The truth is...there are no immediate symptoms from exposures to radon. But... Radon gas has a half life of 3.8 days which breaks down into Polonium and then into a Lead atom. Although these elements are toxic to humans the quantities that are deposited into our bodies aren't sufficient to cause major health issues.
So why should we be worried about radon in our homes?
You can not see or smell radon gas. It is a radioactive gas that causes damage to our cells deep within the lungs. Unlike carbon monoxide gas which has defined symptoms from increasing amounts of exposure similar to the flu. Radon gas exposure has none.
A client of mine was told by his doctor at his yearly exam that he should test for radon gas. Why?... because it's good preventive medicine. You could kind of call it a blood test for your home. The trouble with radon is that it causes lung cancer and its symptoms are usually not evident until it's well developed.
Back to my client with the doctors orders to get radon test kit for his home. He found that the radon level in his home was 23pCi/L or nearly 4 times the acceptable Environmental Protection Agency's action level of 4pCi/L. He also learned that the former owner of his home had just died of lung cancer. Needless to say he was in a hurry to get his home mitigated.
Need I say anymore? Please test for radon in your home today. A test kit can be purchased for less than $15.00 and takes about a week to complete and receive your results. Get one here...
Lung Cancer Symptoms
a new cough that gets worse and does not go away
coughing up blood
chest pain is a symptom in about 25% of cases
shortness of breath
wheezing or hoarseness
repeated respiratory infections such as bronchitis or pneumonia
One extremely grim fact about lung cancer is that about 15% of it's victims have no symptoms at the time they are diagnosed.
Prognosis of Lung Cancer
Only about 15% of lung cancer patients live more than 5 years.
