Radon for those not really familiar with the chemical is a radioactive gas that you cannot see, smell or taste. Radon actually is the cause of 20,000 cancer related deaths every year in the United States. It is very important that you do a Radon test in your home or building ever few months. There are Radon Test Kits available in retail stores such as Home Depot, Target and Wal-Mart. These test are easy to perform and they are sent to a lab to test for results so you will get an accurate readout. There are acceptable levels, anything over a 4 pCi/L, the EPA recommends that you hire a Radon Mitigation Company or install a system yourself following state regulations.
As we mentioned Radon has no smell, taste and you can’t see it, so any symptoms that you have you may not attest to Radon Poisoning. That is why it is essential to have your home tested every 6 months. If Radon levels are detected there are some symptoms that you can be aware of that will point to Radon Poisoning. Some of these symptoms may include having a brand new cough that gets worse over time and not any better. If you start to cough up blood is a major indicator of Radon.
Other symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath, long term. These two symptoms can be associated with heart attack and that is why it is also important to test early so your doctor can do the necessary treatment for the correct ailment. If you experience wheezing or hoarseness, it is a sign of Radon and a chronic respiratory infections like bronchitis or pneumonia. If you have of these symptoms, visit your doctor right away and if you haven’t tested your home for Radon it is imperative that you do so now. You may think that you have bronchitis but it may be from an underlying cause.
According to the Indoor Air health Advisor, an estimated 15% of lung cancer patients have had no symptoms when they were diagnosed. Of course Radon can be eliminated from your home with a professional Radon Mitigation System and that will create a healthy household but once you have these symptoms treatment should be done right away. These symptoms that we mentioned are all symptoms of other condition one way or another.
If you suspect that your illness is related to your home, contact your doctor immediately. Radon has been called a national environmental health problem, with 8 million homes across the United States tested with high levels of Radon. At least 1 in 5 homes will have a higher Radon level than the others. Radon can be removed and homes can be Radon free but we have to take action in having our homes and buildings tested so we can avoid getting sick before it happens. Isn’t your health and your family’s health worth the time and money it tales to test your home?