Lung Health During Diwali

Introduction to Diwali Air Pollution

Every year, as Diwali approaches, many parts of India are covered in a thick layer of smoke and smog. The festival of lights, which should bring joy and happiness, is now marked by hazy mornings, stinging eyes, and a lingering cough. Firecrackers, vehicle fumes, construction dust, and crop burning all contribute to the poor air quality in many cities, including Delhi NCR and Patna.

In clinics, doctors see patients with similar symptoms every November, including children who wheeze, grandparents who struggle to breathe, and adults who ignore a persistent cough. Dr Prahalad Elamarthi, a consultant in medical oncology at Narayana Health City in Bengaluru, explains how smoke, smog, and tobacco affect our lungs and what we can do to protect them.

Why Lungs are Vulnerable

Our lungs come into contact with the outside world with every breath, inhaling the air around us. Millions of tiny air sacs pass oxygen into the blood, while microscopic hairs lining the airways sweep out dust and germs. This natural defense works well, but years of exposure to smoke or polluted air can wear it down.

Once the airways are inflamed and the cleaning system weakens, the lungs become more prone to infection, chronic respiratory disease, and even cancer. Tobacco smoke contains many carcinogens, which can damage DNA in our cells. Recent research shows that cigarette smoke reduces the ability of cells to repair this damage, leaving them unstable and likely to turn cancerous.

Tobacco: The Leading Preventable Cause

Tobacco smoke is a major risk factor for lung cancer, with smokers being 24 to 36 times more likely to develop the disease than non-smokers. Smoking also harms those around the smoker, including children and elderly family members who breathe second-hand smoke at home.

A large international analysis of nearly 49,000 patients across 25 countries found that a patient's smoking status can influence survival as strongly as traditional factors used by doctors. Quitting smoking within six months of diagnosis can improve median survival by about four years across cancer types.

Air Pollution: A Growing Concern

The threat to our lungs does not come from smoking alone. Many cities see air quality worsen sharply in the weeks around Diwali and early winter, as construction dust, vehicle emissions, crop burning, and firecrackers add fine particles to the air. These particles can travel deep into the lungs and enter the bloodstream, worsening asthma, bronchitis, and COPD, and increasing the risk of lung cancer.

Some city administrations have started responding to this grave health issue with work-from-home advisories and curbs on construction activity during certain hours. However, more needs to be done to protect the health of citizens, especially children and older adults.

Children and Older Adults Need Extra Care

Children breathe faster relative to their body size, absorbing more pollutants than adults in the same environment. Older adults often have reduced lung reserve due to other conditions, making them more susceptible to the effects of poor air quality.

Symptoms that need attention include a cough lasting more than three weeks, blood in the sputum, persistent chest pain or breathlessness, wheezing or hoarseness that does not settle, or unexplained weight loss and fatigue. Many of these symptoms have simple and treatable causes, but only an examination can tell.

Practical Steps and Advice

For families with children, it is recommended to keep them indoors on severely polluted days and avoid smoking around them or in closed rooms. A cracker-free Diwali is one of the kindest gifts we can give young lungs; instead, celebrate with diyas and rangoli, which are just as beautiful.

For older adults, it can help to check air quality before a morning walk, exercise indoors on bad days, and wear a well-fitted N95 mask in heavy smog. They should also carry inhalers and medicines as prescribed by their doctor and ask about flu and pneumonia vaccination.

• Avoid tobacco in all forms, including beedis, hookah, and chewing tobacco
• Practice daily slow breathing exercises with gentle physical activity
• Keep indoor air free of dust and smoke

Quitting is Worthwhile

Many long-term smokers feel it may be too late to quit, but quitting the habit reduces the risk of lung cancer, even after many years of smoking. Nicotine replacement, medication, and counseling can all improve the chance of success when a decision to quit is made, and the support of family members makes a great difference to the outcome.

For people at high risk, such as long-term heavy smokers over the age of 50, annual screening with a low-dose CT scan may be advised, as it can detect cancer at a stage when treatment is most effective. Discuss with a pulmonologist whether this is the right approach for you.

We may not be able to control the air outside, but we can control what we inhale and how we respond to bad air on high-pollution days. Small, consistent habits can protect the lungs for a lifetime. If you have persistent symptoms or concerns regarding your respiratory health, do not wait beyond a couple of weeks; an early consultation can make all the difference between cancer diagnosis and good health.