At the age of 60, Radha (name changed) knew the routine by heart whenever she faced a persistent cough and difficulty in breathing – go to the nearby clinic and get medication for relief. It was only when she experienced severe and uncontrollable breathing problems that she decided to check for asthma. “After learning about her frequent symptoms, we looked at her history and realized that she was exposed to curtain dust and smoke from burning incense sticks. After testing, we told her to reduce her exposure. Since asthma was identified, we also started inhalers,” recalls Dr Sujith Varghese Abrahamnhaam, Consultant General Practitioner in Thama.
After several months of treatment and reduced exposure to triggers, Radha now rarely experiences coughing or difficulty breathing.
Constant sneezing, repeated skin rashes, watery eyes, or difficulty breathing after dust exposure are often considered minor concerns. However, doctors warn that allergies are becoming more common and can significantly affect a person’s quality of life if left untreated.
Allergy occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly identifies harmless substances, mainly proteins, as a threat and reacts to them. Allergy-causing substances, or allergens, enter the body through the skin, nose, eyes, or lungs, resulting in sensitization of the immune system, which later causes symptoms that may appear from factors such as organ factors. dust, fumes, weather changes, stress and exposure to certain environmental conditions,” says Dr Elizabeth Sunila, consultant pulmonologist at Aster Medcity.
According to Dr Sujith, a damaged immune system can cause allergic diseases which are systemic disorders. “A major factor that causes an allergy is genetic susceptibility. Some people are born with an immune system that tends to overreact (often called atopy). The chances of being diagnosed with an allergy are high if there is a strong family history of asthma, allergic rhinitis or eczema,” he says.
