Air Pollution and Breathing Problems in the Tricity

Every year, around the same time

You can almost set a calendar by it. Somewhere in late October the air over Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali starts to look hazy in the evenings. Stubble is burning in the fields of Punjab and Haryana, Diwali is close, the wind drops, and the temperature falls. By early November our OPD fills up with the same complaints: a scratchy throat that won't settle, a cough that gets worse at night, a tight chest on the morning walk, and asthma patients who were perfectly fine in September.

The Tricity usually has cleaner air than Delhi, and that is true. But on bad days the AQI here also crosses into the "poor" and "very poor" range, and lungs don't care how we compare with another city.

What smog actually does to your lungs

The harmful part of smog is mostly fine particulate matter, PM2.5. These particles are so small that they get past the nose and throat and settle deep inside the lungs. There they irritate and inflame the airways. Some even pass into the blood.

In a healthy adult, a few bad days might mean a sore throat, a dry cough and some burning in the eyes. In someone with asthma, COPD, heart disease or a weak chest, the same exposure can trigger a full flare-up and sometimes a hospital admission.

Who needs to be most careful

• People with asthma, including those whose asthma has been quiet for years. See asthma treatment.
• COPD patients and long-term smokers. See COPD care.
• People with ILD, bronchiectasis or past TB, whose lungs have less reserve.
• Heart patients, since pollution affects the heart as well as the lungs.
• Children, who breathe faster and spend more time outdoors.
• Older adults, especially those who walk early in the morning, when pollution often sits closest to the ground.
• Outdoor workers: traffic police, delivery riders, construction workers, street vendors.

Practical steps that actually help

There's a lot of advice floating around in this season. Here is what makes a real difference, in rough order of importance.

Check the AQI and plan around it

Use any reliable AQI app or the government's SAMEER app. On days when AQI is above 200, move walks and exercise indoors or shift them to the afternoon, when air usually clears slightly. Early morning and late evening tend to be the worst.

Wear the right mask, the right way

A cloth or surgical mask does little against PM2.5. An N95 or FFP2 mask that fits snugly around the nose and chin does. If air leaks from the sides, it isn't doing its job. People with severe lung or heart disease should check with their doctor before wearing one for long periods.

Keep indoor air cleaner

• Keep windows closed on high-AQI days, and air the house briefly in the afternoon
• Avoid agarbatti, dhoop, mosquito coils and frying with smoking oil in closed rooms
• No smoking indoors, at all
• An air purifier with a true HEPA filter helps in the bedroom; size it to the room
• Wet mopping traps dust better than sweeping

Don't stop your regular inhaler

This is the most common mistake we see. Asthma and COPD patients who stopped their controller over the summer get hit hardest in November. If you have a chronic lung problem, the time to review your medicines with your doctor is before the season, not in the middle of a flare.

Diwali week

Fireworks smoke is heavy in particles and metals. If you have asthma or COPD, stay indoors with windows closed on Diwali night and the day after, keep your reliever close, and keep the action plan your doctor gave you handy.

Pollution cough or something more?

A mild cough and throat irritation on smoggy days is common and usually settles when the air clears. See a doctor if:

• The cough lasts more than three weeks (see chronic cough)
• You are wheezing or waking up at night breathless
• Your reliever inhaler is needed more than usual
• There is fever, coloured phlegm or blood in the sputum
• You get breathless on effort you used to manage easily (see breathlessness)

For severe breathlessness, blue lips, chest pain or confusion, go to the nearest emergency without waiting.

A pre-season lung check

If you have a known lung condition, or you are a smoker over 40, a visit in October is a good idea. Dr. Bedi can check your control, adjust inhalers, test lung function with spirometry if it hasn't been done recently, and make sure your vaccines (flu and pneumococcal) are up to date where advised.

Clinic timings and contact

Dr. Manan Bedi's clinic is at Booth 194, Sector 20, Panchkula, and sees patients from across Chandigarh, Mohali and Zirakpur. OPD runs Monday to Saturday, 5 to 7 PM, and Sunday, 11 AM to 2 PM. Call or WhatsApp +91-99280 14284 or book online.