerbate COPD symptoms. Some of the most common pollution sources include:
- Outdoor: smog/ozone, car exhaust (nitrogen dioxide), soot/coal particulate, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, wood ash, other small toxic particle pollution
- Indoor: cigarette/cigar smoke, carbon monoxide, artificial fragrances and air fresheners, radon, off-gassing from furniture and/or building materials, toxic cleaning or household products
In order to best manage your COPD symptoms, it’s critical that you do your best to avoid air pollutants both inside and outside of your home. Make small changes to your own home lifestyle, to eliminate toxins, and also invest in quality air filters. As for the outdoor pollution, you don’t have much control over that, but you can protect yourself in a few ways:
- Wear a filtered mask when going outdoors
- Avoid doing a lot of travel or physical activity on “red air days” or ozone advisory days in your area
- Avoid standing near idling vehicles
- Step away from the gas pump while filling up
- Go outside during early mornings or later in the evenings, when pollutants are lower
- Always have your portable oxygen concentrator with you
Want to learn more about how to manage your COPD symptoms, or how to choose the right oxygen for your needs? Reach out to us at Portable Oxygen Solutions today!