Pune: The presence of pollen and pollutants in the air during the winter season is triggering allergic bouts in people, which can disrupt their daily routine, said city doctors. Typical symptoms include cold, cough, sneeze and throat irritation. In long-standing allergic conditions, itch and irritation in eyes is also common, so it is important to rule out infections, said Dr Ashish Dhotre, pulmonologist at Noble Hospitals and Research Centre. He said, “Bronchitis commonly occurs due to rising pollution levels, such as traffic and air pollution, excessive dust exposure, pollen, and cold environmental conditions. This year, the number of patients is slightly higher compared to the corresponding period last year.” If symptoms persist for a long time, over one week, it is advisable to consult a doctor and undergo basic investigations such as serum eosinophil count, IgE levels, and a chest X-ray to enable targeted treatment, Dr Dhotre said. “Some patients may require anti-allergic treatment for four-eight weeks. Nowadays, allergic skin testing is also available for severe cases,” he said, adding preventive measures include using a mask and maintaining proper hand hygiene.Dr Sachin Shah, director of neonatal and paediatric intensive care services, said not just in adults, there is an increase in allergy-related cases among children. “Most of the patients coming to us are under seven years, and the symptoms include a runny nose, persistent cough, and redness in eyes. Despite these symptoms, they do not test positive for any viral infection. There are two types of phenotypes when it comes to allergies. It could be a purely allergic reaction to any environmental factor like pollution or pollen, and the other phenotype is the allergy triggered following a viral infection,” he said.Doctors usually treat these children with anti-allergic medicines and nebulisers, Dr Shah added.
