5 surprising causes

Of lung damage

So you don’t smoke, but that doesn’t mean you are quite in the clear. A number of things you didn’t think were important could also affect your lungs.

A type of fungus, like the one that grows on your bread when it is left out too long, mould puts tiny particles called spores into the air. They can sometimes cause serious lung infections if you have mould allergies, a lung condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or a weak immune system. Radon. You can’t smell, touch or see this gas. But it is the N0 2 cause of lung cancer behind smoking in the US. It is made when natural uranium in rock, soil and water breaks down. And it gets into buildings through cracks in floors and walls, and around plumbing and electrical wire. The radioactive particles in radon damage your lungs when you breathe them in or swallow them.

Your carpet can trap mould, cockroach droppings, dust mites, and toxic gases -- and all can hurt your lungs. They enter the air when you vacuum the carpet or walk on it. The chemicals used to make and install carpet could also cause problems. Consider putting in wood floors or some other kind of hard surface. Or use throw rugs you can clean outside the home. Vacuum your carpet three times a week, and steam clean it every year.

These chemicals keep bugs away from farm crops and your lawn. If you eat, touch, or breathe them, it might cause problems with your nerves, hormones, eyes, skin, and lungs, too. Farmworkers and others who use them are more likely to get lung problems like asthma and COPD. Masks, goggles, and special clothes can help protect anyone who works around pesticides. Their colour is created by different bits of metal that explode a fine powder into the air. This can trigger or worsen asthma and other lung and heart issues if you breathe it. Play it safe during a fireworks show by staying far from any drifting smoke. You could also use a breathing mask that filters particles.