Chennai: With the weather changing constantly the number of cases of people, especially children, going to hospitals with wheezing is seeing a rise.
“It is clear that extreme weather variations include not only heat waves but also more severe winters, which represent a potential danger for respiratory health.
The main diseases of concern are asthma, rhino sinusitis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and respiratory tract infections,” said Dr V. Sundar, Pulmanologist, Rajiv Gandhi Government general Hospital (RGGGH).
With weather changes playing a significant role in the increase in concentration of unhealthy air and water pollutants, doctors say the number of those developing problems of wheezing is slowly rising. Government hospitals have also seen a rise in the number of out-patients coming for check-ups with wheezing related difficulties.
“I have seen a steady rise in the number of patients coming to me with complaints of a constant whistling tune while they breathe. Many do not even know what the problem is and therefore ignore the issue until it becomes serious,” said Pulmanologist Dr. A. Rajan.
Doctors state that children are highly affected by the pollen in the air and the constant inhalation of wet dust. “Respiratory diseases increase among children during heat waves. Extreme heat and high humidity trigger asthma symptoms. Cyclones have also been related to asthma. Cold weather, by increasing cold exposure, will increase overall respiratory infections in individuals,” said Dr Sundar.
