Sick Building Syndrome: Is your building making you sick?

"Hello Mr. John, what's the matter? You are looking too worried for a new landlord: the youngest landlord in town!" "Thanks Mr. Sola, I am in trouble Mr. Sola, I can happily sleep since moving into my new house. I have been sneezing, coughing, with this serious congested nose any time I am at home. Do you know what’s surprising, Mr. Sola? I feel completely fine the moment I step out of the house”. 

Oh, I now understand your fear,” Mr. Sola said; “They call it sick building syndrome—SBS for short.""Oh, never heard of that. Thanks my friend, I'll look it up on the internet once I get home."

According to the EPA (environmental protection agency of the United States), sick building syndrome occurs when occupants experience certain symptoms only when inside a certain building. The symptoms usually resolve when outside the building, lending the name to the condition - “sick building”

Components of sick building syndrome: components of sick building syndrome include:

• Symptoms like eye, nose and throat irritation 
• Nervous system symptoms like fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and irritability
• Asthma-like symptoms like wheezing, dry cough, and chest tightness
• Skin symptoms like dry, itchy skin
• Gut symptoms like nausea
• General symptoms like sensitivity to odors and difficulty concentrating

Causes of sick building syndrome: There are certain reasons why you might experience these symptoms when inside a building. These environmental factors include:

• Biological contaminants in the air like pollen, viruses, and spores from bacteria and fungi
• Non biological air contaminants such
• Polluted urban air
• Adhesives in all common building construction products
• Rigid foam
• Particle Board
• Mold allergy
•  Dust sensitivity 
• Plywood
• Exhaust fumes
• Inadequate ventilation 
• Duct liners
• Paint
• Insulation
• Chemical leaching in laminate flooring 

Control of sick building syndrome

Preventing sick building syndrome focuses on identifying the triggers within the building and eliminating them by making improvements to the building. Some of the needed improvements include

• Better air quality
• Improve building ventilation
• Visual pore elimination
• Installing toxin-absorbing plants
• Regular air cleaning
• Regular vacuuming
• Avoid asbestos roofing
• Separate printers from air conditioners

However, you need to also see your doctor to treat the symptoms of sick building syndrome, even if they go away outside the building. When you experience wheezing, shortness of breath, for example, these symptoms suggest airway narrowing and could be life-threatening. Your doctor will prescribe medications to prevent and manage this, to prevent avoidable complications. 

Conclusion

Sick building syndrome can be taken literally that one’s building is sick. But in true essence, the building is making you sick. Presence of environmental factors such as molds, spores, dust, and even poor, uneven ventilation could pose a risk to your health, causing discomforting symptoms that won’t go away until you leave the building. You do not have to suffer in silence, identify these triggers, speak to an environmental/building specialist, and have these concerns fixed as soon as possible.