ENT Specialists Advise Essential Precautions To Avert Dust Allergy

Dust particles that persist in the atmosphere have assumed a certain intensity following the recent dust storm in Karachi enhancing urgency to take essential precautions and avert associated health risks

KARACHI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Apr, 2019 ) :Dust particles that persist in the atmosphere have assumed a certain intensity following the recent dust storm in Karachi enhancing urgency to take essential precautions and avert associated health risks.

Doctors talking to APP here on Wednesday said implications of the peculiar weather conditions are particularly severe for people suffering from allergies as asthma, bronchitis, nasal infections besides conditions related to larynx and chest.

"I will strongly recommend that vulnerable sections must particularly avoid unnecessary exposure to dust and if necessary may use masks so that do not inhale the particles that could trigger severe conditions," said a senior ENT surgeon, Dr. Mohammad Umer Farooq.

The surgeon, also a faculty member of Dow University of Health Sciences, referred to the cases of eye infections reported from different parts of the city during past two days.

"Though my field has nothing to do with eye, yet people often confusing Ear with Eye do approach ENT specialists for their conditions related to eye," he said in a jovial manner.

People in general were also advised to ensure frequent rinsing of their nostrils, gargle with salty water at least a day and wash exposed parts of their body.

"Since skin allergy is also an implication of dust induced allergens therefore it is important that hands, face, feet and other part exposed to dust is adequately washed," elaborated the senior doctor.

Dr. Syed Qaiser Sajjad, another known ENT surgeon of the metropolis, working for Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, supplementing his co-professional, said the existent weather conditions must not be ignored and people in general must develop a trend to use mask and sun glasses while moving out.

He emphasised that people otherwise too may be susceptible to infections if they do not care about dust and other modes of atmospheric pollution.

Dust was cited to be also responsible for fungal as well as viral infections with former being severe in humid conditions causing skin infections.

To a query, they said people with compromised immunity or low resistance particularly aged population or those suffering from one or the other ailment need to be extremely cautious about the weather conditions.