PATNA: "Take care," doctors advise
tuberculosis (TB) and asthma patients now that the winter has arrived and the mercury plummeted to 10 degrees C.
Patna's Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) has of late seen a rise in cases of TB and asthma. "That's the trend every year... The sudden fall in temperature as well as the increase in the suspended particulate matter in the air adds to the hypersensitivity of the human airway and ups the severity of the diseases," IGIMS's TB and chest HoD Dr Manish Shankar says.
Usually, 10-15 TB cases come to the IGIMS, but the number goes up to 25 every day in the winter. Similarly, the number of asthma cases coming to the IGIMS rises from usual 25 to 30-35 every day in the winter.
With the temperature dipping, says Dr Manish, the bacterial viability ups and they live longer in the air once they are released through coughing or sneezing by a TB-infected human.
Paras-HMRI's senior pulmonologist consultant Dr Prakash Sinha says episodes of aggravated asthmatic attack doubles in the winter. "Though the increase in TB cases is not reported in the season, there's certainly a surge in new TB cases in the winter this year," he said.
Dr Sinha also talks about uncontrolled asthma cases turning into TB cases. "Asthma patients are given steroids for medication. But if they keep using the drug without medical supervision, their asthma may become TB," he says and adds patients with diabetes happen to be prone to multi-drug-resistant TB.
PMCH's cardiothoracic surgeon Dr Shubhash C Jha ascribes the increase in respiratory problems to the the change in temperature. Usually around 200 asthmatic patients visit his private clinic every month, but the number almost triples in the winter. Similarly, the number of TB cases coming to his clinic doubles in the winter.
The temperature fluctuations also cause bronchi spasm or sudden constriction of our respiratory tract due to which the patient may experience breathing problem.
NMCH's TB and chest HoD Dr Girijesh Kumar also says the incidence of asthma increases when it's too cold. He, however, does not see any impact of the winter on TB. PMCH's TB and chest HoD Dr Ashok Shankar Singh counts dust, fumes and cold weather as the main trigger factors behind asthma cases.
Dos and Don'ts
Do not go for early morning walk
Do not take bath in early morning or evening hours
Do cover your body properly to keep it warm
Stay away from a TB patient when s/he is coughing/sneezing
