Better safe: Pollen allergy - Precaution is better than cure

Doctors advise patients start taking anti-allergic medicine.

ISLAMABAD:

With the onset of spring, people suffering from pollen allergy have started streaming in to the capital’s hospitals. However, this spring experts expect the pollen count will not be high and the allergy season to be of short duration.

Doctors, however, advise patients to start consuming anti-allergy medicines as prescribed by their physicians to avoid complications.

According to data compiled by The Express Tribune, the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and Polyclinic Hospital are receiving an average of 15 to20 patients a day in the main outpatient department (OPD) in the morning shift. At Shifa International Hospital, a senior consultant Dr Athar Rana has been treating 40 patients in the morning shift.

Dr Rana and Dr Asadullah Nemati, a senior chest specialist at Pims said day by day the number of patients is increasing. Their number is expected to double by next week.

“I would suggest patients suffering from pollen allergy to immediately start taking montelukast, an anti-allergic and take precautionary measure to reduce exposure to pollen,” advised Dr Nemati.

Precautionary measures

Health experts suggest people wear a face mask that completely covers their mouth and nose, keep windows and door closed, especially at dawn and dusk to avoid letting pollen in and avoid going out during this time.

Visit your physician as soon as you find any symptoms as pollen allergy must not be taken lightly. Mild symptoms may suddenly worsen and cause death within 10 minutes.

Symptoms

Its symptoms are a runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, itchy eyes and throat, headache, shortness of breath and sneezing.

The pollen allergy season usually begins around mid-February, however according to Khalid Malik, director National Agromet Centre, Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), this year spring has started later than usual due to the rains.

He said this spring the pollen allergy season will continue till the first week of April, but it would not be severe. “A rain spell is expected on March 17 and 18 and at the end of this month due to which pollen concentration in the air will remain normal. There has also been a decrease in the number of mulberry trees in the capital which are the root cause.”

The pollen count will increase on sunny and windy days, therefore people should take precautionary measures, he added.

Awareness campaign

A physician at Polyclinic Hospital who wished not to be named said there is a need to run a mass awareness campaign in the capital before the beginning of the pollen allergy season.

“Banners inscribed with precautionary measures should be hung at every signal in the capital before the season’s arrival. But unfortunately the authorities concerned start doing it around mid-March when people already fell ill,” he said.

He advised people to refrain from getting vaccinated during the pollen season. “It can cause severe complications but people are not aware of it and their doctors suggest it as a remedy,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 15^th, 2014.