On 20 Aug, 2022, Seniors Today hosted its weekly Health Live Webinar. This week we hosted Dr Divya Prabhat. He spoke on and answered questions about allergic rhinitis.
Dr Divya Prabhat completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies from the the GS Medical College and KEM Hospital, Mumbai and then worked as lecturer there for four years. He is trained in ear surgery for deafness from Germany and done Cochlear implant training at the Royal Australian Hospital, Melbourne.
He is the author of four books on ENT of which, ‘Practical ENT’ is in the 31st year of publication. He has 41 published research articles in various national and international journals and is also on the editorial board of four indexed journals. He has delivered over 400 lectures in Conferences/ CMEs etc .
ENT Consultant to the online site : Pediatriconcall.com. He is section editor and author of the ENT section of the IAP Textbook of Paediatrics, Textbook of Adolescent Medicine, IAP Colour Atlas of Pediatrics and Textbook of Tropical Allergy and Asthma.
He is Head of the ENT department at the Wadia Children Hospital and is Consultant at the Jaslok, Raheja Fortis and Bhatia Hospitals. He has been a guest speaker at the IFOS World Congress of ENT held at Sydney and Cairo and also at AAO – Washington.
He is an examiner for the MBBS, DORL and MS examinations. Dr Prabhat was President of the Association of Otolaryngologists of India (Mumbai 2000) and nominated in Top Doctors from 2013 to 2021 by India Today magazine.
Allergic rhinitis is not a single term, it is a syndrome. It presents as sneezing, nasal block and nasal discharge, as a response to the allergen by the antigen. It does not limit itself only to the nose, it goes to various parts of the body.
The number of people getting allergic rhinitis has been increasing over the years.
Allergic rhinitis is a condition that affects the quality of life. It is also one of the top causes for patients reporting to the hospital.
With industrialisation and such, the percentage of allergies and allergens have increased. This has resulted in an increase in the incidence of allergic rhinitis. Changing environment and environmental conditions and lifestyle has led to the said increase in incidence.
Approx 50% allergies are due to allergic rhinitis.
Allergic rhinitis is an IgE mediated immune response which results in inflammation of the nasal mucosa and airways in response to a stimulus which leads to inflammation of the respiratory tract.
In the elderly, it is seen that they suffer from chronic rhinisinusitis.
Symptoms of allergic rhinitis:
It is a triad of – sneezing, nasal blockage and nasal discharge.
In addition to this, there is also- persistent lacrimation, congestion of the eyes, inflammation and redness of the skin.
Common allergic triggers in our day to day life can be:
- Dust
- Strong smells
- Humidity
- House dust mites
- Molds
- Various pets
- Plants, pollens
- Pesticides
- Smoking or tobacco smoke
- Certain food items: milk and milk products, eggs, fish, crabs, nuts, soya, soya beans, processed and packed foods with food colouring, preservatives, food flavour enhancers
- Medications
The lining of the nose is not isolated, it goes to the sinus, ear, throat and finally the lungs. This, if the sinus is blocked, it can lead to sinus infections and can lead to inflammation and polyp formation on solidification.
Allergic rhinitis is a common cause for upper respiratory tract infections.
Snoring is a common complaint which is caused due to prolonged nasal blockage and can ultimately lead to obstructive sleep apnoea.
Allergic rhinitis if not controlled can also lead to asthma. And also- snoring, obstructive sleep apnoea (which can further lead to hypertension, disturbed sleep and other metabolic diseases), sinusitis, nasal polyps, and ultimately asthma- if not controlled.
