Will travelling to a place with high rates of pollution affect my lungs?

Hello doctor,

I am a 23-year-old male who has just returned home from a year's trip to a country known for high rates of pollution. I am currently experiencing shortness of breath (no coughing) and excessive burping. I will try to provide you with as much detail as possible. When I went, I did not have any symptoms. Three months had passed with no problem. Then I slowly started to become tired while working out and eventually at the five-month mark I was exhausted. The main symptoms I had were fatigue (unable to exercise at all), shortness of breath, pain/discomfort in the upper back, and excessive burping. Now after returning (been back for two weeks), I only have shortness of breath and burping. I still feel some discomfort in my upper back but not as severe. I went to the ER and got a chest X-ray and blood work (I have listed the tests), and all came back fine. So as of now, I do not know what to think and I am debating whether to return there as it is known for its high pollution rate in most cities and at times it seemed that my symptoms fluctuated with the pollution level.

I do not know what to think about the shortness of breath. It feels as though I need to take deeper breaths. I am able to exercise again though. I am currently using Omeprazole for burping. I have been using it for almost two weeks and it is not helping at all. I also have antacid and digestive enzymes that I use occasionally. What are your suggestions for tests I should take or in general? I honestly want to know if it would be a good idea to return given the information I have provided. Thanks for your help.

Hello doctor,

Thanks for your reply.

Do you not think the pollution levels would have an effect on my lungs?