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KKR ENT Hospital & Research Institute has announced the setting up of an Allergy Clinic for the diagnosis and treatment of allergy problems, its managing director, Dr Ravi Ramalingam said in Chennai.
An allergy is a hypersensitivity to foreign substances which are normally harmless but which produce a violent reaction in the allergy sufferer. Allergies are generally the body's effort to eliminate something it considers unsuitable. Typical allergic reactions are hay fever, migraine, asthma, allergic rhinitis, digestive disturbances, conjunctivitis, urticaria, eczema, recurrent sinusitis and ear infections.
Almost any substance can cause allergy in an individual. Common allergens include certain foods, especially milk, wheat and eggs, pollens, dust, moulds, cosmetics and certain food additives.
KKR ENT Hospital & Research Institute is setting up a comprehensive allergy management clinic to help in the diagnosis and treatment of allergy problems. Central to this clinic is the introduction of a new test called RAST testing (RadioAllergoSorbentTest). A RAST test is a blood test used to determine what a person is allergic to. Once the cause of the allergy is identified it is easy to treat and control the symptoms of the patient. To know more about this test and for further details, call KKR ENT Hospital 2641 1444/ 26411987.
Prof Ravi Ramalingam said allergy problems, especially hay fever, affected one in every five individuals. Millions of school and work days each year are lost due to patients suffering trom allergy problems. The most common of these problems is hay fever or allergic rhinitis in which the patient suffers from nasal congestion, running nose, sneezing, nose and eye itching and a post nasal drip. Patients also complain of loss of smell, loss of taste and nasal bleeding.
Allergic rhinitis or hay fever is caused as a result of the allergic person coming into contact several times with pollen from plants. These pollens are usually from many trees, grasses and weeds and are spread by wind. In addition, the allergic particle may originate from other sources such as fungus (moulds), dog or cat dander and insect remains and waste.
The ideal way to manage an allergy is to avoid the substances that cause the allergic symptoms. It is, therefore, very important to first identify the substances (allergens) causing the allergic reaction. Many allergens can be suspected by a patient's particular history. Because the identification of the allergens is important and is often difficult to pinpoint, an accurate test is required for this purpose.
Prof Ravi Ramalingam said the RAST test was the best method to identify these allergy-causing substances. The advantages of this new test include improved accuracy, better safety and being less invasive. Once the specific case of the allergy is known, the person can take precautions to avoid that particular substance which causes the allergy. This is the first time in south India that this new machine is being introduced.
Prof Ravi added that with the introduction of this new allergy clinic and RAST test, the diagnosis and treatment of allergy problems will be far superior than what was previously done. A combination of accurate history, diagnostic tests and treatment modalities, including avoidance of the allergens, medication and immunotherapy will lead to far greater control of this common problem.
Winter is approaching. Come winter, start all allergies, points out Prof Ravi. Pollen is not the only cause of allergies. Exposure to house dust, a major cause of year-round suffering, intensifies as people head indoors for winter. Symptoms of an allergy to house dust are often mistaken for colds as they include runny nose, nasal congestion, itchy and watery eyes.
Dust is also capable of triggering an asthmatic attack in people with allergies. When dust is identified as the specific allergen causing one's winter misery, it may be possible to eliminate it sufficiently to provide marked relief trom symptoms.
House dust has been suspected as an allergen for many centuries, but was formerly seen as a simple substance. Today, its complexity is recognised - a conglomeration of living and non-living material including fabric fibres, animal dander, food particles and insect remains.
"Mattresses contain the highest concentration of dust mites, whose primary food source is flakes off human skin. The tiny creatures are also found in pillows, clothing, carpeting and upholstered furniture."
Most people cannot control the dust conditions where they work or spend their daytime hours, but to a large extent everyone can eliminate dust from their bedroom. This is the single most important and effective step in treatment but it can become a costly exercise.
When symptoms suggest an allergy to dust mites, it will be less expensive to see an allergist for testing for the specific allergen than to entirely refurbish the bedroom on the suspicion that dust is at fault.
Methods to control exposure to dust at home
Clean regularly. Most people spend a third of their lives in the bedroom; therefore, it is necessary to put on a dust mask and vacuum the room vigorously every day, and clean thoroughly every week. Throw rugs are better than carpeting, because they can be washed weekly in hot water. Products that kill mites are available and include benzyl benzoate to decrease the presence of the allergen in carpets.
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Keep humidity low. Avoid humidifiers, because dust mites multiply in a humid environment.
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Dust-proof the bedding. The bed should have mite-proof covers that completely encase the mattress, boxspring and pillows. This is necessary even if the bedding is new.
Discard any feather or down pillows or quilts. Hypoallergenic pillows and washable blankets are preferable.
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Eliminate other dust-catchers. If possible, remove all upholstered furniture, drapes, old books and newspapers, stuffed animals, even knickknacks. Use wooden or metal chairs, and lightweight fabric curtains.
Dr Ravi Ramalingam
Leading ENT Surgeon & Managing Director,
KKR ENT Hospital.
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Allergy Clinic in Chennai
