What does wildfire smoke do to your lungs? Here's what to know about health effects

A thick, billowy haze of smoke from wildfires in Canada continues to darken American skies, particularly in northeastern states, triggering air quality alerts and health concerns across the country.

The weather system that's driving the great Canadian-American smoke out – a low-pressure system over Maine and Nova Scotia – "will probably be hanging around at least for the next few days,” National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Ramsey said.

Health experts are urging Americans in areas with air quality warnings to stay indoors and run an air filtration system that will reduce exposure.

Wildfire smoke is a mix of gases and fine particles that can cause harm in multiple ways, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Older adults, pregnant women, young children and people with chronic heart and respiratory conditions are more likely to get sick if they breathe in wildfire smoke. But the CDC says even healthy adults can also experience the following symptoms:

? Coughing

? Trouble breathing normally

? Stinging eyes

? Scratchy throat

? Runny nose

? Irritated sinuses

? Wheezing and shortness of breath

? Chest pain

? Headaches

? Asthma attacks

? Fatigue

? Fast heartbeat

What does wildfire smoke do to your lungs?

The American Lung Association says wildfire smoke can be “extremely harmful” to lung health. Wildfire smoke consists of a mix of air pollutants, including:

Particle pollution, like PM2.5: These tiny particles can get lodged deep in the lungs and can cause asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes.

Carbon monoxide: This colorless, odorless gas has been shown to reduce oxygen delivery to the body’s organs and tissues which can lead to headaches, nausea, and dizziness. At high concentrations, this gas can even lead to premature death.

The Environmental Protection Agency said these pollutants cause lung complications, like:

? Bronchitis

? Reducing lung function

? Exacerbating asthma

? Worsening lung diseases

Air pollution and dementia: Long-term effects of wildfire smoke

More research is needed to understand the long-term health effects of wildfire smoke but studies have shown it may be linked to a number of consequences.

Researchers from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health found PM2.5 may increase the risk of developing dementia, according to a report published in the medical journal BMJ in April. Their analysis also showed dementia risk increased with other air pollutants like nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide.

Other studies also show a link between wildfire exposure and increased mortality, respiratory illnesses and cancer.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Follow Adrianna Rodriguez on Twitter: @AdriannaUSAT.

Health and patient safety coverage at USA TODAY is made possible in part by a grant from the Masimo Foundation for Ethics, Innovation and Competition in Healthcare. The Masimo Foundation does not provide editorial input.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How harmful is wildfire smoke? What bad air quality does to the body