Radon symptoms

When Radon Symptoms Appear, It May Be Too Late

Introduction

Radon exposure does not have any immediate radon symptoms, and as a result, many people are unaware that they are being exposed to this dangerous gas. However, long-term exposure can lead to cell damage in the lungs, which may eventually lead to lung cancer. According to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and it is responsible for about 21,000 deaths every year.

Radon is a naturally-occurring, radioactive gas that is found in the soil and it is colorless, odorless and tasteless. It can seep into your home through cracks, sumps, joints, basement drains or other tiny openings in foundations.

This article will discuss the symptoms of radon exposure, how to determine unacceptable levels in your home and steps to take if radon symptoms appear.

What is radon?

Radon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is produced by the breakdown of uranium in soil, rock, and water. Although radon gas itself is not harmful, it can decay into radioactive particles that can be breathed in and cause lung cancer. 

Health risks

What are radon health risks?

While you may not experience any immediate ill effects from radon gas exposure, over time it can lead to cell damage in the lungs and potentially cause lung cancer. In fact, radon exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and the second-leading cause of lung cancer overall.

Radon gas can damage cells within your airways and cause tumors. About 26,000 American lung cancer victims die from radon exposure each year. Cancer of the lungs kills more people than any other type of cancer, more than breast, pancreatic, colorectal, and prostate cancer combined. Radon poisoning is a high health risk.

Symptoms of radon poisoning and radon exposure

There are no symptoms of radon exposure. The only way to know if you have been exposed to radon is to test your home for it.

But long-term exposure to radon can lead to cancer of the lungs. Again, according to the EPA, radon is responsible for over 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. It’s the second most contributing factor to death of cancer of the lungs next to smoking.

Radon exposures do not cause immediate ill effects. It can take years of exposure for symptoms of radon gas poisoning to manifest. In fact, individuals affected may not even experience radon symptoms for up to 25 years. Nevertheless, if you experience any of the following symptoms, it’s recommended you see your doctor right away.

  • A cough that won’t go away
  • Trouble breathing
  • Blood in mucus when coughing
  • Trouble swallowing
  • Hoarse or sore throat
  • Chest pains
  • Wheezing
  • Frequent respiratory infections
  • Loss of appetite
  • Weight loss
  • Fatigue

What to do if you have radon symptoms

if you suspect you’ve been exposed to high levels of radon or are showing symptoms of radon gas poisoning, what should you do?

  1. If you smoke, quit smoking. Smokers who have also been exposed to radon have a much higher risk of developing lung cancer. The combination of smoking and radon increases the risk of developing cancer by about a factor of nine.
  2. See a medical professional. There aren’t any specific medical tests that can assess your exposure to radon gas. That’s why it’s important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of lung cancer, even if you don’t smoke.
  3. See your doctor if you have a persistent cough, cough up blood, or chest pain. Cancer in the lungs is easier to treat in the earliest stages, before it has a chance to spread.
  4. Have your home tested for radon. If high levels of radon persist, contact a professional radon mitigator. They can install a radon mitigation system.
Lung cancer

How can you reduce your risk of radon-related lung cancer?

Radon is part of our natural environment, so you can’t avoid it entirely. However, these strategies can reduce your risk:

  • Increase airflow in your home or office by opening windows and using fans frequently (this works temporarily).
  • If you smoke, attempt to quit and seek help if you need to.
  • Don’t let people smoke in your house — not even the basement or garage.
  • Seal any cracks in your floors, walls or foundation.
  • Test your home and office for high levels of radon regularly.

Where is radon gas found?

Radon is naturally in the atmosphere in trace amounts. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue. Most radon exposure occurs inside homes, schools and workplaces. 

Radon has been found in every state in the U.S. The radon readings vary across the country, depending on the kinds of rocks and soil in each area.

Radon gas is also found in all kinds of indoor spaces. For the general population, the greatest exposure happens in the home. Elevated levels of radon can be present in any type of home: old, new, basement, no basement, crawlspace or slab-on-grade.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that elevated levels of radon are present in one of every 15 American homes. The average indoor radon level is estimated to be about 1.3 pCi/L.

Outdoors

Is radon gas dangerous outdoors?

No. The average outdoor radon level is estimated to be about 0.4 pCi/L which is well below a dangerous level. In addition, radon gas is dispersed by wind.

How does radon enter a home or building?

That gas can enter buildings through:

  • Construction joints.
  • Cracks in walls or floors.
  • Gaps in foundations.
  • Openings near pipes or wires.

Less commonly and in smaller amounts, radon can be released from:

  • Building materials made from natural substances, such as concrete, wallboard and granite countertops.
  • Water, especially water that comes from underground wells.

Where are radon levels highest?

Radon readings are usually higher in places that are:

  • Closer to the ground, such as basements or underground mines.
  • Near soil that contains more radioactive metal.
  • Poorly ventilated.
  • Processing or storing certain products, such as phosphate fertilizers or uranium.
  • Very tightly sealed.
  • Very well-insulated.
  • How do you know if your house has radon?

Like carbon monoxide, radon is difficult to detect. Given the fact that radon gas is invisible and has no smell, the only way to determine if your home has been infiltrated by radon gas is through testing.

Testing

How do you test for radon?

A radon gas test will determine the levels of radon gas and can determine if your home needs a radon mitigation system installed to decrease the amount in your home. A common, radon testing kit is a do-it-yourself charcoal test, which can be obtained from a hardware store or online.

In these kits, charcoal absorbs the gas, and then it is sent off to a lab where it is evaluated to determine the exact levels in your home. Radon gas can fluctuate over time, so these tests only observe radon gas over the span of two to four days.

The best way to continuously monitor radon levels is to buy a radon detector. These are small devices that can be mounted on a wall or placed on a shelf. Some monitor more than radon, such as humidity, temperature, mold and pollen.

How are radon levels measured?

Radon gas levels are measured in picocuries per liter of air, or pCi/L. The Environmental Protection Agency strongly encourages corrective action, such as the installation of a radon mitigation system, if radon levels are at or greater than 4.0 pCi/L. The World Health Organization or WHO, encourages taking corrective action if levels are 2.7 pCi/L⁶. It is estimated that one of every 15 homes has elevated radon levels in the United States; however, in some regions, 1 out of 3 homes is the average.

Why is continuous radon monitoring necessary?

Radon levels are influenced by a number of factors:

  • Construction of your home. Foundations can crack or shift, allowing radon to seep in.
  • Changes to your heating or cooling system can provide new entry points for radon.
  • Changes in the ground far beneath your home.
  • Weather conditions, such as changes in temperature or barometric pressure, storms, high winds, rain, snow and ice.
  • Time of year. In general, radon is highest during the winter months when doors and windows are sealed tight to keep out the cold.
  • Your home’s ventilation system.
  • Radon mitigation systems (if installed).
Children game

Why is radon more dangerous for children?

While radon is present in all homes, it can be particularly dangerous for children.

Children’s risk statistics

The risk of lung cancer in children resulting from exposure to radon may be almost twice as high as the risk in adults exposed to the same amount of radon. If children are also exposed to tobacco smoke, the risk of ultimately contracting cancer of the lungs is at least 20 times greater.

Children’s bodies are still developing.

Children’s organs are still developing. Their replicative tissue is more vulnerable to DNA damage. So radon poisoning can damage cells as they divide, which can lead to health problems later in life.

Children weigh less than adults.

This means they are exposed to a higher dose of radon per unit of body weight. 

Children breathe more rapidly than adults.

They actually breathe 2-3 times faster than adults as their lungs are much smaller. Consequently, they take in more air (and radon) per minute.

Children spend more time indoors.

Radon levels are usually higher indoors than they are outdoors.

The radon risk at your children’s schools.

An EPA nationwide survey of radon levels in schools estimates that nearly one in five has at least one schoolroom with elevated radon levels. The agency estimates that more than 70,000 schoolrooms in use today have high short-term radon levels. This is why the EPA recommends testing all schools for radon.

Children have more life left than adults.

They have a longer time frame over which to experience the health effects of radon poisoning. Since the effects of radiation take years to develop, individuals exposed to elevated levels of radon in their youth are more likely to develop radon-related illnesses later in life.

Other potential disease health risks

Another cause for concern is research suggesting that children who live in homes with high radon levels may have an increased risk of developing childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). While the risk factors associated with ALL are complex and the evidence is mixed, some analysts claim that children exposed to elevated levels of radon can have a higher risk of developing ALL than children exposed to lower levels.

Summary

Summary

Radon is an odorless, colorless radioactive gas that can only be detected by testing. According to the EPA, radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, and it is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year.

There are no direct symptoms of radon poisoning, but over time, exposure may lead to cell damage in the lungs. It often goes undetected until it is too late.

Radon is present in all homes, and it can be particularly dangerous for children, who are more vulnerable to its effects.

Homes should be tested for radon periodically and take action to reduce exposure if necessary. Buying a digital radon detector provides continuous radon testing.

Similar Posts