Pollen allergy patients urged to adopt preventive measures

Residents of Islamabad and Rawalpindi afflicted with pollen allergy have been asked to adopt extra preventive measures during the spring season when pollen count ranges highest in mid March in the twin cities. The number of allergy patients goes up in every pollen season especially from March 15 to 31 because of increase in population and spread of existing paper mulberry trees, a private physician, Dr Zafar said here on Saturday.
Talking to APP, he said that single most important step one can take is to avoid pollen in the allergy season. Those who can afford to leave should do so, and remain away from high pollen concentration areas. About symptoms of pollen allergy, he said sneezing, running nose, itching and watering of eyes, coughing, difficulty in breathing are the main signs of this disease.
The patients should avoid unnecessary exposure to irritants such as dust, insect sprays, tobacco smoke, air pollution and paint as these could aggravate the pollen allergy. He also asked the patients to desist from eating spicy food, use of perfumes, walking in garden and using carpets on the floor, while they should wear face mask, use wet cloth for dusting and use vacuum cleaner instead of broom.
He advised the people not to open the window of the car and use sunglasses when outdoors and apply fresh water in eyes and nose. According to a survey, the pollen concentration is higher in G-6, F-6, and H-8 as these sectors have more paper mulberry trees. The citizens of these sectors should take special care. Some experts hold paper mulberry tree as solely responsible for the disease, while others associate multiple environmental pollutants such as dust and smoke emissions.
Meanwhile, special measures have also been put in place to treat allergy patients in Pakistan Institute of Medical Science (PIMS) and Poly Clinic hospital. It may be mentioned that since early 1990s, pollen allergy has become one of the gravest health problems of the twin cities as every year hundreds of people visit hospitals or clinics for treatment against the disease.