Your office AC making you sick? Doctors reveal the warning signs of poor indoor air quality
You check the Air Quality Index before stepping outside. But what about the air you breathe for eight to 10 hours every day inside your
You check the Air Quality Index before stepping outside. But what about the air you breathe for eight to 10 hours every day inside your office? As more Indians spend most of their working hours in air-conditioned offices, health experts are warning that indoor air quality remains one of the most overlooked threats to respiratory health. While many people associate office air conditioning with temporary discomfort such as dry eyes or a scratchy throat, doctors say the consequences can be far more significant. Read Full Story According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), concentrations of some indoor pollutants can be two to five times higher than typical outdoor levels. “People are very aware of outdoor pollution, but urban professionals spend nearly 90% of their day indoors, whether in offices, homes, cars or malls. Indoor air quality remains an under-discussed health issue,” said Dr Karthik Madesh Ratnavelu, Director and Senior Consultant, ENT, Head and Neck Surgery and Director and Head, Advanced Institute for Sleep Health, SIMS Hospital, Chennai. WHY YOUR OFFICE ENVIRONMENT MAY BE AFFECTING YOUR HEALTH According to Dr Ratnavelu, the problem is often not air-conditioning itself but the quality of the air circulating through indoor spaces. Poor indoor air quality can arise from low humidity, inadequate fresh air exchange, accumulation of dust, mould growth and allergens trapped within indoor circulation systems. Over time, this can trigger symptoms that many employees fail to associate with their workplace. These symptoms may include Recurrent throat clearing Chronic dry cough Frequent headaches Nasal congestion and blockage Worsening sinus symptoms Vocal fatigue Breathing discomfort Poor sleep quality “A cool room is not always a healthy room. Clean air deserves as much attention as comfortable temperatures,” Dr Ratnavelu said.
THE BIGGEST CLUE YOUR OFFICE MAY BE TO BLAME One of the easiest ways to identify whether symptoms are linked to the workplace is to observe patterns. Doctors say symptoms related to indoor environmental exposure often worsen during office hours and improve once a person leaves the workplace. “The biggest clue is recognising a pattern. If symptoms predictably get worse during office hours and improve once you get home or during weekends, it suggests that environmental factors may be playing a role,” Dr Ratnavelu explained. Dr Benhur Joel Shadrach, Senior Consultant, Pulmonology, Interventions and Sleep Medicine, Rela Hospital, Chennai, said he frequently sees such cases in clinical practice. “There is a direct relationship between exposure and the development of symptoms. When people spend eight to 10 hours in a closed environment, symptoms begin after exposure and substantially improve when they are away from the workplace during weekends or holidays,” he said. 5 SIGNS YOUR OFFICE AIR AFFECTING YOUR HEALTH Experts say the following warning signs may indicate that workplace air quality is contributing to your symptoms Symptoms worsen during office hours Symptoms improve during weekends or holidays Persistent dry throat or throat irritation Frequent headaches at work Breathing discomfort indoors HOW INDOOR AIR CAN AFFECT YOUR LUNGS Experts say prolonged exposure to dry, poorly circulated indoor air can affect both the upper and lower respiratory tract. In the upper airways, individuals may experience dryness, congestion and reduced mucociliary clearance – the body's natural mechanism that traps and removes dust, bacteria and viruses. When this protective system becomes less effective, irritants and microbes can accumulate more easily. The lower respiratory tract may also be affected. Dr Shadrach noted that prolonged exposure to dry and cold indoor air can trigger bronchospasm, a condition that causes chest tightness and breathing difficulty.
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