Expressing concern over surge in cases of allergy, health experts on Wednesday said that since the start of Lahore Metro Orange Train (LMOT) project, there was up to 20 percent increase in the number of allergy patients in the provincial metropolis of Lahore alone. As allergy season starts in Pakistan, experts advise precautionary measures against allergic rhinitis (AR) which is the most common allergic disease in Pakistan with 24.62 percent prevalence.
Dr Mohammad Amjad, Head of ENT at Services Hospital Lahore told media at a briefing that allergic rhinitis also called hay fever, happens when one breathes in something to which one is allergic, and the inside of the nose becomes inflamed and swollen. "Allergic rhinitis is clinically defined as a symptomatic disorder of the nose and is characterised by nasal symptoms including rhinorrhoea (runny nose), sneezing, nasal blockage and/or itching of the nose. It is often associated with ocular symptoms," he said, adding: "allergic rhinitis is an important health problem because of its prevalence and its impact on patients' social life, school performance, and work productivity. The symptoms of disease are not limited to the physical effects on the nose and eyes but also involve adverse consequences to quality of life, including psychological well-being and the ability to learn and process cognitive input," he added.
Highlighting the burden of disease, he said that allergic rhinitis reduces learning ability in children. About 88 percent of pediatric allergy patients have sleep disorders. The presence of allergy often precedes the development of asthma, adding that mixed cases of rhinitis and asthma (24.86%) and allergic rhinitis alone (24.01%) were the major allergic disorders in the province of Punjab, he added.
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Dr Amjad added, the mixed cases of rhinitis and asthma (21.89%) and bronchial asthma alone (26.69%) were the first and second most common allergic diseases. Allergic rhinitis was on top (27.92%) in Sindh province, said Amjad, adding that causes of Allergic Rhinitis are: Allergic rhinitis is triggered by allergens and allergens can be found both outdoors and indoors, he said. Allergic rhinitis may also be triggered by allergens found in the home, such as animal dander, indoor mould, or house dust mites, said Amjad.
He said that the goal of treatment of allergic rhinitis is to improve a patient's well-being, or quality of life. "Allergic rhinitis represents a global health problem. Allergic rhinitis in adults and children has been shown to lead to substantial impairment of quality of life (QOL)," he added. To a query, he said, in pregnancy allergy control medicines must not be taken without proper diagnosis by a recognised medical practitioner. He added that those facing nose allergy are more prone to develop asthma.
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