Radon Exposure Symptoms

Radon is a natural radioactive gas that comes from the earth and can seep into homes, where it can become trapped and builds to dangerous levels. Because radon is invisible, odorless and tasteless, it is impossible to detect without proper testing equipment. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, as of 2009, radon exposure has only been proven to have a single, deadly health consequence--lung cancer. Therefore, radon exposure symptoms are the symptoms of lung cancer.

The Facts

• In 2005, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Richard H. Carmona issued a national health advisory on radon. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), radon is a global danger, causing up to 15 percent of lung cancers worldwide.

Radon Exposure and Lung Cancer

• According to the EPA, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in America--second only to smoking--and the number-one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers.

  Because the primary radon exposure symptom is lung cancer, radon exposure usually cannot be detected until lung cancer is discovered. The American Lung Association says that lung cancer is the leading cancer killer in men and women.

Lung Cancer Symptoms

• According to the National Cancer Institute, the lung cancer and radon exposure symptoms include a cough that worsens or won't go away, or that produces blood. Additional symptoms include constant chest pain, shortness of breath, a hoarse voice, and frequent bouts of pneumonia (or other lung infections). Lung cancer symptoms also include weight loss (without dieting or other known cause) and constant exhaustion.

Diagnosis

• If you have any of these lung cancer symptoms, do not panic -- such symptoms be caused by other illnesses -- but do visit your doctor. Expect your doctor to conduct a thorough physical exam, focusing on your lungs and checking for swollen lymph nodes and/or liver. You may have a chest x-ray and CT scan to check for tumors or other abnormalities. Next the doctor will take samples for pathology tests.

Types of Lung Cancer

• According to the American Lung Association, there are two major types of lung cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, small cell lung cancer, which usually spreads fast, comprises about 13 percent of lung cancers. Most lung cancers--87 percent--are non-small cell lung cancer, which spreads more slowly than small cell lung cancer.

Prevention/Solution

• Every year, 20,000 people are killed by radon exposure, yet testing for this poisonous gas is inexpensive and easy to do. Radon testing kits available from the National Safety Council or your state's radon program, which can usually connect you with properly accredited radon testing and mitigation specialists.