| ‘Paper masks don’t stop dust’ |
KUWAIT CITY, Feb 28, (KUNA): A specialist in allergies said Saturday paper masks were useless and medical ones should be used as a precaution against the dust currently enveloping the country. Dr Nasser Al-Ahmad, an allergy specialist at the Al-Rashid Allergy Center, told KUNA it was important to using medical masks that cover most of the face, and prevent dust particles from being inhaled. Dust is considered to be the worst thing for allergy patients due to the fact it has a lot of sand particles, dirt, pollen and fungus, which act as an irritant and cause an increase in allergies. Dr Al-Ahmad stressed a specialist should be consulted in order to be aware of the right precautions one can take to avoid being affected by the dust, as well as other problems such as cold, flu, and respiratory trouble.
He added that it is dangerous to be outdoors nowadays especially for those with allergies, asthma and sinus problems.
Meanwhile, the number of patients reporting to hospitals with symptoms of asthma, and other allergy problems has increased in Kuwait as a result of the dust. Al-Rashid Allergy Center examined 90,000 patients in 2008 and added that currently 200-300 patients are reporting to the center daily, and a majority of them are seen to be suffering from asthma. Furthermore, sinus allergies are most common in Kuwait due to the weather, with 40 percent of the people who report to the center daily suffering from this problem.
|
| Posted on:
01/03/2009 |
|
|
|
