Lung cancer is a devastating diagnosis. When symptoms appear, the average patient will struggle to find causes for strange new sensations and baffling symptoms. If it's confirmed to be lung cancer, a patient will need a precise diagnosis, early intervention, and many medical procedures and treatments to help improve your chances of survival against this fatal disease.
But cancer of all kinds has a way of sneaking up on people.
Radon gas, because of its radioactivity, can bombard your lung cells with radiation that can damage lung tissue and then trigger cancerous growth—which could go insidiously undetected. In this post, we'll discuss signs and symptoms indicating the development of lung cancer.
How Does Radon Gas Lead to Lung Cancer?
Radon is a gas created by the radioactive decay of buried uranium ore. One key component of radioactive decay is alpha-particle radiation, which impacts cells and damages them, allowing cancerous growths to develop out of sustained cellular damage.
Radon gas has a way of infiltrating homes, and when it does, you and your household are exposed to all the long-term hazards of radioactivity, including increased cancer risk. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Health Canada estimates 3,300 lung cancer deaths are caused by high-level radon exposure in Canadian homes every year.
What Are Some Symptoms of Lung Cancer?
Some signs and symptoms can seem a little too common to various illnesses. But it could be lung cancer if you have multiple qualifying symptoms; you may want to talk to your doctor if you experience the following:
worsening or more frequent cough
shortness of breath
weight loss
persistent and worsening chest pain
bloodied mucus in your coughs
fatigue
wheezing
swollen lymph nodes
hoarseness or other changes to your voice
difficulty swallowing
headache
Some lung cancer patients present their symptoms to their doctors and are shocked to learn that it's cancer, especially when they're non-smokers. Lung cancer's leading cause in Canada is cigarette smoke, including first-hand and second-hand smoke. But if your home has excessive radon levels over a long period, lung cancer becomes much more likely.
If your home's radon levels are higher than acceptable limits, you'll need an immediate radon mitigation system to manage future health risks. It would definitely be the worst-case scenario if lung cancer symptoms were your first clue to higher than normal radon levels. That's why Health Canada recommends routine radon testing for Calgary homeowners (and all Canadian homeowners) to catch higher radon levels before they damage anyone's health.
Doing so can also help any children living in the house as well; it's critical to prevent high-level cellular damage in young children with developing cells and high respiratory (breathing) rates.
When following Health Canada's guidelines on radon testing, it's possible to catch high-level radon exposure early. Our hearts go out to all those who have lost anyone to cancer or other diseases. Our work is meant to help Calgarians avoid this often-underestimated health hazard. Please take a proactive approach and check your radon levels at the recommended intervals.
Great-West Radon is a "One Stop Shop" for all your Radon related needs. We provide detail-oriented, honest, and reliable radon testing in Calgary by using state-of-the-art tools and technology. From radon mitigation to radon removal, we are the top-rated Radon services company in Calgary, and we are proud of the work we do and the relationships we've created with our clients. We only use the best materials and equipment, ensuring all guidelines set out by the Canadian National Radon Proficiency Program and Health Canada are being met. If you require radon testing, mitigation, removal, or a radon test kit in Calgary, Great Radon West has you covered.