‘Doctor consultation for respiratory issues spikes  by 20% in polluted metros’

Respiratory ailments are on a rise in metropolitan cities with an alarming level of air pollution. A healthcare portal Practo has found out that in cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad, queries related to breathing issues have shot up by 20 per cent since the festivities began in October and the weather got calmer.

The online doctor consultation portal in a press release said that more and more people are seeking physicians advice on queries related to breathing issues, dry cough, asthma, dust allergy over rising concerns of pollution aggravating symptoms of Covid patients and increased chances on contracting the disease. People belonging to the age group of 21 and 30 years and those above 60 are the ones who are most concerned about these breathing ailments.

The report further found that most respiratory-health issues come from the men. Among the non-metro cities, people belonging to Visakhapatnam, Jaipur, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bhubaneshwar and Indore made the most queries.

ENT specialist Dr Rajesh Bhardwaj pointed out that breathing issues are on a rise in winters because as cold air gets denser and mobility falls, particles remain suspended for long and remain on the surface. Farm fires, crackers, construction activity further increase pollutant level in the air. Sometimes indoor air is more polluted than the outside air as toxic particles remain trapped in confined places, he further added.

Poor quality air affects lifestyle in many ways. Elders, pregnant women and children comprise of the most vulnerable group. High pollution level triggers health hazards like asthma, allergy, cardiac ailments and they can often get fatal. Dr Bhardwaj advised consulting doctor even at the slightest feeling of discomfort.