One in five UAE residents suffers from allergy

Up to one fifth of the UAE’s population may suffer from a form of allergy. The most common form of allergy is allergic rhinitis.

These findings were presented by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) in its weekly Twitter clinic, where Hussain Hattawi, head of Dubai Hospital’s immunology unit shared his insights.

In 2013 his unit treated approximately 800 patients, and the majority of patients turned out to suffer from a form of allergy.

Of course, there are many different kinds of allergies and not always are the symptoms diagnosed. In rare forms of allergies it is difficult to find the underlying cause.

However, there are some forms that dominate in the country, with allergic rhinitis being the most common. According to a study conducted in 2011, a 10th of the world’s 400 million nasal allergy sufferers live in the Middle East, noted the DHA.

The reason for a high prevalence of nasal allergies including allergic rhinitis is genetic predisposition, as well as environmental factors, pointed Hattawi out.

In the UAE, environmental factors cause the condition to worsen if left untreated.

Dust mites, pets or in some cases cockroaches are examples of common indoor allergens, while grass and tree pollens are outdoor allergens.
Coastal areas such as the UAE have a high prevalence of dust mite due to the humidity, and it has been identified as the most common trigger of allergic rhinitis among the population.

Other outdoor irritants such as pollution, construction, do not directly cause allergies but aggravate the symptoms in people who already have them, noted the DHA.

The danger is that not everybody visits a doctor when experiencing symptoms of rhinitis. “If allergic rhinitis is left untreated it may progress to asthma,” said Hattawi.

Allergic rhinitis symptoms include a runny or blocked nose, frequent sneezing and can be associated with allergic conjunctivitis which causes redness, itching and watery eyes.

“If people have a cold and if it does not resolve in a week or two then they should visit a physician who may refer them to an allergy specialist if required,” said the specialist.

At the specialist the exact cause of the allergy will be determined through a skin test or a blood test. When the trigger is known, the patient will be able to avoid coming into contact with the allergen, which is most important.

In addition, anti-histamine and intra-nasal steroids can be used to alleviate the symptoms, and when medication does not help the patient can be treated by immunotherapy, where (s)he is exposed to the allergy in very small doses for a long period of time so that the body will get used to it. This needs to be initiated at a clinic under the supervision of a physician.
 
 

 

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