Pollution is causing cough: Docs
NEWDELHI: High pollution level in the city is giving Delhiites allergic cough all year round, according to doctors.
“There has been a slight increase in the number of people coming in with allergic coughing this week. This is most likely due to the rise in the temperature, pollen in the air and the dryness causing more dust to fly around,” said Dr Srikant Sharma, senior consulting physician at Moolchand hospital.
However, over the last couple of years he has observed a rise of nearly 20% in the number of patients coming to his clinic with allergic coughing.
“This is something that we see all year round. Seven out of ten patients who come to my clinic complaining of persistent coughing is a result of allergies. The coughing spells are not accompanied by fever or yellow-green sputum which could hint at an infection,” said Dr Suranjit Chatterjee, senior consultant for internal medicine and Indraprastha Apollo hospital.
Doctors say pollution is to blame. “In Delhi, people are living in pollution levels that are several times higher than the safe limits. This causes constant irritation and makes their airways hypersensitive, making them susceptible to other allergens too like temperature or pollens,” said Dr Sharma.
The allergic cough gets better on having anti-histamines or anti-allergic drugs or wearing masks, according to him.
The problem is people treat allergies with antibiotics, which has no affect on symptoms. “Even though most of the cough is allergic, because it persists, sometimes for weeks, people end up self-administering antibiotics. This should be avoided at all costs and even the local physicians should prescribe antibiotics cautiously. Antihistamines are a better option,” said Dr Chatterjee. NEW DELHI: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Narayan Dutt Sharma has been booked for allegedly threatening and abusing a woman officer working in a project under the Department of Women and Child Development, police said on Tuesday.the woman officer has alleged that the MLA abused her during a phone conversation on March 17, the police said, adding an FIR was registered in the incident.